Your description of what it means to be a software engineer sounds a lot like being a carpenter. I would definitely call being a carpenter a trade skill. Much

Your description of what it means to be a software engineer sounds a lot like being a carpenter. I would definitely call being a carpenter a trade skill. Much like being a software engineer the real product of a carpenter is how what the build withstands the elements, can be repaired, maintained, and extended, and that is only achieved after putting in the thought and design that comes before construction. Much like a software engineer, a carpenter must keep up to date on building codes and regulations, different materials and how they are used safely, and collecting, maintaining, and extending their tools. Software engineers often talk about "sharpening the saw". That's literally something a carpenter would do.