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[arkhamguy123]

So I recently arrived at an epiphany and was wondering if anyone on this board could help. So basically, fuck corporate America. I'm circling a promotion/better paying job but I really just want out entirely. My girlfriend and I were sitting kinda thinking about escape routes to make a living with and I remembered something I always kinda wanted to do, I kinda did in summers in college (did demolition), and have heard great things about. Which is unionized trade work. So I'd be like a plumber/electrician/carpenter/construction etc. And yes yes I've done all the counter research and know the objections ("it takes a physical toll on your body", "the salary plateaus in the 100-150k range") And I still want to get into it and try it.

I think it could be really good for me and I'm a non material simple kinda guy. Don't need anything fancy. So anyone in this line of work how can I breach into this? What should I know about it before I go in and what can I expect? I have a business degree from a big state public university and have only corporate jobs so far and I fuckin hate it. Any help or insights would be appreciated!

 

[Lasha]

Look up your local unions and apply for an apprenticeship. Steamfitters are starving for talent everywhere so they may be a good start. The process is get accepted, do a 5 year apprenticeship, then get to work wherever. Your university degree won't matter too much.

You're basically tied to a company during your apprenticeship. You'll be used and abused until you finish it. Scheduling gets rough because you'll need to go to the union hall to attend classes in addition to working your 40. It's good money and benefits though. Some of the trade unions have amazing CBA.

 

[daveonezero]

Find something you are interested in.

5 years ago I started being full time IT contractor on an online platform and have been happy with it.

I have sort of plateaued but looking at expanding my skill set and finding more advanced work.

I don’t know anything about apprenticeships and unions. I steer clear of all that.

There are industries and jobs where just finding a good gig will pay off.

 

[G-Bus]

Worked as a residential carpenter for 7 years, mostly framing with a fair bit of achitectural form work. Also did 2 years of pre fab walls prior to my carpentry apprenticeship. The prefab work was what made me get into carpentry. Loved it and still do.

I still work as a carpenter by job title but it's more of a handy man type thing with a bit of actual carpenter work on the side.

Amazing trade. Few directions you can go. Concrete, finishing, framing.

Soo many other trades people I meet say they wish they got into carpentry over their own trade. So there's that.

Not sure how to sell it. Watch some videos and decide. Do you like hard labour and working with your hands? Get a good workout and some very pliable skills.

Downside would be how hard it is on your body. Haven't met anyone in the trade that's done it for 5/10+ years without some kind of permanent injury or issue with the body. It's rough at times.

There's a good reason a lot of formen on big job sites are retired carpenters. Your almost always working with all the other trades. Your one of the few at the start of the project and last at the end. From my experience at least.

I will say any trade is a good trade. Go almost anywhere and find work. Pay is generally really good.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I’m not in the trades but lots of my family and friends are. The two trades that are always recommended are carpenter and electrician. They are used in everything and have really useful skills that carryover into the rest of your life.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Do you know anyone who can help get you a trades job? I ask because if you got connections, you can get a job easily. One of my friends had zero experience. He worked in a warehouse, but his friend got him a job on a construction site helping the vets do work on the site. I dont know what he does but there's no way it's anything fancy. He gets paid about $40/hr excluding OT pay.

Another friend does demolition kind of stuff. He gets hired with other people and they're job is to basically rip things down. He even joked with me one time when I asked him if he could help me with some lame stuff at my house. He let me borrow his tools, but joked he's not the kind of guy to help with fixing things up nice. But if I need help figuring out how to disassemble or break something apart, call him.

He gets paid $50/hr excluding OT. And even gets per diem lunch pay or living expenses if he does it out of town. There are times if the job site is near his parents, he'll just live there during the job and pocket the expense pay out he gets.

 

[It's all in the wrist]

Funny how that works. I've done various construction and carpentry jobs for most of my life, and I hate that sweaty, dirty, exhausting shit. I feel like I'm killing myself quickly. It does pay well and you learn a lot of practical skills, though.

 

[Gonpachiro Kamaboko]

I felt the same way. 3 days into my interning for an auditing company I was like “I will never work in an office”. Since then I’ve worked a few union jobs but now I’m in a non union position, working with my hands and traveling for work (flying, mostly) while getting to save a lot of money.
If you want to get into a trade, it’s true that you’ll always have work. And it’s hard work, but some peoples brains including mine are wired to be satisfied doing things like that. My dad has been a plumber for almost 30 years and now he works maybe 3-4 days a week for a few hours at a time and makes bank. There’s money to be made in the trades, especially because of the job security and due to a labor shortage there will always be really shitty workers. Whatever decision you make, I hope it makes you happy and gives you opportunity to grow and be successful. Good luck!

 

[badblue]

If I were going to get another trade ticket (I'm a welder) I'd go into HVAC.

HVAC is going to be in demand for a long while since Climate Change seems to be making it hotter every year. It's also an opportunity for you down the road if you want to use that degree and open up your own business.

 

[daveonezero]

If I were going to get another trade ticket (I'm a welder) I'd go into HVAC.

HVAC is going to be in demand for a long while since Climate Change seems to be making it hotter every year. It's also an opportunity for you down the road if you want to use that degree and open up your own business.

the solution to climate change is to shut down energy. No one will be running hvac.

 

[Droxcy]

If you enjoy working with your hands or your brain go into Industrial Controls or Mechanical work for conveyance if there are a lot of warehouses around you. Easy work if you understand computers and how things should work and flow did it for 9 years for around 38hr+.

The controls side is sitting on a computer all day correcting errors in sensors, PLC logic & working on or assisting mechanics on issues they can't figure out, and downtime events causing production not to flow. You'd sorta need prior computer experience, PLC understanding, or electrical expertise.

Mechanical is just replacing belts, and motors, making sure production is running during your shift, and doing preventive maintenance on equipment to make sure it doesn't fail.

 

[Blade2.0]

So I recently arrived at an epiphany and was wondering if anyone on this board could help. So basically, fuck corporate America. I'm circling a promotion/better paying job but I really just want out entirely. My girlfriend and I were sitting kinda thinking about escape routes to make a living with and I remembered something I always kinda wanted to do, I kinda did in summers in college (did demolition), and have heard great things about. Which is unionized trade work. So I'd be like a plumber/electrician/carpenter/construction etc. And yes yes I've done all the counter research and know the objections ("it takes a physical toll on your body", "the salary plateaus in the 100-150k range") And I still want to get into it and try it.

I think it could be really good for me and I'm a non material simple kinda guy. Don't need anything fancy. So anyone in this line of work how can I breach into this? What should I know about it before I go in and what can I expect? I have a business degree from a big state public university and have only corporate jobs so far and I fuckin hate it. Any help or insights would be appreciated!

well shit, i should do it too. i got a business degree and only make 40k with the piece of shit. i'd take 150k to blow shit up.

 

[chromhound]

Electrician. no question ask. Or become a building inspector

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Find something you are interested in.

5 years ago I started being full time IT contractor on an online platform and have been happy with it.

I have sort of plateaued but looking at expanding my skill set and finding more advanced work.

I don’t know anything about apprenticeships and unions. I steer clear of all that.

There are industries and jobs where just finding a good gig will pay off.

I don’t think you read the OP. Also heavily unionised industries are a godsend to workers in corporate utopia that is the US.

 

[arkhamguy123]

Electrician. no question ask. Or become a building inspector

So that's the best trade in your opinion?

 

[arkhamguy123]

well shit, i should do it too. i got a business degree and only make 40k with the piece of shit. i'd take 150k to blow shit up.

I hear ya brotha. 45k here. Jack shit in this economy. Took a pay cut from my last corporate job which was 60k but with higher cost of living and cause I fucking hated it. I naively thought this one would be better. It's all the same shit.

Had way more fun back in the day doing "Stepping stone" part time jobs in HS and college people look down on. Loved doing demolition with my friends.

 

[arkhamguy123]

If you enjoy working with your hands or your brain go into Industrial Controls or Mechanical work for conveyance if there are a lot of warehouses around you. Easy work if you understand computers and how things should work and flow did it for 9 years for around 38hr+.

The controls side is sitting on a computer all day correcting errors in sensors, PLC logic & working on or assisting mechanics on issues they can't figure out, and downtime events causing production not to flow. You'd sorta need prior computer experience, PLC understanding, or electrical expertise.

Mechanical is just replacing belts, and motors, making sure production is running during your shift, and doing preventive maintenance on equipment to make sure it doesn't fail.

Sounds like the dream, how would one breach into this? I'm in an area with a metric fuck ton of warehouses to where people in this metroplex joke about it. I have two huge ones walking distance. They're literally all around the town here where I grew up.

 

[arkhamguy123]

I felt the same way. 3 days into my interning for an auditing company I was like “I will never work in an office”. Since then I’ve worked a few union jobs but now I’m in a non union position, working with my hands and traveling for work (flying, mostly) while getting to save a lot of money.
If you want to get into a trade, it’s true that you’ll always have work. And it’s hard work, but some peoples brains including mine are wired to be satisfied doing things like that. My dad has been a plumber for almost 30 years and now he works maybe 3-4 days a week for a few hours at a time and makes bank. There’s money to be made in the trades, especially because of the job security and due to a labor shortage there will always be really shitty workers. Whatever decision you make, I hope it makes you happy and gives you opportunity to grow and be successful. Good luck!

Did you have to change colleges? How'd you transition? Your dads life sounds like my dream man haha.

 

[arkhamguy123]

Do you know anyone who can help get you a trades job? I ask because if you got connections, you can get a job easily. One of my friends had zero experience. He worked in a warehouse, but his friend got him a job on a construction site helping the vets do work on the site. I dont know what he does but there's no way it's anything fancy. He gets paid about $40/hr excluding OT pay.

Another friend does demolition kind of stuff. He gets hired with other people and they're job is to basically rip things down. He even joked with me one time when I asked him if he could help me with some lame stuff at my house. He let me borrow his tools, but joked he's not the kind of guy to help with fixing things up nice. But if I need help figuring out how to disassemble or break something apart, call him.

He gets paid $50/hr excluding OT. And even gets per diem lunch pay or living expenses if he does it out of town. There are times if the job site is near his parents, he'll just live there during the job and pocket the expense pay out he gets.

My demolition guy from back in the day. I reached out to him and he was nice, I'm waiting to hear back. He's kinda flakey as to him I was just some kid who was on his demo team years ago. Like years ago, pre covid even. May follow up soon. He could really help me. But I don't want to be annoying. It's tough.

 

[chromhound]

So that's the best trade in your opinion?

electrician is the one with the less effort, you won't end up with a messed up back. When you get enough experience you can open your own company.

and a home inspector can get you 475$ to 1000$ per inspections (some people do 4 inspections per day)

 

[Patrick S.]

The difference in wages from the US to Europe is staggering. You're talking about 150k plateaus for jobs in which you'd make 3k, maybe 4k over here in Germany... I guess something like an electrical engineer could make 10k here...

Just looked up average salary for an electrician, and yeah, with 9 years or more of experience you can maybe make €3.5k/month:

Really makes me wonder if we are really so much better off with our "free health insurance" (for which I pay like €200-€300 every month...) than you guys in the "break a leg, lose your house" country, like veryone always tells me...

 

[arkhamguy123]

electrician is the one with the less effort, you won't end up with a messed up back. When you get enough experience you can open your own company.

and a home inspector can get you 475$ to 1000$ per inspections (some people do 4 inspections per day)

Oh fuck yeah.

What does it take to become an inspector as opposed to an electrician?

 

[chromhound]

Oh fuck yeah.

What does it take to become an inspector as opposed to an electrician?

There's many ways you can do it :

-if you have experience and enough knowledge already you can do a test to get your license.
-i went to school for 8 month (i'm in Canada so it could be different)

Construction and Building Inspectors : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications.

www.bls.gov

 

[Droxcy]

Sounds like the dream, how would one breach into this? I'm in an area with a metric fuck ton of warehouses to where people in this metroplex joke about it. I have two huge ones walking distance. They're literally all around the town here where I grew up.

Just go on their websites if they're Amazon or another major corp or even if they're a smaller company check their websites and job names will be like this

https://www.amazon.jobs/en/jobs/2227015/control-systems-tech
https://www.indeed.com/rc/clk?jk=d59cee54581545a6&fccid=8ea54e852901f8b5&vjs=3

 

[Smokken]

The difference in wages from the US to Europe is staggering. You're talking about 150k plateaus for jobs in which you'd make 3k, maybe 4k over here in Germany... I guess something like an electrical engineer could make 10k here...

Just looked up average salary for an electrician, and yeah, with 9 years or more of experience you can maybe make €3.5k/month:

Really makes me wonder if we are really so much better off with our "free health insurance" (for which I pay like €200-€300 every month...) than you guys in the "break a leg, lose your house" country, like veryone always tells me...

I think it varies A LOT within EU to be honest. Seems like Germany is worse off than many other countries? My starting salary as a forklift operator (Amazon like company in Norway) is 53k euro/year (30% income tax btw) with a few benefits as well, that's more than an electrician with 9+ years of experience in Germany according to your posted average stats. And my job requires ZERO education, only forklift license...which a monkey can acquire. Then again, average can be very misleading. I know guys who work in similar jobs as me, with WAY less salary.
Guess it varies in the US as well, ie California with their higher costs of living.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Electrician. no question ask. Or become a building inspector

This. Sparkies can earn serious bank if you get your head down

Honestly, be a spark. Try to avoid a lot of private work though, thats the shit that puts your back out..

 

[Patrick S.]

I think it varies A LOT within EU to be honest. Seems like Germany is worse off than many other countries? My starting salary as a forklift operator (Amazon like company in Norway) is 53k euro/year (30% income tax btw) with a few benefits as well, that's more than an electrician with 9+ years of experience in Germany according to your posted average stats. And my job requires ZERO education, only forklift license...which a monkey can acquire. Then again, average can be very misleading. I know guys who work in similar jobs as me, with WAY less salary.
Guess it varies in the US as well, ie California with their higher costs of living.

Well, wages here in Germany are better than, say, Spain, but to give you another example: I'm a properly trained IT administrator/consultant. I'm still at the company where I got my training. And only just recently, after five years there, I had the balls to say to my boss "more money or bye", and moved up from €27.6k to €36k per year. I could make double if I moved to a place like Munich or so, but I'd pay an assload more for a place to stay (have my own house here). And honestly, I'm kinda afraid of changing jobs and somehow failing or ending up being unhappy. I have a super cool team here, where I call many of them friends, and not colleagues. I'm not changing that for a thousand bucks more a month.

 

[Blade2.0]

The difference in wages from the US to Europe is staggering. You're talking about 150k plateaus for jobs in which you'd make 3k, maybe 4k over here in Germany... I guess something like an electrical engineer could make 10k here...

Just looked up average salary for an electrician, and yeah, with 9 years or more of experience you can maybe make €3.5k/month:

Really makes me wonder if we are really so much better off with our "free health insurance" (for which I pay like €200-€300 every month...) than you guys in the "break a leg, lose your house" country, like veryone always tells me...

Yes, you are. Because you aren't factoring in that you get better pensions, either. I got a cat scan recently and if I didn't have insurance it was going to be 7k. For one cat scan that lasted 30 seconds.

EDIT: Even with insurance I have already paid around 3k for the whole year to see the doctor a total of 4 times. this doesn't include what i pay per month for the insurance, it also doesn't include my dental or eye care insurance on top of what i paid already. my 401k only matches 4% of my salary and the pension this company gives is going to be about 4k a year if i even get to get it. and im still only making the 40ishk i had already talked about. 150k is a pie in the sky number for most americans, don't come here thinking you'll make that. most americans make less than me, i make more than the median amount for single individuals.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

I'm pulling in $65k in the trucking industry, work 5 days a week, and very rarely don't get to be home every day. Some companies pay you to train you (I went with PRIME), and I didn't pay a dime to get my CDL.

The only thing you have to do is sacrifice at least a year of your social life to build up the OTR experience to snag a good local job.

 

[arkhamguy123]

I'm pulling in $65k in the trucking industry, work 5 days a week, and very rarely don't get to be home every day. Some companies pay you to train you (I went with PRIME), and I didn't pay a dime to get my CDL.

The only thing you have to do is sacrifice at least a year of your social life to build up the OTR experience to snag a good local job.

Did you need to go to specialized school or get licensed for that?

 

[Kenpachii]

 

[Torrent of Pork]

Did you need to go to specialized school or get licensed for that?

You can if you want to, but I here are a number of companies that run their own training programs.