Trades are an okay idea. People have this rosy picture of a skilled trades job, with high pay, great benefits, and security from a strong union.
And while that can be true, it is certainly only a very small part of the picture. You can't just say, I'm going to be a plumber, and bam, you're a plumber. You could, conceivably do that with something like rough frame carpentry, but those aren't the high paid trades people talk about. Most trades have required education and/or apprenticeships that aren't paid that great. If you can make it through that, then the pay gets better. But we're talking years, literally years to get there.
Then, once you're doing the skilled trade, you're working long (looooong) hours, long weeks, away from family (sometimes), in the heat and cold and rain.
These are good jobs, but they're not magic make money jobs like people tend to frame them. They're hard, and your career will get cut shorter than it should by either straight up injury or problems of accrued physical debt from repetitive strain.
I talked to 3 plumbers recently when I bought a partially built house. First guy was a "commercial" plumber working on new builds only. Second guy was a "home renovation" plumber. Both these 2 plumbers won't go near a clogged toilet. Third guy specialized on clogged pipes and home emergency repair.
Third guy specialized on clogged pipes and home emergency repair.
And knows anyone calling him is likely over a barrel and willing to pay big money to make the problem go away. Odd hours, but a respectable hourly rate (assuming he has some skin in the game vis-a-vis owning the business).
Comments
Trades are an okay idea. People have this rosy picture of a skilled trades job, with high pay, great benefits, and security from a strong union.
And while that can be true, it is certainly only a very small part of the picture. You can't just say, I'm going to be a plumber, and bam, you're a plumber. You could, conceivably do that with something like rough frame carpentry, but those aren't the high paid trades people talk about. Most trades have required education and/or apprenticeships that aren't paid that great. If you can make it through that, then the pay gets better. But we're talking years, literally years to get there.
Then, once you're doing the skilled trade, you're working long (looooong) hours, long weeks, away from family (sometimes), in the heat and cold and rain.
These are good jobs, but they're not magic make money jobs like people tend to frame them. They're hard, and your career will get cut shorter than it should by either straight up injury or problems of accrued physical debt from repetitive strain.
Ask a plumber to show you their crawlsuit and describe the last month or so of their work and you being to appreciate their rates.
I talked to 3 plumbers recently when I bought a partially built house. First guy was a "commercial" plumber working on new builds only. Second guy was a "home renovation" plumber. Both these 2 plumbers won't go near a clogged toilet. Third guy specialized on clogged pipes and home emergency repair.
And knows anyone calling him is likely over a barrel and willing to pay big money to make the problem go away. Odd hours, but a respectable hourly rate (assuming he has some skin in the game vis-a-vis owning the business).
Plumbers have a terrible fate, more so if they have a special suit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teufz17PqoY
Hehe, ok. Fantastic movie that one. Also quite depressing.