Wages are stagnant, the talent is retiring. I worked in machining, fabrication, electrical and plumbing for the last 18 years. Paid off my house own all my tools built a nice shop. Now I pick and choose who I work for and what I do. Break free of the cycle. Get your finances in order and demand respect. Learn to read people and send narcissistic people down the road.
Agreed. DEMAND RESPECT once you know your work is worth it. Same here: I've paid off my mortgage and all the debts, and I own my business, equipment, vehicles, and tools. I only need to work 4 - 5 hours per week to cover my daily needs (food, utility bills, basics), so if someone wants my work now - they either pay as much as I want to get paid for my time or take a hike. And I am never out of work anyway!
You never paid off your home stop lying the property tax is what makes homes a big scam. However working for anyone is a waste of time it’s always better to do your own thing. People in the industry screw people over low wages and no future.
I dropped out of high school and started digging ditches at a plumbing company in 1976. In 1986 I started my own plumbing, HVAC and electrical service business. I’ve employed hundreds over the last 38 years and made 7 figures for the last few years. We pay our people very well and train our apprentices the become licensed journeyman. I advise almost every young person I meet to do what I did and have helped several start their own business. The more competition the better. There’s always plenty of work for everyone. College is a dead end for a lot of people. The trades can make you wealthy.
So did David Butler in this episode: I Wanted the Biggest and Best Plumbing Company | The Trade Talks #155 th-cam.com/video/Ra_UQUdY2iY/w-d-xo.html Similar intro to the trades!
@@sitka49 in what ways specifically is it different now? Genuinely curious what you mean. My brother started a cabinet shop last spring and he has been booked 1 1/2 - 2 years out solid since day 1. He was cranking out jobs before his shop was even done.
Facts I made $178K last year and felt like it $60K inflation,home prices and the dollars losing it’s buying power makes people who are making 6 figures like it is not much
It’s gotten rough and seems like the rules change each generation and in all aspects; I personally believe that our “powers that be”in our country still have a great deal of control and still needed far too much all over the globe to fear the dollar being worthless at least anywhere in the near future
I’m a software engineer and got laid off so I’m back to swinging a hammer. I grew up working construction with my blue collar family. AI will take over all these office jobs and only people really going to be working or blue collar. Just my opinion.
I graduated high school in the early 90's. Back then, they made you feel like a complete loser and failure for not going to college. It took me a long time to get that negative feeling out of my head. The January after graduating high school, I was blessed with a job with the local water/electric utilities company. That was 31 years ago. Today, I make over $100k, free healthcare, I have 5 weeks of paid vacation and 14 holidays, a pension that is waiting on me when I retire after my youngest child gets out of school, and a Roth that I have paid in to for years.
You could still make money going into the workforce in the 90s, you can’t today though the rates are higher what you can get for the money is much lower. In the 90s, you could be in the workforce for two years and buy a house and it would cost you $80,000, that is not the case anymore and it is not going forward with the falling population and the willingness of the government to import as many people as they need which means the housing cost will never come down even when the boomers die off. They’re not going to to let the housing prices fall because the banks will collapse that loan the money for them. Their whole debt and money system is at stake. They’re going to make , that is not the case anymore it is not the coat going forward with the falling population and the willingness of the government to import as many people as they need which means the housing cost will never come down even when the boomers die off. They’re not going to let the housing prices fall because the banks will collapse that loan the money for them. They’re whole debt and fiat money. System is at stake. They’re going to make you poor , dragging it out for the next 10 to 20 years or until they think they can central bank digital currency on you and once they do that they can completely fuck you and make your money disappear to thin air for monetary policy because you have no ramps from their system as you do today . Don’t believe the hype lower population only means higher wages if they don’t bring people from an outside, geography into your geography. We are not dealing with a closed system, but with an open system where labor can be moved all over in real time.
8years infantry, went masters program in communications, hated the people but loved the job, make $35k more and actually home more… THANK YOU GOD FOR THE DIRECTION towards CDL trucking. Way happier!😊
if this is, and working for city and state local government work, they all get the same benefits. that's whether you're shoveling sh_* down at the water treatment plant or working in HR, or administration.
As a 27 year tradesmen...you'll never be rich but you'll never be poor ... the one problem I've experienced is the physical toll being a tradesmen takes on your body
@@Ulises21500 it can be ... all the things they tell you about safety and lifting you'd better play close attention ... listen to your old timers as well
@@MH-5274I work in carpentry mid 20s and no pain at all Most people I know already have back pain at my age Not sure what you guys are doing with your body to damage it that quickly
Started doing plumbing with my dad at 14. Went to work full time at 17 plumbing work while still in high school. Got on with a natural gas distribution company I can operate heavy equipment weld run all types of pipe have a class A drivers license to haul the equipment. All started from working with my dad young. Most of my friends went into the trades. We make more money than the few of our friends that have a degree. Graduated in 1984
That’s all because you had a dad a lot of us don’t have any dads and moms where never around because they were working 2 - 3 jobs it’s much harder when you have no real guidance
Might make more money but the toll on your body, and your change of time for money is higher than a salaried white collar worker. Not too mention the treatment of people is WAY different
@David-nh8gg spend your time on youtube learning how to do things. I promise, if you pick something simple, like cleaning, which is very cheap and easy to get into, and become the best in your area at it, you will do well. Drywall, small engine repair, landscaping, general home maintenance, all of it is very easy to learn on youtube, and you can move outside of youtube to learn even more. I grew up without a father to teach me anything and I learned on my own how to do everything I can currently do. You might suck at first, but you WILL get better st whatever it is if you stick with it, don't let your circumstances hold you back. Try your hardest not to ever complain about anything, even when things are unfair, and see how much your outlook changes. It makes all the difference.
@@jack8162you clearly don't know what the fuck you're talking about, if you think that people are going to learn how to do a trade from youtube. This guy is exactly right. Most of us aren't even able to work at the age of 14, but he was probably making close to what is a modern $20 an hour at 14 years old, and able to run a company essentially at 17 years old as he self-described himself. There's not a lot of us that have that upstart opportunity from our dad being somebody that they want us to be. My father was an automotive technician, and praised all his life that I should never get into that industry because it destroys your body. When I got into the electrical industry, I worked harder than anyone around me physically on the job any day that I was there. I never got a raise that wasn't mandatory through my apprenticeship, and I was never even considered for a leadership by the actual leadership of the company. Meanwhile, I was running entire cruise of Cuban foreign Nationals that didn't speak english. So on top of doing high-grade commercial electrical installations, I had to spend my day as a translator for my cruise so that we can get stuff done. These guys don't value you, and to say that you can go learn this stuff on the internet by the age of 17 and be a master is a joke.
There has been a huge campaign to demean tradespeople over the last 35 years and praise office workers. The phrase "work smarter not harder" was the headline for this movement. This was due to there being a huge shortage of office workers at that time. However, technology has replaced many office workers and minimized many of the remaining office jobs. The tide is turning quickly as there is no longer much pride in an office job.
The good money and life are still office jobs . It will always be . Getting off at the same time is not hard on your body and can do the same job until your 60+ .
I never took that phrase that way. In my experience, it was the tradesman who was using his brain to do a task that was easier on his body or more efficiently. I never equated it to be demeaning to the trades. Guys are still using it today, usually when mentoring a young person.
@@JacobsNews Right there, i know accountants that are still doing their jobs into there 70's. I worked trades too , and my brother in-law worked road construction, and don't think he seen his kids growing up? He was never home. I was talking to him the other day wondering when his was going to retire - and he was telling me ( jokingly) that he didn't know? Because the life expectancy of worker there after they retire is like 18 month. Lol
I’m a tax guy but also a skilled auto mechanic, novice wood worker, novice electrician, gardener and a big diy guy. Love what u guys are doing and hopefully our kids stop being lazy and get back to work! 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿
@@marshallmccann4224 lol boomer moment. Though he does have a point, a lot of college kids get funneled into college believing its the only way to make a living so as a consequence a lot of kids that would actually be better off in the trades fumble through college barely passing their classes just to get a corporate job end up not performing well and complain they keep getting burned out on the job eventually get a job that has nothing to do with their degree which might be a trade job. It's mostly liberals that think they deserve more pay for their work because of all the money spent on college that are lazy and dumb not understanding supply and demand.
I am in the HVAC field & have been for 25 years. In my teenage years, I asked an electrician, he said be a plumber. I asked a plumber, he said be an electrician. My kids I have always told them to do what they want to do. I have gone to career days with pictures, examples & some of my arc flash PPE. I told every class that you do not need to go to school. Being in the HVAC side of things, I have had offers to go to South America before the Olympics to prep for that. Had the offer to go to the Middle East to make wheel barrows of money there..I chose to stay in DFW with my family. I do not regret getting into this field.
I did 10 years in IT and switched up to electrical. Now I develop software peograms for industrial computers and commission control panels, spending 80% of my time on my laptop. I'm not the guy terminating the 500kcmil wire but its important for people to know the trades are a vast ocean of skills.
Not a tradesman but I’m a DIYer and I know I have saved thousands of dollars. A simple thing like changing a door lock, hanging a door, installing dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and repairing all of these. Built shed, deck, replaced toilets, sinks, hot water heater. I’m a woodworker built beds, furniture, raised garden, remodel bathrooms. My father was a electrician which I don’t do much of as it’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. He told me never pay anyone to do what you can do yourself.
@@whitechocolate415 hired people for two things had to redo it my self. Roof repair/new sun screens. All were not do correctly. Do my own electrical, plumbing………
4 years ago I was unemployed and rethinking the direction my life was heading. I decided to pivot and learn a trade, but didn’t want to go to school. Moved across the country, got an apartment maintenance job and spent two years soaking as much hvac knowledge possible reading books and watching TH-cam. 18 months ago I landed my first full time hvac service technician role. Today I am a lead residential sales and service technician at one of the top companies in my region making 100k+ and am rapidly learning commercial. Everyone needs hvac, nobody wants to learn this trade, there is a major shortage developing in talent who is technically capable and competent with sales and customer service.
@@CANTHINKvfhdss the title of the video is clickbait. Unless we have hyperinflation and the dollar collapses very few “tradesmen” will ever make that kind of money. But, the point I’m trying to make is that in an economy, where the average young person is tens of thousands of dollars in college debt and can only find a job making 50 or 60 grand a year, There’s a lot of people who could shift their focus to the trades and make a lot more money without going into debt.
@@pennidianurag9868 this is not a problem that I have had to solve yet. What is the context, why are you drilling into a wall if you expect a line set to be behind it?
My eldest son got his Associate Electrical degree after high school.Master Electrician at about age 26. Opened his own company 5 years ago. Employs a Journeyman and two Apprentice electricians. Not sure what he makes, but he paid his house off two years ago and all his vehicles. Works very hard, but seems to enjoy it. Much happier being his own boss.
He is self-employed No, he’s not self-employed. He employs other people to do the work for him. He is a business owner. That’s why he makes money if his trade was not electrical but Janitorial work he would still make money. Your construing two different things a Janitorial business owner can pay off his house, but not an electrician that works for your son.
@@SeanEustace-zk3mc do you think no one who has employees still works n the trade themselves? If he only has 3 employees, he probably still works while running the business. You come across as pretty salty over someone you don’t even know owning a business.
As a HS teacher, I tell my kids all the time, consider going to trade school. Start your life with almost no debt. If you really want to go to college, then go to community college for 2.5 years first on the cheap.
@@angelhernandez1099Definitely man. We're the same age and my body hurts all the time. I'm going back to school this year for robotics and automated systems technology. I want a good factory job repairing robots
I always told my kids that the trades were a very good option for their future. I told them that unless they were going to school for engineering or some technical degree that college was a waste of time. One of my kids is now a machinist for a defense contractor and the other is a production engineer for an electronics manufacturing company. Both work with their hands and build things. Love to see it.
Recently journeyed out in the commercial refrigeration trade. Started out with 1 year trade school followed by a few years doing residential HVAC. I love the commercial setting and have zero regrets going down this path.
I used to work construction, came from a family of tradesmen. Put myself through engineering school... I'm seeing more opportunities to make better money building houses in a market inflated by short term rentals. Buying property and building a house this year. See how it goes. Might make me 2x my engineering salary in profit. Building a new primary residence shelters $500k profit from taxes if you live in it 2 years.
This guy: talks about how well the trades pay *wasn’t getting paid enough so got a degree, then turns around using that degree to make more money. Talks about how much money you can make in the trades
Has the rub Mr. economist the young can’t afford housing and you’re bringing in mass waves of immigrants to depress their wages they need somewhere to live. This will drive up the cost of housing. You’re not going to make any money even though it is stacked in such a way that you make money because no one has any buying power. The baby making end of the demographic pyramid is broken and the economy is about to become very truncated unless you think the millennials are going to produce 2.1 children each then the economy in 20 years is going to be shit in the United States. I’ll give you a hint millennials are not going to have 2.1 kids , the older end of the demographic are already in their 40s. Many of them can’t afford houses because housing prices have been inflated by mass immigration, which has also depressed their wages that’s called supply and demand economics buddy spin it anyway you will it would be better that they learn to garden and raise livestock for the future we’re going into.
@GhostofFranky , If I would have built a house every couple years to take advantage of the section 121 capital gains tax exclusion for the last 15 years I would be WAY better off. $250k exclusion when single, $500k exclusion when married. That strategy is DEFINITELY different than being a straight laborer.
300k-200k=100k for price of lumber or items/tools needed for the job lol.. i was in the trades for 10yrs.. commercial work over residential forsure, but its not paying enough worth the headache. I just got my CDL. Im glad i got the experience in carpentry/electrical/hvac/masonry, but im also glad i left. I broke my arm about a week ago, i can still drive my semi but i can't lift a drywall atm Respect to all the Tradesmen out there, we need you!
I’m 16 tryna figure out what I want to do. I see u saying it’s not paying enough for the headache. Do u think joining a trade isn’t worth the work or? Also what trade were u in?
@@N1kogarza joining the trades through a local union would be a great idea at ur age. Any trade. Become a journeyman in 10-15yrs.. you'd be set for life.. it could all be so simple if u allow it
I remember being teased for wearing safety glasses while grinding when I was 17. Glad those guys have moved on from the trades. We got smarter, but to the newcomers, it’s not always going to be easy, comfortable, and warm. Remember, someone is paying you because what you are doing isn’t easy or comfortable. Take advantage of that knowledge.
I have 3 trades. Started with HVAC The went your electrical as I'm electrican as of today. But also went to welding trade school. Never went with out a great pay check and benitfits. Grant you I work a tone of hours. In the trades that's part of the deal. It's not eazy you will be hot,tired,and dirty in some facilities. But I'm very happy being able to trouble shoot, repair, install electrical equipment. Plus having the knowledge and not having to call someone to repair any of my home equipment. I recommend trades school. It's payed off for me in my life.
My paychecks always sucked. As a machinist 2 years ago making less than a fast food worker and just left a welding job paying $18 an hour (same as production) but they didnt want to pay my 80 mile drive to the worksite, they refused my milage I literally couldnt afford to go to work without milage my vehicles were taking a beating plus gas.
@@JeffDavis-hg2to Chainsaws are pretty good at cutting wood. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that a bad slip up might end up cutting a person. There are also crushing injuries that might severely damage a limb. Thinking that there is little actual risk seems like a big mistake. I'm limping and in pain in my knee from just a small trip the other day, and it'll probably take a few days of working (gingerly) on the injury before it fully heals up. Risk knowledge and management is a part of the job as far as I can see it.
LISTEN!! IM A UNION ELECTRICIAN, and there are so many South Americans entering the trades, the work is filling up!! Ive watched them bring in over 100 on the site im currently on. Benefits are definately what they say they are. You get the lowest health care package they can buy, and youre still paying $1,600 per month. They take money off youre hourly wage to pay the insurance.
@Dendoc7 Yes. They're not in apprentice program and have not tested in as Journeyman. They're bringing them in as CEs and CWs. So they are getting paid half a journeyman wage. The companies love it because they charge the same to a co for an electrician no matter how much the electrician gets. They're cheap labor. They're making the local and national union tons of money in dues
Yes they're here, my company has hired at least a hundred of them and still hiring, some are ok and don't know anything....I think this is because companies can't find people because of drugs, background etc.
@@argndogo They wan't have to be in the next 5-10 years, an AI program will tell them what to do and as long as they have to hands-on down and can read then it want be a problem.
Seems like unions are targeting only high school students but not enough are joining. The cost of living has gone up drastically since covid but starting pay to get a foot in the door hasn't gone up enough. I have 10 years' experience in engineering and I'm finding it very difficult to get into the steamfitters with $17 starting pay. Need to pay a living wage for people starting in the trades.
If you own your own home, $17/hr should be enough for a single person to live frugally but no ability to contribute to your retirement accounts so it doesn’t make sense for young adults. Basically it’s designed for kids still in high school or college or are retired and already have a nest egg.
I've been a HVAC Technician/ Chiller Mechanic for thirty-five years. There is a huge disconnect between HR personnel and them not knowing the business or field management and their needs. Plus, the understanding of what is needed in personnel to get the job done. Human Resources personnel needs training in the industry in which they are working for, so they can help instead of hindering the process of hiring the qualities of employees needed.
We just found out are hr manger is the 2 highest paid at a company with 100 trucks on the road out of one shop. Actually all the white collar guys make more . And no on-call
Just stumbled upon your channel! good stuff! I started in the trades at 17 years old out of high school working as a welders helper on the pipeline which in time turned into a welding apprenticeship, and it's definitely been a journey with its ups and downs, but now at 44 yrs of age, along my career path have completed two other apprenticeships steam fitter pipe fitter and most recently millwright (industrial mechanic). I can say that it's been a pretty good middle class job, bought vehicles when needed, raised a family, vacations, bought a house...... things just don't happen they take focus and determination, just an overall good work ethic, show up, work hard, get it right the first time!!!
I myself, have a graduate degree in software engineering. However, I got burnt out in that field. And the work from my perspective was being replaced with more and more automation and AI, saw this years ago. So I decided to go into an electrical apprenticeship 9 years ago, it was absolutely the best decision I ever made, it is very cool to see the work I have done, and along with getting my JMAN card, and to top it off, I have much more free time, with my family, and my income is by far much more than, anything I did before in the software industry. Recently, I branched out into PLC automation, using both my electrical skills, and software engineering skills at the same time. It is surprising, how things turn out. Best of both worlds.
Foundation worker here. Pay sucked for the first 5 years but once I became a foreman everything changed. Went from $22 to $30 hour. Insurance paid, company phone, etc. Did that for several more years and decided to try sales. I made $150k two years in a row before I got tired of it. Point is, hard work pays off.
@@Ulises21500 I took and service manager position for 50k base + 10% commission. Extremely low opportunities for sales over a 4 month period. We shut that down and I went back to being a foreman on the install side.
@@Ulises21500 The reason I got tired of it is because it’s mentally exhausting. You constantly have to call, txt, email. Check in with crews, office, clients. I’m the person a client gets mad at if a crew screws up something. And I’m an introvert.
Worked at a painting company for 3 years after high school after I decided to quit school, it gave me invaluable skills, and it made me go back to school and finish(I graduate in a few days) but I consider painting to be one of the best things that I did for myself. With jobs going away at a rapid pace, it's nice to have a plan b
It's one of the worst things I did lol. Pay was horrible and people think it's easy because they don't know its different from slapping on paint compared to complete restorations, high end builds, fast pace commercial. Never would I recommend tye trades unless you go union or become self employed.
after high school, I remember a guy going into the trades as an electrician.. he was thought of as a 'failure' while the rest of us went to college. today, he's a master electrician with more business than he can ask for and more successful financially than any of the college kids. he can pick and choose his jobs, and that's better than any garbage "raise" the college kids gets in a bs corporate office. more and more are understanding that college is NOT the only way.. it is for those who want to go the licensed professional routes like lawyer, doctor, architect, CPA, etc.. think twice about college for sure.
I graduated from HS in 1982. Growing up my dad who grew up on a farm in Kansas and my grandpa who was a first born from Yugoslavia both taught me how to do the skills I needed to not have to call in the professionals to do the work, which helped me immensely in the residential rental business. I cannot thank my dad and grandpa for the skills they taught me growing up. The education I received from them is worth so much more to me than my BS degree. I went to college from 2011-2015 graduated at 51 years of age college is a joke. My grandson went to school for 1 semester and now is going to trade school, thank God he saw the light before he became saddled with college debt.
I went into the Navy to go to College but stayed in for 20 years and it was the best thing I could have done so much and many experience(s), You have to recognize what your kids are capable of or how they might do in the different environments i.e. School or on the Job. My son is going to Res Electrician Schooling and has gone through VoTech in High School already. He will be making way more than I ever will in his career, because I elected to stay in the Navy, but again the Life it gave was something I would never give back.
Here's my advice: you don't need to master the trade; just understand the pricing very well. I know a guy who started in landscaping and now handles everything, including electrical, HVAC, and welding, to name a few. His value lies in his extensive network of contacts. When you need something, he's the person to call. He subcontracts the work and adds a markup to earn his share. Essentially, he acts as the middleman, which is where the real money is. Of course, some of the individuals he contracts with might consider cutting him out of the deal, but they don't. They recognize the significant value he brings by providing consistent work for them. Be a person of influence; that's where you want to be.
Automotive technicians are a always left out of the conversation and it is the hardest of them. We are mechanics, welders, plumbers, electricians, Hydraulic techs and ac techs all in one. Our tool base takes half a lifetime to aquire and we are masters of every vehicle from Lamborghini to mac trucks.
We are left out because we get paid chump change compared to the rest of the trades. Been in automotive for 15 years, trying to get out as fast as possible. Tell all the younger guys to get out too
I tell all the young guys to put in the time and training to make yourself an asset. Im proud to be a tech. I really dont want to do anything else. I make good money and trust me. Its gonna keep going up. Not everyone wants to do this. But the ones thats do and are growing in knowledge and skills and keep pushing to learn as much as they can, they will be making the most here soon. This field is super rewarding. You gotta play the field. Its a game. But yiu gotta be good to make it happen too. The Lord has blessed me in this field and He will do that with many others.
I was a teen in the 70's. I lived in a small town not far from Huntsville, Tx. In the town that I lived in, Shepherd, Tx, there was a dairy owned by Earnest Bailes, the grandfather of the state politician, Earnest Bailes. I hauled hay for him one time and it was so hot that day. We worked for about 16 hrs that day and he only payed me about 12 dollars. I never went back for that again.
Im a software engineer and i feel exactly the same about same idea different tools. I do a lot of DIY and woodworking and I always have a great conversation witj tradespeople who come by. Troubleshooting is troubleshooting, doesnt matter if its code, HVAC, electrical, etc.
@@engineking777 maybe. I don't see AI doing much other than making us more efficient. Coding is hard. Just because AI can do simple things quickly doesn't mean it can do complex things well. It will probably enable us to do complex things faster.
I love that my husband is a Journeyman Electrician. We started electrical business in Jan 2021. He is skilled in so many other things and our dream is to just do our own fix and flips. I am so glad he is not a college grad. We would be broke if he was! I graduated college and the most I ever made as a social worker was 50k. We are well over 250k just the two of us. You also don't pay taxes on labor.
@@oldleatherhandsfriends4053 o, labor is not taxable and a contractor's invoice for MRRA projects should not include a line item for tax as neither the labor or the materials are taxable (although a contractor will pay tax on the materials when they are purchased). So no, you don’t pay taxes. The material purchased is paid by the customer and the customer pays that tax. The labor is non taxable. You also write off your vehicles and write off office, travel, and some food. You can find tax write offs for most anything. You just need a good CPA. So I. The end we don’t really pay taxes on the biz if you categorize correctly.
@@oldleatherhandsfriends4053 not cooking books. Look it up for Arizona. No tax on Labor and the materials taxes are passed on to customer. No taxes. We have a good CPA also that finds all the write offs.
I have been a tradesman for over 40 years and unfortunately all I have ever seen is office people being treated better then us. It shouldn't be this way but trust me it is. The pen is mightier then the tool !!!!
@@mxli1187 I tried for years to get into the trade. Had a degree in electronics and a decent resume in tech but got passed up again and again for people who knew people. I just wish entry into the lineman trade wasn't so full of nepotism. Now I'm 55 and bet it would be even more impossible for me.
Yeah just had a review here and basically had the owner try to talk me out of going to start my own business but basically I understand what the game is is that for every individual thing that I handle myself rather than working as an employee for a paycheck I earn a backend. I’m taking my time and making sure I set myself up good before I go and take the leap and making sure I don’t burn any bridges with this place either I figure I give it a shot in my 30s and if it’s not working I’ll know within 5 years I’ll still have time to land back on my feet and become a PM or a salesman
I went to school after the Marines, HVAC, then got a job in a manufacturing plant as a setup man ,then supervisor. Was trained on CNC mills and Benders. Hourly kids were making $ 4k a month. EASLY BUT LOUD WORK 800 TON PRESSES.
I’ve been in a trade for 28 years making 120k a year unfortunately after taxes it’s like 55k , but this economy has recently been killing me , but I remember when I got into being in a trade everyone vilified me for not going to college now look everyone went to college and now can’t make 40k a year and nobody knows how to fix their own shit so they call me now it’s a great feeling
I'm a steamfitter who is well on track for $225000 this year (Canadian, so about $165000 US), and yes, the talent is retiring and based on what I see from most incoming apprentices, we're all in deep trouble.
My dad instilled the importance of real work. He was what he or many would consider a jack of all trades master of none. He knew a lot about everything or enough to get something done. He would have me under the hood of his car at the age of 5 explaining the parts, name, function, and purposes. Proper ways to cut trees down. Indoor plumbing as in faucets and hot water heaters. Electrical as in fuse boxes/breaker boxes and wiring. He wasn't much of a welder but can make two pieces of metal stick together, lol. He was even a bit of an artist . If you ask a question, he knew it, including gardening in every way. Planting seasons for everything and what's edible and what's not. What's "trash" and what's good for you. My first real job was "plumbing," i guess. I was in a crew with a bunch of my stoner friends at the age of 15. We were under slab tunnel diggers. We called ourselves tunnelologists, lol. While going to high school, i had that job ,took drafting class instead of computer lit, and went to a trade school for autobody and paint that was part of the school system. The trade school i went to was basically a joke, and the only thing I learned was the name of the tools. My goal was to be an automotive painter because i was really into custom paint and lowriders. My first body shop job was one of the most prestigious shops in my area, thinking i knew what i was doing. I quickly realized i didn't know anything. Seemed like i wasn't going to move up, and they kept me in a repetitious position and pay sucked. So i put in applications anywhere that was looking for a painter. I found a job at a commercial sign company. There i learned a lot. I learned how to weld stick, mig, mag, and tig. I learned how to bend and make neons, how to wire things up, as in every kind of lightning system you can think of. From there, i went to work at a truck shop"18 wheelers" box trucks, and heavy equipment. There, i believe i learned the most. The boss i had there was the best guy and most knowledgeable I've ever met. He taught me everything about fiberglass and air systems. The owner of the shop also owned a race track, so i had the opportunity to cut loose and paint quite a few race cars. Some pretty iconic cars still rock in the paint i sprayed 20 years ago. Then i left and worked at another truck shop that also worked on military vehicles. That was a learning experience. Got that down packed and figured it was time to move on. I then went to a fab shop that made everything from generator cages, to stainless counter tops for restaurants. They also made the instrument panels or consoles for coast guard vessels and parts for the new orleans street cars. Thats where i honed in on my tig welding abilities. Fast forward a few years, after a horrific car accident and a couple of kids, I'm now working at a relative's shop that got lucky to get it and hardly knows how things are done and or why. He's also a painter, so that's not where he wants me. So i do everything else. Everything. We have a small crew, and i run the body side while he plays salesman since he hired another painter. We dont do custom work, only collision. It's a bit boring, but it pays the bills. Its funny when he comes up with "check out this new tool", and i laugh "thats not new its been out for like 30 years", and i show him how it works ,what it does, and explain what its good and not good for. Different ones in the shop ask how i know so much. I replied with i didnt keep myself in a bubble. I have a sister thats been to college, has multiple degrees, and is going for her doctrine. She lives at eat and craps school. She even teaches college classes at a university. We get into conversations and she gets so mad that with all her education, the people she surrounds herself with and she feels she followed all the rules for success, that i make more money than she does. She doesn't understand how im half crippled, working with a halfwitted boss, surrounded by high-school drop-outs in a metal building and can make more money than a highly educated university trained person. I remind her what our dad always said. To make money, you have to fulfill a need. A college campus wouldn't close if she quit, and not everyone needs college. But theres so many things that are absolutely needed out there that people like her just can't wrap their head around. Plus, if i quit, my shop will shut down and our relative knows it. Then i hit her with something else my dad would say as an inside joke that i knew she'd understand and that is "Invest in toilet paper." Something everyone needs but thinks its not important until they need it. In an absolute emergency how much would you pay for a roll of toilet paper?
My wife and I talked our son into going into plumbing while he was working as a construction helper. He loves it. He has a couple more years until he's a journeyman but he is the most requested worker with the journeymen. And he gets so many side jobs he can barely keep up.
I am the founder and CEO of Blue Falcon Tech. We are a On-Site mechanical service company. We are nation wide now I’d love to come on your show to promote and discuss the Deisel mechanic industry.
Hi, can I ask you where/if companies like yours hire new guys to apprentice? I've browsed over 300 job offers in the past 2 months for heavy equipment work, none of them within 1000KM of me were considering guys with no experience looking to start. These included companies that have publicly complained about "a lack of workers" in their field. I live in the Texas of Canada where every 2nd business revolves around the oilfields so there is no shortage of trades employers here. I just can't find anywhere to start. Thanks for your time if you read this.
@@EdmontonRailsyour not going to find those opportunities on job listing sites. I guarantee you that someone within 1000km is looking for an apprentice but you need to understand that these careers are filled with owners that have no interest in the internet. When they put up listing, they get absolutely flooded with hundreds of resumes so most of them wait for people to set themselves apart. When I finished my AME schooling I tried to find a job online. There was maybe 30-40 listings in all of Canada for apprenticeships. Talked to some guys and changed up my approach. I started emailing every company with job posting even if it wasn’t for apprentices. I also completely bypassed the online site features and found an email address online. Ended up getting about half a dozen interview requests in a week. Went from “holly shit did I just waste two years to not even get a job” to refusing interviews because I had too many options. Good luck!
I've been in the trades for almost 30 years. I'm currently working on my pilots license and working on becoming a charter pilot. I can't work myself to the bone forever, but it can certainly pay for my next chapter in life.
I made 30k a week as a mechanic. I am allergic to the new additives on oils. The industry didn't care that I was sick and couldn't work. Now I work in BBQ/Catering, much less pay but my customers take care of me in ways I've never seen before.
Been doing labor for the 50 years of my life. My skills have grown and my finances have also. It's taken care of my wife and 5 children. College for me and her and 2 of the kids. Houses, boats, vacations.... Worked my ass off for it, learned a lot. Only take jobs with customers willing to pay my value...I ain't learning on their job. Work early to late and have had a wonderful time changing Google maps!
I’m 28, and I’m a handyman. I’d love to join the Union and become an apprentice plumber or electrician, but the starting pay for an apprentice is so low that I wouldn’t even be able to pay my bills with that. The unions are going to need to raise their starting wages if they want to attract more apprentices. Nobody can afford to live on $17/hr right now.
False, sell yourself and go to more interviews. You're not just your skill set what much more important to employers is how good of an employee you will be are you on time to work? Great sell your time keeping skills because God knows 80% of blue collars aren't on time. Are you a good listener and great at receiving feedback? Even better because 100% of blue collars have a temper on them shi like that sells you just gotta know how to communicate it. I got a starting job running a machine at 17$ an hour I said no look at my resume its fantastic every job I've had I've held from 2-5 years and I'm dependable I won't be here for a month and leave I'm a fast learner etc I started off at 21 which is what some of the fellas that have been here for 4+ years make rn. In my opinion they should be making at least 25 but w/e that's their problem.
I run a small refrigeration company in stl I start at $23hr plus health insurance and I pay for your apprenticeship (non union) with 1 year school and I still can't get people to apply they all want to go to the union
I make 250k a year as an auto collision estimator. I could do more, some years I was making 350-370k but I was working and commuting 18-19 hours a day. Bought a few houses and a business of my own and I’m cruising at work while growing my side business with my family. I sacrifice my sanity, stress level is next level when I’m managing 200 repairs at a time but the pay is worth it. These techs sacrifice their bodies dealing with hazardous materials and many of them make much more than I do. I knew a tech who regularly dropped 10k net weekly paychecks. Dude was crushing it.
@@bani491 apply for an entry level position in the industry - start in the parts department. Work hard, show interest in growth, look for either the manager or one of the estimators to take you under their wing.
@@bani491 apply for an entry level position in the industry, work hard, express your interest. Work hard enough and someone will value you enough to take you under their wing and teach you.
Grandpa , 8th grade education , 6 or 7 tours in WW2 , Purple Heart , Bronze Star , most of his life he worked for Lake Shore Inc. in Kingsford Michigan , started off as a welder , worked his way up , when he retired , he ran half the building , Fab / raw steel side , with an 8th grade education , can’t do that anymore
You absolutely CAN do that today. Plenty of ways to that result. I started itty bitty welding contracting biz at 21 on a shoestring, paying as I went zero debt, green as hell but w excellent basic skills and certification from JC. Tough sledding for a few yrs but you find a way and deliver a fine product even if you bid too low and busting ass to break even. *Integrity* the key. Later got an engineering degree but NO ONE cares or even knows about my certifications or degree and no reason they should, all they care about is what I can and will do.
I needed this discussion and some of these points. I have a whiteish collar job in agriculture. It does nothing for me despite being an ag kid. Our income is salary but a lot of "potential" that doesn't really ever pan out. I'm going to do a walk around at an airframe shop with a buddy this weekend. I'm nervous and frustrated. I'm 36 with 5 kids and the sole income. I have a degree and wish I would've just done a trade. Were paycheck to paycheck so now i cant afford more schooling. I'm everything said here. Out of college 14 years and barely paid off. I did what I had to getting out. First job was a farm store assistant manager at 28k gross. 11 years later I make low 60s gross.
I was a machinist for 40 years we made injection molds to very close tolerances , a highly skilled labor job. Grossly underpaid work and I’m so glad to be out of it .
I want more than anything to move into a trade job, either welding or electrician work. However, I'm currently making $80k/year with my corporate job and my wife can't work. I have 4 kids and dont have time to do trade school, I also can't afford to change jobs and move to an entry level trade job while also supporting my family. It sucks.
Just remember your body can’t physically handle this kind of work for 50 yrs and likely can’t for 40yrs All the physical labor and hard on your back and believe me 20 yrs of blue collar work is tough
I had a handyman business for 35 years. I went to school for HVAC. I was always busy more than I can handle. My son is a nurse and no desire to pick up a tool belt. I wish I worked on a plumbing or electrical license. I can work those trades.
Same story here. I tried to get in as a lineman but was passed up again and again despite having an electronics degree and a good tech resume. Settled on the handyman thing and it's decent but not as consistent as an electrician. I wish the apprenticeship programs were what they used to be. It seems the whole system now is set up to squeeze every last penny out of the working class. Too many layers of useless government. Ayn Rand was right.
I went to school all the way through grad school… it was all basically useless. I taught myself to build homes from the ground up over the past decade or so… I’ve renovated and sold homes, started a handyman business on the side, I do remodels, decks, etc. I make way more money for the hours I work in the trades, than I ever have in my 9-5 and I’m far happier working with my hands.
I'd love to see the trades pay more. You certainly earn it. Doing construction for 20 years (excavating, framing, finish, roofing, siding, windows, remodeling, etc) my body took a real beating.
I apprenticed with an electrician in the late 70's, 80's. I could have taken the test, as I had a sponsor. However, I felt I could make more money with a 4 year degree, as an engineer. electrical helped pay for college. The people I worked with, and whom stayed on the path, retired 19 years ago. As a computer engineer, I'm still looking for work, and I'm nearly 60.
Very informative. This is positive to keep growth moving in all aspects of life personallyand professionally. I hope this information reaches a significant amount of our nation. I've had good teachers and jobs to build my career. Coming up on 26 years of welding, fabrication among other skillsets. Innovate with discipline and safety. Great show gentlemen.
Though I am college-educated, I've been saying for the past decade, that the trades are where the money is going to be in the future. Still holding firm to that idea. Have even encouraged young men to go that direction when they weren't sure of what to do. Having worked with people in the construction business, I saw long ago that the number of tradesmen was waning, meaning there would be plenty of opportunity in the future for those entering the trades now. Work hard and be smart and never take advantage of customers. Your reputation is everything.
I have a college education, too in 20 years on the trades. The sad truth is without connections. You are not going to make any money other than by being self-employed. You don’t need the skills to make money you need self-employment so if you can open up a stand and sell Donuts and you have the skill to do that. You have the same potential to make money as a master plumber provided you are self-employed. You would figure plumbing is one of those jobs that cannot be touched by a bad economy, but like we found with Covid, that is not the case , let Systems break down before they Call the maintenance workers and can use shark bites and all sorts of things to plug leaks because they don’t have money to spend. Remember that little guy in Chicago telling us greed is good, turns out that every religion and culture in history was right and he was wrong. Who would’ve thought? America is about to get extremely poor because of the demographics and they will not let wages rise even as demographics decline. They will continue to bring as many bodies into America to drive down wages as possible they have already showed their hand and this is the government’s action using the privately owned Fed , the system is rigged. They’re not going to let you make money working you have to be self-employed and this means knowing how to market your skill and this is why everyone doesn’t do it. Plenty of people go into business and fail out because they don’t have social connections, which are huge thing And the ability to market. Marketing as a skill will make money anywhere provided people have buying power to buy your products or services. We are going to have a truncated economy going forward and all of you people don’t seem to understand this but people like me have been railing about it for 20 years and there has been no more than , two dozen books written about it. When you would talk about this 10 or 15 years ago, leftist would shut you down and spin it to pretend that when you were talking about demographics, you were talking about Black people in order to write you off as a racist. They did this in Europe with the Islamic problem as well Now in Europe, the only people having kids are radical Muslims that don’t work well the native population doesn’t have children and does all the productive work. Where do you think this is going to end. In the United States they will just keep immigrants until they can’t drive down wages you’re not going to benefit so there’s no point playing the game anymore. If you’re young, you can get the help of that little green owl and go to Germany and make a better wage than you will in United States and you will not have to pay for German military defense, but if you stay in America, you won’t make anything and you’ll be tasked with paying taxes for German military defense. Isn’t that ironic don’t listen to liars and pence they all want something out of you. They want to extract labor from you because they cannot be rich without your labor you hold the key , you cannot be rich without their system and their control over it but you don’t have to play at least you don’t have to play for free.
I have been around construction and trades people almost my whole life. I am 61 now. There is no doubt that learning a trade is the way to go. HVAC, electrician, plumber, telecomms, fire alarms technicians all make good money now. The only con I can think of is when the trades guys get into commercial construction. They have to go where the work is. One big project may last 2 years, 3 at the most. Then you have to go where the company has another project or quit that contractor and hire on with another one. They end up spending time away from their wife and kids and that almost always leads to problems. Still its a good living and a good way to provide for a family.
@@SeanEustace-zk3mc Naww....I think that might be a stretch. Without tradespeople NOTHING would get built. Absolutely nothing. You would be sitting in a hot straw hut right now trying to watch youtube videos while your phone was overheating. Chinese welders are still tradesmen.
I'm a welder with 16 years experience. No tradesman is (or will anytime soon) make $300k who doesn't own their own business. Most tradesmen are in the $60-70k range. Even in the current climate.
Hitting the road to work and make the big bucks… at least you will have the money for the divorce lawyer you will need in a few years. Seen so many families get destroyed by that.
Skilled trades are worth more today than EVER! Plumbers, HVAC techs, electricians can demand and GET any amount.....I've been at six figures for years and love my work. Hold 7 different state license and protect them from ALL.
I have a background in nuclear engineering and a masters in aerospace engineering. Even at 33 with these degrees I'm considering a switch, the pay is just so stagnant in engineering plus I have family in the trades. Makes me really want to pivot and go into something new.
Skilled trades have always done well . Some industries obviously more lucrative than others but today we get more attention because people are not so fooled by a ridiculously priced college education .
My brother is in a labor union. He says that protection is everything "on paper", but if you use all the safety methods(which others are opting out of) you'll be the slowest guy on the crew and never get a call back when that job wraps up.
Got my general building contractor license at the tender age of 26 years old back in 1985 after a decade of being a handyman and home improvement work, never looked back since. Been self employed my entire adult life.
Price point > license. The license means you're more expensive. You can argue it means more skilled and trustworthy, but I'm sure you know other licensed "pros" who are trash at what they do. The license really just means hours logged not actual expertise. Not to mention a license holder might be farming out the actual work instead of doing it themselves. The cost and reliability are all the matters. A license doesn't alter that.
@@chadthackston1992 Add to the fact that many jobs are small in nature, where the liability to the customer doesn't really care about the license over the price.
As a semi-retired landscape contractor with mid level shoulder arthritis from years of digging and associated repetitive motions, I see the undocumented workers definitely taking many of the trades jobs, actually most of them in my area. I think that although these experts are claiming there will be a shortage of laborers they're probably incorrect as the unsurveyed undocumented are basically dominating the trades. These people come from such poor areas that 20 per hour is big bucks and I suspect they often can avoid paying taxes on much or all of their wages. I think if you want to thrive in the trades management and leadership including customer relationships are key positions.
It’s already happened. Made 97k this month just doing fabrication and electrical. Already made 200k this year and April just ended. I charge 180 an hour and have more work that I know what to do with. Plus I make 15-25% margin on the equipment.
@@Roberto91811 well, I stated small by advertising in my area, word of mouth and took some Facebook ads out. After a few jobs I took out a few google ad buys after I made my website. But I haven’t advertised in over 2 years now. It’s just word of mouth, other peoples websites advertising for me.
All bullshit hype no numbers to back it up the federal statistics do not back up these numbers. This is make believe. Go back to the 90s when they were pushing pharmaceutical workers and computer workers and look at the wages that they were promising and what the wages actually turned out to be For the majority not for Rockstars. Not everyone is going to be a rockstar there is a curve and statistics do not lie people do. Whatever the national average is, that is the national average that includes the guy making the rockstar salary, and everyone that doesn’t make shit. You will probably fall to the center over the course of your career and start at the low end just like every other industry very fuel will rise to the top, it’s not just skill they get you to the top. It’s connections and your ability to socialize which not everyone has.
Been a welder fabricator since 1988, in 2015 I became a “manager” and was needed to guide and lead, the issue with that is now I’m 52 and may have to strap on the old RedWings and jump back in the fun because of private equity failures and messes. It’s been a while, hoping I still have it lol.
I personally worked in the trades for 43 years. It’s a great way to make a living but takes a toll on your body and time with your family. That’s why we are worth good pay 💰 and benefits. My advice for young kids nowadays is man-up and get into an apprenticeship and become a strong American Tradesman
Or don’t their whole system is collapsing and they’re just trying to get as much work out of here as they can. The trades promise a bunch of money they never actually pay in the national numbers and statistics show what I am saying is true rather than the bullshit that these people are spitting out. Sure you can work side jobs and make money, but this is self-employment and you can make money doing this cleaning carpets or cleaning out peoples basements with no skill. Self-employment always pays more and you can get away with taxes when self-employed legally a self-employed guy making $300,000 a year will not pay as higher of a tax as a computer program are working for a company making $300,000 a year. This is because the system is rigged to help the rich because it was designed by the rich don’t be deceived always look into real numbers if people are making this kind of money and construction it would be reflected With national figures. It is not look up with the national average for every trade is and I guarantee that’s closer to what people actually make then all these bullshitters pretending they’re making money handover fist you have to remember in America. Everyone pretends to be rich when they are fucking dirt broke.
i grew up working the trades, was brainwashed into going to college, got out with a science degree and have been in sales for the last 15 years. I'm 51 and literally hate my job, I sit at a desk and beg for appointments. I'm in a technical sales, but it's still sales and people treat salespeople like crap. I would love to get out from behind this desk, but at 51 I feel it's too late. I hate the fact that for the most of my professional life I have not cared for job one second. Salesforce did a lot to ruin sales. At this stage in my life I feel like there is not much hope.
My dad is a master plumber he makes $60 an hour, he was an illegal alien and his apprentice took advantage of that he work hard and got paid $15 an hour eventually he got his papers and was able to get his license after 10 years of back breaking work he works lots of hours he is 50 years old now, I’m not going to lie it’s good money but is HARD WORK. Instead of following his footsteps I took a job as an NDT inspector apprentice six years later I making $100K plus a year it’s a cushy job and I spent about 80% of my time sitting down inspecting aerospace parts 😊
What part of the Country do you live in. In the Northeast I know a few plumbers and electricians. They charge $150-$180/hr. My friends son just got his journeyman's electrician license after 4 years. He's 23 years old and making $52/hr. I've seen a Solar Panel Company hiring post stating starting pay between $50-$250/hr depending on level of experience.
@@ourrealestatejourney_original lol he came legally and overstay his visa so he had to pay lots of money for lawyer fees and eventually got his papers relax we all good American here
Currently in northern California (local 1245) journeyman lineman make with OT and Storm make about $250k-400k . To reach that high of earnings means a lot of personal sacrifice.
Thank you for the note. New Episodes are released every Wednesday, and we're re-vamping the channel, so you'll see some changes and more long-form content coming out. Yes, we'll do our best to get a lineman or elevator tech in! Thank you again!
I’ve been doing hardwood flooring for almost 20 years, I can’t see me raising square footage prices any higher because I don’t see how the costumer can afford it. But at the same time by the time I’m finished it never seems to be enough.
As a carpenter/plumbtrician my wages started. At $9/hr i now charge at minimum $50/hr and i can tell you the work aint slowing down even in this shit economy
Graduated from a local community college in 2021. I've worked in the off highway world and now I'm in the public sector maintaining a fleet of school buses. The reality of modern diesel mechanics : for every hour you hold a wrench , you spend an hour behind a screen. Chasing leads. Messing with diagrams. Instead of a soiled mechanic the image needs to be a laptop with a VCI
@twostroke12v71 Except that’s not quite true yet…. As a Freightliner dealer tech I’m working across multiple makes, models bumper to bumper repair in any given day. And there are aspects of this job that are stil extremely dirty. Wheel seal leaks, clutch replacement, engine oil leaks on 30 year old trucks that still come in, animal hits that still have pieces of carcass still attached to the truck when they come in. Sanitation vehicles that should be handled with biohazard gear-maggots and all crawling out of the compactor area. There is an increased use of screens to find information but the industry still has 1 foot in the old ways while trying to grab new ways. Someone who only wants clean work isn’t going to last long in this industry at the moment at least in the dealer side anyway. Lots of retirees took their knowledge with them and left a skills gap on the old equipment. Factories stopped training on the older equipment so it’s become a trial by fire, and mistakes get expensive quickly as I’m sure you are aware
@@Tyler-gb5sl I recently attended OEM training and there was myself and maybe two other tech under 30. Everyone else was leaving the industry in the next 10 years. I'm a computer science major before I was a mechanic. I'm enjoying Pico-scope and building a waveform library for when the younger fellas enter the industry in the next 10 years.
The tradesmen making big money all are never home and constantly on the road traveling ignoring their family and living in hotels. And a lot of trades do lay offs constantly. So you’ll be employed a little then get laid off again. Then employed a little and then laid off again. It’s more important to just find a job you actually like doing instead of just focusing on the money.
In the Fire Service also. The department I work for has hired do many women in the last 5 years that just last week a Rescue(2 personnel) and an Engine Company(3 personnel) had to call for another Engine Company to respond to help get a patient into the Rescue. All 5 women together couldn't lift the patient. The patient was on the larger size, but just 2 guys from the second responding Engine Company were able to lift the patient. One of the guys said "Nice Job Ladies". All 3 guys got called up to HQ for making the women FFs "Feel Bad"
It's give and take 🤷🏿♂️ I'm a pipe fitter/ welder I work 6 months and make well over 100k. The other 6 months I'm home I collect unemployment to pay the major bills. I'll fly home once or twice a month depending on the work schedule. It's gotten better over the years for me personally.
@@TariqSunOfYah It's a death sentence for intellectuals, or anybody needing stimulation after work. More importantly, though, if you collect unemployment, then you are a shameless parasite. Real men don't spend other people's money. Cheers.
In regard to safety, just my two cents from a 20+ year tradesmen who worked in the Freedom Tower: site safety is meant to handhold the “idiots” among us. I’ve been working long since before OSHA enforcement became “real” and I’ve never had any serious injury. Also like Roger said, there has been multiple times where I had to do the “unsafe” thing to get something done because ultimately it’s all smoke and mirrors to appease the cattle. As a foreman I’ve been with GCs and site safety when we had to coordinate something “unsafe” and it became a matter of looking the other way and “don’t ask don’t tell” because in real life sometimes rules are meant to be bent, you just gotta have someone you can trust to safely bend them.
More than you think,tile work, all trades but not licensed. The big builders have them work and 1 high paid licensed plumber,electrician signs off. Pretend you don’t know this. Trades are worthless!
@ SeanEustace-zk3mc also I’m only 31, trades wages will increase because all the fucking fools like yourself going the college route will only increase the demand for SKILLED tradesmen. No student debt a better wage unlimited work. Sucks to suck buddy.
I’m a degreed and licensed engineer, who worked as a facilities manager for a government agency. I made less than the journeyman trades people working for me. The frustrating part, is I had all of the skills the tradespeople had, and actually trained most of them that worked for me. No one but the top five percent are thriving in the current economy.
The delusion of youtube grifters knows no bounds lol. The economy is in free fall and while trades certainly will hold up they are paying shit,. Anyone can find an outlier anecdote to make a claim to the contrary but in general trades are struggling as well. Between the consumer being squeezed and millions of illegal immigrants working construction for 13, 14, 15 bucks an hour it's difficult to say tradesmen will be drowning in cash
The only reliable way to make good money as a skilled trades person is owning your own business and finding a niche that allows you to work by yourself or with a couple guys that you can trust. But at that point you're a business person and a trades person. Working for someone else will only allow you to barely survive and learn the skills you need to go your own way.
Well I'm not sure if it's because I'm in California. But I picked up a trade, boom pump operator to be exact. The first 2 years while you get your apprenticeship done, you don't make much. But you learn a whole Lot. After I became a journey man operator, I've never made less 130k a year. My best year I made 160k. I know it's not like that everywhere, but it has definitely worked for me.
I don't expect for them to be counted among traditional trades but cybersecurity and networking are very "trades-like" careers. You can still self-teach, get by on skill (up to the mythical 6 figure mark), break away and start your own company and everything. They're also critical infrastructure style jobs (for now).
Yup husband is an iron worker and our son is a certified welder/iron worker, both make six figures with pensions and annuity. Son just turned 23 and both he and hubs are union iron workers, son already 4 years into his career building both pension and annuity. He can retire from his trade at 50 with a full pension. Learn a trade! Husband will retire at 591/2 from iron working and have a full 30 years pension and can still work. We can choose whether or not to tap into annuity or pension. It’s hard work but worth it
yeah but thats the stuff every illegal can figure out in their first month. Supply and demand my friend. there is certainly a demand but the supply of labor is overinflated thanks to our deliberately incompetent [read nefarious] friends in Washington.
the biggest part of safety is watching out for your brother. as an ironworker , calculated risks are the norm. everyone wants to be a cowboy. dont get under a load. dont get in a pinch point. accidents are gonna happen . but no one getting hurt in an accident is the win
Maybe even host a few general contractors on at the same & have them bounce some stories of the many trades off one another, I’m sure it would be some great content!!! 💪
@@Marco11-08I can’t imagine crying about anything but I can imagine being one of the 5000 Tyson chicken employees who became unemployed because Tyson could save millions hiring undocumented workers.
@@edwinwheatley2732 that’s just not true. Do you have the slightest idea how employment law works ?? Tyson foods is a publicly traded complain . It’s federally regulated. No way they knowingly hire illegal immigrants. You people in the south really do live in a different world. You guys are highly uninformed
I was a contractor for over 20 years. All of my competitors hired illegals and made higher profits for awhile. It was short-sighted because some of the illegals siphoned away customers and eventually started their own businesses. They continued to use their illegal brethren at low wages to prosper. All of the citizen workers lost their jobs, and eventually the old contractors who exploited illegals went out of business. To add insult to injury, politicians and media propagandists kept saying the illegals were simply doing the work Americans don’t want to do. What were solid middle class jobs are now the jobs of peasant slaves. These guys are full of it; there is no good future in the trades. America is done because you were all too busy drinking and watching sports to pay attention and stop what was happening!
As a commercial painting contractor it is a nightmare to find skilled labor and I have to bring in over 1 mil a year just to keep the light on. I can't raise prices the way the inflation is going up 😡😡😡
Wages are stagnant, the talent is retiring. I worked in machining, fabrication, electrical and plumbing for the last 18 years. Paid off my house own all my tools built a nice shop. Now I pick and choose who I work for and what I do. Break free of the cycle. Get your finances in order and demand respect. Learn to read people and send narcissistic people down the road.
Amen!
Agreed. DEMAND RESPECT once you know your work is worth it. Same here: I've paid off my mortgage and all the debts, and I own my business, equipment, vehicles, and tools. I only need to work 4 - 5 hours per week to cover my daily needs (food, utility bills, basics), so if someone wants my work now - they either pay as much as I want to get paid for my time or take a hike.
And I am never out of work anyway!
I love this!!
You never paid off your home stop lying the property tax is what makes homes a big scam. However working for anyone is a waste of time it’s always better to do your own thing. People in the industry screw people over low wages and no future.
Great advice
I dropped out of high school and started digging ditches at a plumbing company in 1976. In 1986 I started my own plumbing, HVAC and electrical service business. I’ve employed hundreds over the last 38 years and made 7 figures for the last few years. We pay our people very well and train our apprentices the become licensed journeyman. I advise almost every young person I meet to do what I did and have helped several start their own business. The more competition the better. There’s always plenty of work for everyone. College is a dead end for a lot of people. The trades can make you wealthy.
So did David Butler in this episode: I Wanted the Biggest and Best Plumbing Company | The Trade Talks #155
th-cam.com/video/Ra_UQUdY2iY/w-d-xo.html
Similar intro to the trades!
I’d like to start my own company
I’d be in a different field.
@@troyblume51 Well, starting a company in 1986 is a lot different then starting company in 2024. But good luck.
@@sitka49 in what ways specifically is it different now? Genuinely curious what you mean. My brother started a cabinet shop last spring and he has been booked 1 1/2 - 2 years out solid since day 1. He was cranking out jobs before his shop was even done.
Most don't make a good living in the trades...
When the dollar is worthless. 300K won’t be so meaningful. I am a 20 year Journeyman. Make well over 100K. Feels like the new 60K where I am.
Facts I made $178K last year and felt like it $60K inflation,home prices and the dollars losing it’s buying power makes people who are making 6 figures like it is not much
@@grovve8960if you’re making $178k a year and it feels like 60k, then that’s a skill issue man
It’s gotten rough and seems like the rules change each generation and in all aspects; I personally believe that our “powers that be”in our country still have a great deal of control and still needed far too much all over the globe to fear the dollar being worthless at least anywhere in the near future
I’m a software engineer and got laid off so I’m back to swinging a hammer. I grew up working construction with my blue collar family. AI will take over all these office jobs and only people really going to be working or blue collar. Just my opinion.
I am a union Pipefitter in Cali, this is the first time in 18 years I feel like I’m living paycheck to paycheck.
I graduated high school in the early 90's. Back then, they made you feel like a complete loser and failure for not going to college. It took me a long time to get that negative feeling out of my head. The January after graduating high school, I was blessed with a job with the local water/electric utilities company. That was 31 years ago. Today, I make over $100k, free healthcare, I have 5 weeks of paid vacation and 14 holidays, a pension that is waiting on me when I retire after my youngest child gets out of school, and a Roth that I have paid in to for years.
Amazing!
You could still make money going into the workforce in the 90s, you can’t today though the rates are higher what you can get for the money is much lower. In the 90s, you could be in the workforce for two years and buy a house and it would cost you $80,000, that is not the case anymore and it is not going forward with the falling population and the willingness of the government to import as many people as they need which means the housing cost will never come down even when the boomers die off. They’re not going to to let the housing prices fall because the banks will collapse that loan the money for them. Their whole debt and money system is at stake. They’re going to make , that is not the case anymore it is not the coat going forward with the falling population and the willingness of the government to import as many people as they need which means the housing cost will never come down even when the boomers die off. They’re not going to let the housing prices fall because the banks will collapse that loan the money for them. They’re whole debt and fiat money. System is at stake. They’re going to make you poor , dragging it out for the next 10 to 20 years or until they think they can central bank digital currency on you and once they do that they can completely fuck you and make your money disappear to thin air for monetary policy because you have no ramps from their system as you do today . Don’t believe the hype lower population only means higher wages if they don’t bring people from an outside, geography into your geography. We are not dealing with a closed system, but with an open system where labor can be moved all over in real time.
@Dendoc7 I have enjoyed the life that my work provided for.
8years infantry, went masters program in communications, hated the people but loved the job, make $35k more and actually home more…
THANK YOU GOD FOR THE DIRECTION towards CDL trucking.
Way happier!😊
if this is, and working for city and state local government work, they all get the same benefits. that's whether you're shoveling sh_* down at the water treatment plant or working in HR, or administration.
As a 27 year tradesmen...you'll never be rich but you'll never be poor ... the one problem I've experienced is the physical toll being a tradesmen takes on your body
Is the toll really bad?
@@Ulises21500 it can be ... all the things they tell you about safety and lifting you'd better play close attention ... listen to your old timers as well
@@Ulises21500Really depends on the person. Some people handle the load better than others. Others get injured easily than others.
Been plumbing 28 yrs, physical toll is real. My body talks to me everyday.
@@MH-5274I work in carpentry mid 20s and no pain at all
Most people I know already have back pain at my age
Not sure what you guys are doing with your body to damage it that quickly
Started doing plumbing with my dad at 14. Went to work full time at 17 plumbing work while still in high school. Got on with a natural gas distribution company I can operate heavy equipment weld run all types of pipe have a class A drivers license to haul the equipment. All started from working with my dad young. Most of my friends went into the trades. We make more money than the few of our friends that have a degree. Graduated in 1984
That’s what I’m talking about!
That’s all because you had a dad a lot of us don’t have any dads and moms where never around because they were working 2 - 3 jobs it’s much harder when you have no real guidance
Might make more money but the toll on your body, and your change of time for money is higher than a salaried white collar worker. Not too mention the treatment of people is WAY different
@David-nh8gg spend your time on youtube learning how to do things. I promise, if you pick something simple, like cleaning, which is very cheap and easy to get into, and become the best in your area at it, you will do well. Drywall, small engine repair, landscaping, general home maintenance, all of it is very easy to learn on youtube, and you can move outside of youtube to learn even more. I grew up without a father to teach me anything and I learned on my own how to do everything I can currently do. You might suck at first, but you WILL get better st whatever it is if you stick with it, don't let your circumstances hold you back. Try your hardest not to ever complain about anything, even when things are unfair, and see how much your outlook changes. It makes all the difference.
@@jack8162you clearly don't know what the fuck you're talking about, if you think that people are going to learn how to do a trade from youtube. This guy is exactly right. Most of us aren't even able to work at the age of 14, but he was probably making close to what is a modern $20 an hour at 14 years old, and able to run a company essentially at 17 years old as he self-described himself. There's not a lot of us that have that upstart opportunity from our dad being somebody that they want us to be. My father was an automotive technician, and praised all his life that I should never get into that industry because it destroys your body. When I got into the electrical industry, I worked harder than anyone around me physically on the job any day that I was there. I never got a raise that wasn't mandatory through my apprenticeship, and I was never even considered for a leadership by the actual leadership of the company. Meanwhile, I was running entire cruise of Cuban foreign Nationals that didn't speak english. So on top of doing high-grade commercial electrical installations, I had to spend my day as a translator for my cruise so that we can get stuff done. These guys don't value you, and to say that you can go learn this stuff on the internet by the age of 17 and be a master is a joke.
There has been a huge campaign to demean tradespeople over the last 35 years and praise office workers. The phrase "work smarter not harder" was the headline for this movement. This was due to there being a huge shortage of office workers at that time. However, technology has replaced many office workers and minimized many of the remaining office jobs. The tide is turning quickly as there is no longer much pride in an office job.
The good money and life are still office jobs . It will always be . Getting off at the same time is not hard on your body and can do the same job until your 60+ .
I never took that phrase that way. In my experience, it was the tradesman who was using his brain to do a task that was easier on his body or more efficiently. I never equated it to be demeaning to the trades. Guys are still using it today, usually when mentoring a young person.
That has nothing to do with that phrase.
@@JacobsNews Right there, i know accountants that are still doing their jobs into there 70's. I worked trades too , and my brother in-law worked road construction, and don't think he seen his kids growing up? He was never home. I was talking to him the other day wondering when his was going to retire - and he was telling me ( jokingly) that he didn't know? Because the life expectancy of worker there after they retire is like 18 month. Lol
I'm there now, been brainwashed that office job was the poster child of jobs. Can't find fulfilment in the office job as you would in trades.
I’m a tax guy but also a skilled auto mechanic, novice wood worker, novice electrician, gardener and a big diy guy. Love what u guys are doing and hopefully our kids stop being lazy and get back to work! 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿
Amen. I love that. Thank you.
Boomer👆
YOU ARE IGNORANT. THE TRADES ARE FULL OF TOXIC WOMEN NOW. A MAN DOES NOT TRADE HIS DIGNITY FOR MONEY.
@@marshallmccann4224 lol boomer moment. Though he does have a point, a lot of college kids get funneled into college believing its the only way to make a living so as a consequence a lot of kids that would actually be better off in the trades fumble through college barely passing their classes just to get a corporate job end up not performing well and complain they keep getting burned out on the job eventually get a job that has nothing to do with their degree which might be a trade job. It's mostly liberals that think they deserve more pay for their work because of all the money spent on college that are lazy and dumb not understanding supply and demand.
I am in the HVAC field & have been for 25 years. In my teenage years, I asked an electrician, he said be a plumber. I asked a plumber, he said be an electrician. My kids I have always told them to do what they want to do. I have gone to career days with pictures, examples & some of my arc flash PPE. I told every class that you do not need to go to school. Being in the HVAC side of things, I have had offers to go to South America before the Olympics to prep for that. Had the offer to go to the Middle East to make wheel barrows of money there..I chose to stay in DFW with my family. I do not regret getting into this field.
I did 10 years in IT and switched up to electrical. Now I develop software peograms for industrial computers and commission control panels, spending 80% of my time on my laptop. I'm not the guy terminating the 500kcmil wire but its important for people to know the trades are a vast ocean of skills.
How did you make the switch?
How do I get into this? Im comp sci major but I want to do some kind of travel per diem blue collar ish work.
Not a tradesman but I’m a DIYer and I know I have saved thousands of dollars. A simple thing like changing a door lock, hanging a door, installing dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and repairing all of these. Built shed, deck, replaced toilets, sinks, hot water heater. I’m a woodworker built beds, furniture, raised garden, remodel bathrooms. My father was a electrician which I don’t do much of as it’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. He told me never pay anyone to do what you can do yourself.
Should have join the elevator/escalator union.
They do all of everything and make very good wages. I miss that opportunity 😢
That’s why u should stay a diy-er. It’s still fun.
@@whitechocolate415 hired people for two things had to redo it my self. Roof repair/new sun screens. All were not do correctly. Do my own electrical, plumbing………
4 years ago I was unemployed and rethinking the direction my life was heading. I decided to pivot and learn a trade, but didn’t want to go to school. Moved across the country, got an apartment maintenance job and spent two years soaking as much hvac knowledge possible reading books and watching TH-cam. 18 months ago I landed my first full time hvac service technician role. Today I am a lead residential sales and service technician at one of the top companies in my region making 100k+ and am rapidly learning commercial. Everyone needs hvac, nobody wants to learn this trade, there is a major shortage developing in talent who is technically capable and competent with sales and customer service.
could you please tell me how to trace existing HVAC lines inside the wall . so that I dont drill into them accidentally?
Good for you. ❤ but 300k?
@@CANTHINKvfhdss the title of the video is clickbait. Unless we have hyperinflation and the dollar collapses very few “tradesmen” will ever make that kind of money. But, the point I’m trying to make is that in an economy, where the average young person is tens of thousands of dollars in college debt and can only find a job making 50 or 60 grand a year, There’s a lot of people who could shift their focus to the trades and make a lot more money without going into debt.
@@pennidianurag9868 this is not a problem that I have had to solve yet. What is the context, why are you drilling into a wall if you expect a line set to be behind it?
Awesome story! Good work 👊🏼💯
My eldest son got his Associate Electrical degree after high school.Master Electrician at about age 26. Opened his own company 5 years ago. Employs a Journeyman and two Apprentice electricians. Not sure what he makes, but he paid his house off two years ago and all his vehicles. Works very hard, but seems to enjoy it. Much happier being his own boss.
He is self-employed No, he’s not self-employed. He employs other people to do the work for him. He is a business owner. That’s why he makes money if his trade was not electrical but Janitorial work he would still make money. Your construing two different things a Janitorial business owner can pay off his house, but not an electrician that works for your son.
@@SeanEustace-zk3mc do you think no one who has employees still works n the trade themselves? If he only has 3 employees, he probably still works while running the business. You come across as pretty salty over someone you don’t even know owning a business.
That’s ideal. In any situation owning is the way to go,
That’s inspiring! Congratulations!
As a HS teacher, I tell my kids all the time, consider going to trade school. Start your life with almost no debt.
If you really want to go to college, then go to community college for 2.5 years first on the cheap.
Yea if you wanna wear and tear. I’m 36 and feeling it some days the hype is over rated of take a trade
@@angelhernandez1099Definitely man. We're the same age and my body hurts all the time. I'm going back to school this year for robotics and automated systems technology. I want a good factory job repairing robots
College only makes sense for the intellectually talented (top 5% in terms of IQ). If you aren’t bright, the trades are definitely the way to go!
I always told my kids that the trades were a very good option for their future. I told them that unless they were going to school for engineering or some technical degree that college was a waste of time. One of my kids is now a machinist for a defense contractor and the other is a production engineer for an electronics manufacturing company. Both work with their hands and build things. Love to see it.
That’s awesome. Thank you for the note.
Recently journeyed out in the commercial refrigeration trade. Started out with 1 year trade school followed by a few years doing residential HVAC. I love the commercial setting and have zero regrets going down this path.
I used to work construction, came from a family of tradesmen. Put myself through engineering school... I'm seeing more opportunities to make better money building houses in a market inflated by short term rentals.
Buying property and building a house this year. See how it goes. Might make me 2x my engineering salary in profit. Building a new primary residence shelters $500k profit from taxes if you live in it 2 years.
Very nice sir
Shelters $500k profit if married, $250k if single if I'm not mistaken.
This guy: talks about how well the trades pay
*wasn’t getting paid enough so got a degree, then turns around using that degree to make more money. Talks about how much money you can make in the trades
Has the rub Mr. economist the young can’t afford housing and you’re bringing in mass waves of immigrants to depress their wages they need somewhere to live. This will drive up the cost of housing. You’re not going to make any money even though it is stacked in such a way that you make money because no one has any buying power. The baby making end of the demographic pyramid is broken and the economy is about to become very truncated unless you think the millennials are going to produce 2.1 children each then the economy in 20 years is going to be shit in the United States. I’ll give you a hint millennials are not going to have 2.1 kids , the older end of the demographic are already in their 40s. Many of them can’t afford houses because housing prices have been inflated by mass immigration, which has also depressed their wages that’s called supply and demand economics buddy spin it anyway you will it would be better that they learn to garden and raise livestock for the future we’re going into.
@GhostofFranky , If I would have built a house every couple years to take advantage of the section 121 capital gains tax exclusion for the last 15 years I would be WAY better off.
$250k exclusion when single, $500k exclusion when married.
That strategy is DEFINITELY different than being a straight laborer.
300k-200k=100k for price of lumber or items/tools needed for the job lol.. i was in the trades for 10yrs.. commercial work over residential forsure, but its not paying enough worth the headache. I just got my CDL. Im glad i got the experience in carpentry/electrical/hvac/masonry, but im also glad i left. I broke my arm about a week ago, i can still drive my semi but i can't lift a drywall atm
Respect to all the Tradesmen out there, we need you!
I’m 16 tryna figure out what I want to do. I see u saying it’s not paying enough for the headache. Do u think joining a trade isn’t worth the work or? Also what trade were u in?
@@N1kogarza joining the trades through a local union would be a great idea at ur age. Any trade. Become a journeyman in 10-15yrs.. you'd be set for life.. it could all be so simple if u allow it
Just watch out for self driving trucks they are testing in Texas Jay.
@@monkeyfinger7949 they still need an operator in them at all times for safety
I remember being teased for wearing safety glasses while grinding when I was 17. Glad those guys have moved on from the trades. We got smarter, but to the newcomers, it’s not always going to be easy, comfortable, and warm. Remember, someone is paying you because what you are doing isn’t easy or comfortable. Take advantage of that knowledge.
I have 3 trades. Started with HVAC The went your electrical as I'm electrican as of today. But also went to welding trade school. Never went with out a great pay check and benitfits. Grant you I work a tone of hours. In the trades that's part of the deal. It's not eazy you will be hot,tired,and dirty in some facilities. But I'm very happy being able to trouble shoot, repair, install electrical equipment. Plus having the knowledge and not having to call someone to repair any of my home equipment. I recommend trades school. It's payed off for me in my life.
What about the concerns about physical safety and risk to long term health regarding joints or possibly limb removing workplace injury?
@Thalanox Limb removing injury, really? You might as well consider the probability of getting struck by lightning why you are at it! 😄
My paychecks always sucked. As a machinist 2 years ago making less than a fast food worker and just left a welding job paying $18 an hour (same as production) but they didnt want to pay my 80 mile drive to the worksite, they refused my milage I literally couldnt afford to go to work without milage my vehicles were taking a beating plus gas.
@@Thalanox there are hazards and risks, ways to mitigate them.
@@JeffDavis-hg2to Chainsaws are pretty good at cutting wood. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that a bad slip up might end up cutting a person. There are also crushing injuries that might severely damage a limb.
Thinking that there is little actual risk seems like a big mistake. I'm limping and in pain in my knee from just a small trip the other day, and it'll probably take a few days of working (gingerly) on the injury before it fully heals up.
Risk knowledge and management is a part of the job as far as I can see it.
LISTEN!! IM A UNION ELECTRICIAN, and there are so many South Americans entering the trades, the work is filling up!! Ive watched them bring in over 100 on the site im currently on. Benefits are definately what they say they are. You get the lowest health care package they can buy, and youre still paying $1,600 per month. They take money off youre hourly wage to pay the insurance.
@Dendoc7 Yes. They're not in apprentice program and have not tested in as Journeyman. They're bringing them in as CEs and CWs. So they are getting paid half a journeyman wage. The companies love it because they charge the same to a co for an electrician no matter how much the electrician gets. They're cheap labor. They're making the local and national union tons of money in dues
Yes they're here, my company has hired at least a hundred of them and still hiring, some are ok and don't know anything....I think this is because companies can't find people because of drugs, background etc.
@JdTaylor-xf4bc it's because they're cheap labor and plentiful. They're not Journeyman and aren't going through the apprentice program.
@@argndogo They wan't have to be in the next 5-10 years, an AI program will tell them what to do and as long as they have to hands-on down and can read then it want be a problem.
@@argndogo There will be virtual AI programs for every profession.
Seems like unions are targeting only high school students but not enough are joining. The cost of living has gone up drastically since covid but starting pay to get a foot in the door hasn't gone up enough. I have 10 years' experience in engineering and I'm finding it very difficult to get into the steamfitters with $17 starting pay. Need to pay a living wage for people starting in the trades.
The way that I did that was I have a side gig and started doing hvac with a pay cut , but not that low.
Wages are also low on average because contractors hire illegal labor from Latin America.
Whooooa. What state is that!?
Funny when I was in a union job you got moved up into trades based on seniority. So the guys that were 3 years from retiring would get it and not care
If you own your own home, $17/hr should be enough for a single person to live frugally but no ability to contribute to your retirement accounts so it doesn’t make sense for young adults. Basically it’s designed for kids still in high school or college or are retired and already have a nest egg.
I've been a HVAC Technician/ Chiller Mechanic for thirty-five years. There is a huge disconnect between HR personnel and them not knowing the business or field management and their needs. Plus, the understanding of what is needed in personnel to get the job done. Human Resources personnel needs training in the industry in which they are working for, so they can help instead of hindering the process of hiring the qualities of employees needed.
We just found out are hr manger is the 2 highest paid at a company with 100 trucks on the road out of one shop. Actually all the white collar guys make more . And no on-call
Much of the disconnect between managers and hourly tradesmen is due to the peter principle.
@@allenfischer5878peter principle? owners banging the HR girl? Lol
HR isn't there for the employees, HR is there to benefit the company
Just stumbled upon your channel! good stuff! I started in the trades at 17 years old out of high school working as a welders helper on the pipeline which in time turned into a welding apprenticeship, and it's definitely been a journey with its ups and downs, but now at 44 yrs of age, along my career path have completed two other apprenticeships steam fitter pipe fitter and most recently millwright (industrial mechanic). I can say that it's been a pretty good middle class job, bought vehicles when needed, raised a family, vacations, bought a house...... things just don't happen they take focus and determination, just an overall good work ethic, show up, work hard, get it right the first time!!!
I myself, have a graduate degree in software engineering. However, I got burnt out in that field. And the work from my perspective was being replaced with more and more automation and AI, saw this years ago. So I decided to go into an electrical apprenticeship 9 years ago, it was absolutely the best decision I ever made, it is very cool to see the work I have done, and along with getting my JMAN card, and to top it off, I have much more free time, with my family, and my income is by far much more than, anything I did before in the software industry. Recently, I branched out into PLC automation, using both my electrical skills, and software engineering skills at the same time. It is surprising, how things turn out. Best of both worlds.
Foundation worker here. Pay sucked for the first 5 years but once I became a foreman everything changed. Went from $22 to $30 hour. Insurance paid, company phone, etc. Did that for several more years and decided to try sales. I made $150k two years in a row before I got tired of it. Point is, hard work pays off.
How come you got tired of sales? What are you doing now if you don't mind me asking
@@Ulises21500 I took and service manager position for 50k base + 10% commission. Extremely low opportunities for sales over a 4 month period. We shut that down and I went back to being a foreman on the install side.
@@Ulises21500 The reason I got tired of it is because it’s mentally exhausting. You constantly have to call, txt, email. Check in with crews, office, clients. I’m the person a client gets mad at if a crew screws up something. And I’m an introvert.
@joeedwards1682 oh ok, so what do you do now as a career?
Worked at a painting company for 3 years after high school after I decided to quit school, it gave me invaluable skills, and it made me go back to school and finish(I graduate in a few days) but I consider painting to be one of the best things that I did for myself. With jobs going away at a rapid pace, it's nice to have a plan b
It's one of the worst things I did lol. Pay was horrible and people think it's easy because they don't know its different from slapping on paint compared to complete restorations, high end builds, fast pace commercial. Never would I recommend tye trades unless you go union or become self employed.
after high school, I remember a guy going into the trades as an electrician.. he was thought of as a 'failure' while the rest of us went to college. today, he's a master electrician with more business than he can ask for and more successful financially than any of the college kids. he can pick and choose his jobs, and that's better than any garbage "raise" the college kids gets in a bs corporate office. more and more are understanding that college is NOT the only way.. it is for those who want to go the licensed professional routes like lawyer, doctor, architect, CPA, etc.. think twice about college for sure.
Well said!
I graduated from HS in 1982. Growing up my dad who grew up on a farm in Kansas and my grandpa who was a first born from Yugoslavia both taught me how to do the skills I needed to not have to call in the professionals to do the work, which helped me immensely in the residential rental business. I cannot thank my dad and grandpa for the skills they taught me growing up. The education I received from them is worth so much more to me than my BS degree. I went to college from 2011-2015 graduated at 51 years of age college is a joke. My grandson went to school for 1 semester and now is going to trade school, thank God he saw the light before he became saddled with college debt.
I went into the Navy to go to College but stayed in for 20 years and it was the best thing I could have done so much and many experience(s), You have to recognize what your kids are capable of or how they might do in the different environments i.e. School or on the Job. My son is going to Res Electrician Schooling and has gone through VoTech in High School already. He will be making way more than I ever will in his career, because I elected to stay in the Navy, but again the Life it gave was something I would never give back.
8 years in as a industrial electrician in iowa and a Journeyman. Not even making $30 an hour yet...my last raise was 2%...
Here's my advice: you don't need to master the trade; just understand the pricing very well.
I know a guy who started in landscaping and now handles everything, including electrical, HVAC, and welding, to name a few. His value lies in his extensive network of contacts. When you need something, he's the person to call. He subcontracts the work and adds a markup to earn his share. Essentially, he acts as the middleman, which is where the real money is.
Of course, some of the individuals he contracts with might consider cutting him out of the deal, but they don't. They recognize the significant value he brings by providing consistent work for them.
Be a person of influence; that's where you want to be.
Automotive technicians are a always left out of the conversation and it is the hardest of them. We are mechanics, welders, plumbers, electricians, Hydraulic techs and ac techs all in one. Our tool base takes half a lifetime to aquire and we are masters of every vehicle from Lamborghini to mac trucks.
Government will take you guys out.
We are left out because we get paid chump change compared to the rest of the trades. Been in automotive for 15 years, trying to get out as fast as possible. Tell all the younger guys to get out too
@@johnwalker6140 automotive techs are slaves to the manufacturers and dealers.
that too
I tell all the young guys to put in the time and training to make yourself an asset. Im proud to be a tech. I really dont want to do anything else. I make good money and trust me. Its gonna keep going up. Not everyone wants to do this. But the ones thats do and are growing in knowledge and skills and keep pushing to learn as much as they can, they will be making the most here soon. This field is super rewarding. You gotta play the field. Its a game. But yiu gotta be good to make it happen too. The Lord has blessed me in this field and He will do that with many others.
I was a teen in the 70's. I lived in a small town not far from Huntsville, Tx. In the town that I lived in, Shepherd, Tx, there was a dairy owned by Earnest Bailes, the grandfather of the state politician, Earnest Bailes. I hauled hay for him one time and it was so hot that day. We worked for about 16 hrs that day and he only payed me about 12 dollars. I never went back for that again.
Im a software engineer and i feel exactly the same about same idea different tools. I do a lot of DIY and woodworking and I always have a great conversation witj tradespeople who come by. Troubleshooting is troubleshooting, doesnt matter if its code, HVAC, electrical, etc.
I'm Devops engineer. Are jobs will phase out in 10-20 years due to AI and Kamala economics. In doing junk removal and mowing on the side
@@engineking777 maybe. I don't see AI doing much other than making us more efficient. Coding is hard. Just because AI can do simple things quickly doesn't mean it can do complex things well. It will probably enable us to do complex things faster.
I love that my husband is a Journeyman Electrician. We started electrical business in Jan 2021. He is skilled in so many other things and our dream is to just do our own fix and flips. I am so glad he is not a college grad. We would be broke if he was! I graduated college and the most I ever made as a social worker was 50k. We are well over 250k just the two of us. You also don't pay taxes on labor.
You do pay taxes on Labor it's called income tax, unless your cooking your books to seem like you make no money.
@@oldleatherhandsfriends4053
o, labor is not taxable and a contractor's invoice for MRRA projects should not include a line item for tax as neither the labor or the materials are taxable (although a contractor will pay tax on the materials when they are purchased).
So no, you don’t pay taxes. The material purchased is paid by the customer and the customer pays that tax. The labor is non taxable. You also write off your vehicles and write off office, travel, and some food. You can find tax write offs for most anything. You just need a good CPA. So I. The end we don’t really pay taxes on the biz if you categorize correctly.
@@oldleatherhandsfriends4053 not cooking books. Look it up for Arizona. No tax on Labor and the materials taxes are passed on to customer. No taxes. We have a good CPA also that finds all the write offs.
@@oldleatherhandsfriends4053 Arizona Labor you don’t tax and material is taxed and that tax is passed to customer.
I have been a tradesman for over 40 years and unfortunately all I have ever seen is office people being treated better then us. It shouldn't be this way but trust me it is. The pen is mightier then the tool !!!!
Not in all the trades brother. Line work is a good trade. Lineman get treated and compensated well.
@@mxli1187 I tried for years to get into the trade. Had a degree in electronics and a decent resume in tech but got passed up again and again for people who knew people. I just wish entry into the lineman trade wasn't so full of nepotism. Now I'm 55 and bet it would be even more impossible for me.
@@mxli1187that’s cause linemen are one mistake away from death
Yeah just had a review here and basically had the owner try to talk me out of going to start my own business but basically I understand what the game is is that for every individual thing that I handle myself rather than working as an employee for a paycheck I earn a backend. I’m taking my time and making sure I set myself up good before I go and take the leap and making sure I don’t burn any bridges with this place either I figure I give it a shot in my 30s and if it’s not working I’ll know within 5 years I’ll still have time to land back on my feet and become a PM or a salesman
Some here, 30 years HVAC, We are treated like trash and uneducated fools ,by people who cant even fiqure out how to turn on a light.
I went to school after the Marines, HVAC, then got a job in a manufacturing plant as a setup man ,then supervisor. Was trained on CNC mills and Benders. Hourly kids were making $ 4k a month. EASLY BUT LOUD WORK 800 TON PRESSES.
I’ve been in a trade for 28 years making 120k a year unfortunately after taxes it’s like 55k , but this economy has recently been killing me , but I remember when I got into being in a trade everyone vilified me for not going to college now look everyone went to college and now can’t make 40k a year and nobody knows how to fix their own shit so they call me now it’s a great feeling
How 55k???
get some re so u have some write offs
@@luisvilla799taxes
Sounds like you need a tax guy. There is no way you should have to pay that much.
@@ryancoons1744 fr man
I'm a steamfitter who is well on track for $225000 this year (Canadian, so about $165000 US), and yes, the talent is retiring and based on what I see from most incoming apprentices, we're all in deep trouble.
@@rniggardson thats it? Sitting at a desk? Using AI to send emails. Thats cute.
@@rniggardson i get paid to sit on my hands too but im not dumb enough to have faith in dollars.
My dad instilled the importance of real work. He was what he or many would consider a jack of all trades master of none. He knew a lot about everything or enough to get something done. He would have me under the hood of his car at the age of 5 explaining the parts, name, function, and purposes. Proper ways to cut trees down. Indoor plumbing as in faucets and hot water heaters. Electrical as in fuse boxes/breaker boxes and wiring. He wasn't much of a welder but can make two pieces of metal stick together, lol. He was even a bit of an artist . If you ask a question, he knew it, including gardening in every way. Planting seasons for everything and what's edible and what's not. What's "trash" and what's good for you.
My first real job was "plumbing," i guess. I was in a crew with a bunch of my stoner friends at the age of 15. We were under slab tunnel diggers. We called ourselves tunnelologists, lol. While going to high school, i had that job ,took drafting class instead of computer lit, and went to a trade school for autobody and paint that was part of the school system. The trade school i went to was basically a joke, and the only thing I learned was the name of the tools. My goal was to be an automotive painter because i was really into custom paint and lowriders. My first body shop job was one of the most prestigious shops in my area, thinking i knew what i was doing. I quickly realized i didn't know anything. Seemed like i wasn't going to move up, and they kept me in a repetitious position and pay sucked. So i put in applications anywhere that was looking for a painter. I found a job at a commercial sign company. There i learned a lot. I learned how to weld stick, mig, mag, and tig. I learned how to bend and make neons, how to wire things up, as in every kind of lightning system you can think of.
From there, i went to work at a truck shop"18 wheelers" box trucks, and heavy equipment. There, i believe i learned the most. The boss i had there was the best guy and most knowledgeable I've ever met. He taught me everything about fiberglass and air systems. The owner of the shop also owned a race track, so i had the opportunity to cut loose and paint quite a few race cars. Some pretty iconic cars still rock in the paint i sprayed 20 years ago. Then i left and worked at another truck shop that also worked on military vehicles. That was a learning experience. Got that down packed and figured it was time to move on. I then went to a fab shop that made everything from generator cages, to stainless counter tops for restaurants. They also made the instrument panels or consoles for coast guard vessels and parts for the new orleans street cars. Thats where i honed in on my tig welding abilities.
Fast forward a few years, after a horrific car accident and a couple of kids, I'm now working at a relative's shop that got lucky to get it and hardly knows how things are done and or why. He's also a painter, so that's not where he wants me. So i do everything else. Everything. We have a small crew, and i run the body side while he plays salesman since he hired another painter. We dont do custom work, only collision. It's a bit boring, but it pays the bills.
Its funny when he comes up with "check out this new tool", and i laugh "thats not new its been out for like 30 years", and i show him how it works ,what it does, and explain what its good and not good for. Different ones in the shop ask how i know so much. I replied with i didnt keep myself in a bubble.
I have a sister thats been to college, has multiple degrees, and is going for her doctrine. She lives at eat and craps school. She even teaches college classes at a university. We get into conversations and she gets so mad that with all her education, the people she surrounds herself with and she feels she followed all the rules for success, that i make more money than she does. She doesn't understand how im half crippled, working with a halfwitted boss, surrounded by high-school drop-outs in a metal building and can make more money than a highly educated university trained person. I remind her what our dad always said. To make money, you have to fulfill a need. A college campus wouldn't close if she quit, and not everyone needs college. But theres so many things that are absolutely needed out there that people like her just can't wrap their head around. Plus, if i quit, my shop will shut down and our relative knows it. Then i hit her with something else my dad would say as an inside joke that i knew she'd understand and that is "Invest in toilet paper." Something everyone needs but thinks its not important until they need it. In an absolute emergency how much would you pay for a roll of toilet paper?
My wife and I talked our son into going into plumbing while he was working as a construction helper. He loves it. He has a couple more years until he's a journeyman but he is the most requested worker with the journeymen. And he gets so many side jobs he can barely keep up.
My little Brother did the same. Now he is making $46 an hour and providing a comfortable life for his family.
@@mikebrase5161 yeah that's what my son will make when he becomes a journeymen. But right now as an apprentice he gets a lot of side jobs
@@mikebrase5161 yes that's what my son will make when he becomes a journeymen. He already has two years of schooling done.
@@mikebrase5161 that's what my son will make when he becomes a journeyman. He has a couple more years of school to go.
I am the founder and CEO of Blue Falcon Tech. We are a On-Site mechanical service company. We are nation wide now I’d love to come on your show to promote and discuss the Deisel mechanic industry.
Hi, can I ask you where/if companies like yours hire new guys to apprentice? I've browsed over 300 job offers in the past 2 months for heavy equipment work, none of them within 1000KM of me were considering guys with no experience looking to start. These included companies that have publicly complained about "a lack of workers" in their field. I live in the Texas of Canada where every 2nd business revolves around the oilfields so there is no shortage of trades employers here. I just can't find anywhere to start. Thanks for your time if you read this.
Please do so. We’re not considered in the conversation most of the time.
@@EdmontonRailsyour not going to find those opportunities on job listing sites. I guarantee you that someone within 1000km is looking for an apprentice but you need to understand that these careers are filled with owners that have no interest in the internet. When they put up listing, they get absolutely flooded with hundreds of resumes so most of them wait for people to set themselves apart.
When I finished my AME schooling I tried to find a job online. There was maybe 30-40 listings in all of Canada for apprenticeships. Talked to some guys and changed up my approach. I started emailing every company with job posting even if it wasn’t for apprentices. I also completely bypassed the online site features and found an email address online.
Ended up getting about half a dozen interview requests in a week. Went from “holly shit did I just waste two years to not even get a job” to refusing interviews because I had too many options.
Good luck!
Wait is the blue falcon name thing real? 😂
Blue falcon is code for "buddy fucker" in the military lol
I've been in the trades for almost 30 years. I'm currently working on my pilots license and working on becoming a charter pilot. I can't work myself to the bone forever, but it can certainly pay for my next chapter in life.
I made 30k a week as a mechanic. I am allergic to the new additives on oils. The industry didn't care that I was sick and couldn't work. Now I work in BBQ/Catering, much less pay but my customers take care of me in ways I've never seen before.
The "Additives" in motor oils and grease will kill you through cancer anyway. BBQ is a much better way to make a living.
Been doing labor for the 50 years of my life. My skills have grown and my finances have also. It's taken care of my wife and 5 children. College for me and her and 2 of the kids. Houses, boats, vacations.... Worked my ass off for it, learned a lot. Only take jobs with customers willing to pay my value...I ain't learning on their job. Work early to late and have had a wonderful time changing Google maps!
Do you do mobile?
@@whitechocolate415 you know it. Work all across the nation!
I’m 28, and I’m a handyman. I’d love to join the Union and become an apprentice plumber or electrician, but the starting pay for an apprentice is so low that I wouldn’t even be able to pay my bills with that. The unions are going to need to raise their starting wages if they want to attract more apprentices. Nobody can afford to live on $17/hr right now.
Go to the ABC. They start over 20+ an hour starting
False, sell yourself and go to more interviews. You're not just your skill set what much more important to employers is how good of an employee you will be are you on time to work? Great sell your time keeping skills because God knows 80% of blue collars aren't on time. Are you a good listener and great at receiving feedback? Even better because 100% of blue collars have a temper on them shi like that sells you just gotta know how to communicate it. I got a starting job running a machine at 17$ an hour I said no look at my resume its fantastic every job I've had I've held from 2-5 years and I'm dependable I won't be here for a month and leave I'm a fast learner etc I started off at 21 which is what some of the fellas that have been here for 4+ years make rn. In my opinion they should be making at least 25 but w/e that's their problem.
I run a small refrigeration company in stl I start at $23hr plus health insurance and I pay for your apprenticeship (non union) with 1 year school and I still can't get people to apply they all want to go to the union
@@blissfulwizzard1322 damn if you were in cincy id leave the banking world to learn from you man.....
Better yet, ditch the Unions
I make 250k a year as an auto collision estimator. I could do more, some years I was making 350-370k but I was working and commuting 18-19 hours a day. Bought a few houses and a business of my own and I’m cruising at work while growing my side business with my family.
I sacrifice my sanity, stress level is next level when I’m managing 200 repairs at a time but the pay is worth it. These techs sacrifice their bodies dealing with hazardous materials and many of them make much more than I do. I knew a tech who regularly dropped 10k net weekly paychecks. Dude was crushing it.
how do i get started being a auto collision estimator?
@@bani491 apply for an entry level position in the industry - start in the parts department. Work hard, show interest in growth, look for either the manager or one of the estimators to take you under their wing.
@@bani491 apply for an entry level position in the industry, work hard, express your interest. Work hard enough and someone will value you enough to take you under their wing and teach you.
Grandpa , 8th grade education , 6 or 7 tours in WW2 , Purple Heart , Bronze Star , most of his life he worked for Lake Shore Inc. in Kingsford Michigan , started off as a welder , worked his way up , when he retired , he ran half the building , Fab / raw steel side , with an 8th grade education , can’t do that anymore
Too late for me...
You absolutely CAN do that today. Plenty of ways to that result.
I started itty bitty welding contracting biz at 21 on a shoestring, paying as I went zero debt, green as hell but w excellent basic skills and certification from JC. Tough sledding for a few yrs but you find a way and deliver a fine product even if you bid too low and busting ass to break even. *Integrity* the key.
Later got an engineering degree but NO ONE cares or even knows about my certifications or degree and no reason they should, all they care about is what I can and will do.
I needed this discussion and some of these points. I have a whiteish collar job in agriculture. It does nothing for me despite being an ag kid. Our income is salary but a lot of "potential" that doesn't really ever pan out. I'm going to do a walk around at an airframe shop with a buddy this weekend. I'm nervous and frustrated. I'm 36 with 5 kids and the sole income. I have a degree and wish I would've just done a trade. Were paycheck to paycheck so now i cant afford more schooling. I'm everything said here. Out of college 14 years and barely paid off. I did what I had to getting out. First job was a farm store assistant manager at 28k gross. 11 years later I make low 60s gross.
I was a machinist for 40 years we made injection molds to very close tolerances , a highly skilled labor job. Grossly underpaid work and I’m so glad to be out of it .
I want more than anything to move into a trade job, either welding or electrician work. However, I'm currently making $80k/year with my corporate job and my wife can't work. I have 4 kids and dont have time to do trade school, I also can't afford to change jobs and move to an entry level trade job while also supporting my family. It sucks.
Got all the excuses lined up
@@Leo-pg6ltwhy not give a suggestion??
Maybe you can take out a loan so you can take the leap of faith and get in your apprenticeship while having cushion over the next 2-3 years
Just remember your body can’t physically handle this kind of work for 50 yrs and likely can’t for 40yrs All the physical labor and hard on your back and believe me 20 yrs of blue collar work is tough
Don't go into welding.
I had a handyman business for 35 years. I went to school for HVAC. I was always busy more than I can handle. My son is a nurse and no desire to pick up a tool belt. I wish I worked on a plumbing or electrical license. I can work those trades.
Same story here. I tried to get in as a lineman but was passed up again and again despite having an electronics degree and a good tech resume. Settled on the handyman thing and it's decent but not as consistent as an electrician. I wish the apprenticeship programs were what they used to be. It seems the whole system now is set up to squeeze every last penny out of the working class. Too many layers of useless government. Ayn Rand was right.
@@burmy1552 agreed. Too many hoops to jump over. old geezers have a lot of knowledge to give out like us.
If you look at nurse pay they make more then anybody working in blue collar. Blue coller pay hasn't gone up in years.
@@JacobsNews I’m trying to tell my son to stay in nursing. He is a lieutenant in the army
I went to school all the way through grad school… it was all basically useless.
I taught myself to build homes from the ground up over the past decade or so… I’ve renovated and sold homes, started a handyman business on the side, I do remodels, decks, etc. I make way more money for the hours I work in the trades, than I ever have in my 9-5 and I’m far happier working with my hands.
im with you. the best way to make any money in trades is learn one (or more) and then go into business for your own self
When I left Edmonton Alberta in 2012, journeyman rate for most electricians was $36/hr. When I came back in 2024, journeyman rate was around $36/hr.
Electricians are making 50+ in New England states
Wages have went stagnant.
In KS & MO they are making 60-85 an hour.
Sparkies don’t do the best in the city, market is saturated man. Even up north here in McMurray, sparkies sit around 48 to 50 an hour ish
@@richardtrejo2398 How much does a single family home cost there?
I'd love to see the trades pay more. You certainly earn it. Doing construction for 20 years (excavating, framing, finish, roofing, siding, windows, remodeling, etc) my body took a real beating.
they are full of shit
I apprenticed with an electrician in the late 70's, 80's. I could have taken the test, as I had a sponsor. However, I felt I could make more money with a 4 year degree, as an engineer. electrical helped pay for college. The people I worked with, and whom stayed on the path, retired 19 years ago. As a computer engineer, I'm still looking for work, and I'm nearly 60.
Very informative. This is positive to keep growth moving in all aspects of life personallyand professionally. I hope this information reaches a significant amount of our nation. I've had good teachers and jobs to build my career. Coming up on 26 years of welding, fabrication among other skillsets. Innovate with discipline and safety. Great show gentlemen.
Thank you!
Excellent podcast! Thank you so much!
Thank you!
Though I am college-educated, I've been saying for the past decade, that the trades are where the money is going to be in the future. Still holding firm to that idea. Have even encouraged young men to go that direction when they weren't sure of what to do. Having worked with people in the construction business, I saw long ago that the number of tradesmen was waning, meaning there would be plenty of opportunity in the future for those entering the trades now. Work hard and be smart and never take advantage of customers. Your reputation is everything.
I have a college education, too in 20 years on the trades. The sad truth is without connections. You are not going to make any money other than by being self-employed. You don’t need the skills to make money you need self-employment so if you can open up a stand and sell Donuts and you have the skill to do that. You have the same potential to make money as a master plumber provided you are self-employed. You would figure plumbing is one of those jobs that cannot be touched by a bad economy, but like we found with Covid, that is not the case , let Systems break down before they Call the maintenance workers and can use shark bites and all sorts of things to plug leaks because they don’t have money to spend. Remember that little guy in Chicago telling us greed is good, turns out that every religion and culture in history was right and he was wrong. Who would’ve thought? America is about to get extremely poor because of the demographics and they will not let wages rise even as demographics decline. They will continue to bring as many bodies into America to drive down wages as possible they have already showed their hand and this is the government’s action using the privately owned Fed , the system is rigged. They’re not going to let you make money working you have to be self-employed and this means knowing how to market your skill and this is why everyone doesn’t do it. Plenty of people go into business and fail out because they don’t have social connections, which are huge thing And the ability to market. Marketing as a skill will make money anywhere provided people have buying power to buy your products or services. We are going to have a truncated economy going forward and all of you people don’t seem to understand this but people like me have been railing about it for 20 years and there has been no more than , two dozen books written about it. When you would talk about this 10 or 15 years ago, leftist would shut you down and spin it to pretend that when you were talking about demographics, you were talking about Black people in order to write you off as a racist. They did this in Europe with the Islamic problem as well Now in Europe, the only people having kids are radical Muslims that don’t work well the native population doesn’t have children and does all the productive work. Where do you think this is going to end. In the United States they will just keep immigrants until they can’t drive down wages you’re not going to benefit so there’s no point playing the game anymore. If you’re young, you can get the help of that little green owl and go to Germany and make a better wage than you will in United States and you will not have to pay for German military defense, but if you stay in America, you won’t make anything and you’ll be tasked with paying taxes for German military defense. Isn’t that ironic don’t listen to liars and pence they all want something out of you. They want to extract labor from you because they cannot be rich without your labor you hold the key , you cannot be rich without their system and their control over it but you don’t have to play at least you don’t have to play for free.
Been a carpenter for 35 years right out highschool and it's never been worse to be an independent. Everyone under the sun plays carpenter.
Huh
Nobody is talking about linework. Cleared $200k as a 2nd year apprentice. My foremen push $500-700k. Gotta be built it for it though.
Great note. We’ll get a lineman on!
I have been around construction and trades people almost my whole life. I am 61 now. There is no doubt that learning a trade is the way to go. HVAC, electrician, plumber, telecomms, fire alarms technicians all make good money now. The only con I can think of is when the trades guys get into commercial construction. They have to go where the work is. One big project may last 2 years, 3 at the most. Then you have to go where the company has another project or quit that contractor and hire on with another one. They end up spending time away from their wife and kids and that almost always leads to problems.
Still its a good living and a good way to provide for a family.
That's a good way to provide for you wife's boyfriend 😉
@@JacobsNews Roger that! I've seen my fair share of drama with cheating wives.
Remember in CA when they snuck Chinese Welders onto the freeway project collecting Davis Bacon and pocketing the spred! Me too,trades are worthless!
@@SeanEustace-zk3mc Naww....I think that might be a stretch. Without tradespeople NOTHING would get built. Absolutely nothing. You would be sitting in a hot straw hut right now trying to watch youtube videos while your phone was overheating. Chinese welders are still tradesmen.
I'm a welder with 16 years experience. No tradesman is (or will anytime soon) make $300k who doesn't own their own business.
Most tradesmen are in the $60-70k range. Even in the current climate.
True, you can make 100k+ but you'd have to hit the road to work a BUNCH of OT with per diem as well.
You are correct that the "average" tradesman make 60-70k. But there are many employed tradesman making 300k plus per year. So that part is wrong.
Hitting the road to work and make the big bucks… at least you will have the money for the divorce lawyer you will need in a few years. Seen so many families get destroyed by that.
Skilled trades are worth more today than EVER! Plumbers, HVAC techs, electricians can demand and GET any amount.....I've been at six figures for years and love my work. Hold 7 different state license and protect them from ALL.
I have a background in nuclear engineering and a masters in aerospace engineering. Even at 33 with these degrees I'm considering a switch, the pay is just so stagnant in engineering plus I have family in the trades. Makes me really want to pivot and go into something new.
Is there a trade you are looking at getting into?
@@TheTradeTalks2.0 electrical. It’s what the family is into.
Skilled trades have always done well . Some industries obviously more lucrative than others but today we get more attention because people are not so fooled by a ridiculously priced college education .
Amen to that!
yessir
My brother is in a labor union. He says that protection is everything "on paper", but if you use all the safety methods(which others are opting out of) you'll be the slowest guy on the crew and never get a call back when that job wraps up.
I’m gonna break the $100k mark this year for the first time and it literally feels like I’m making $45k all over again
i absolutely LOVE this channel!!! keep em comming bro
Tons more to come! Do you have a favorite episode or when we talk to a specific trade or topic?
I’ve been doing flooring for 30 years since 08 flooring installers pay has been cut to a third of what they used to make
Got my general building contractor license at the tender age of 26 years old back in 1985 after a decade of being a handyman and home improvement work, never looked back since. Been self employed my entire adult life.
I'm still confused because I have a master lic and I see NO repercussions for non lic work being done everywhere and ANYWHERE in the south.
Price point > license. The license means you're more expensive. You can argue it means more skilled and trustworthy, but I'm sure you know other licensed "pros" who are trash at what they do. The license really just means hours logged not actual expertise. Not to mention a license holder might be farming out the actual work instead of doing it themselves. The cost and reliability are all the matters. A license doesn't alter that.
@@chadthackston1992 Add to the fact that many jobs are small in nature, where the liability to the customer doesn't really care about the license over the price.
As a semi-retired landscape contractor with mid level shoulder arthritis from years of digging and associated repetitive motions, I see the undocumented workers definitely taking many of the trades jobs, actually most of them in my area. I think that although these experts are claiming there will be a shortage of laborers they're probably incorrect as the unsurveyed undocumented are basically dominating the trades. These people come from such poor areas that 20 per hour is big bucks and I suspect they often can avoid paying taxes on much or all of their wages. I think if you want to thrive in the trades management and leadership including customer relationships are key positions.
It’s already happened. Made 97k this month just doing fabrication and electrical. Already made 200k this year and April just ended. I charge 180 an hour and have more work that I know what to do with. Plus I make 15-25% margin on the equipment.
How do you get leads? Im struggling to find any work. I just got my contractors license in the beginning of this year.
@@Roberto91811 well, I stated small by advertising in my area, word of mouth and took some Facebook ads out. After a few jobs I took out a few google ad buys after I made my website. But I haven’t advertised in over 2 years now. It’s just word of mouth, other peoples websites advertising for me.
All bullshit hype no numbers to back it up the federal statistics do not back up these numbers. This is make believe. Go back to the 90s when they were pushing pharmaceutical workers and computer workers and look at the wages that they were promising and what the wages actually turned out to be For the majority not for Rockstars. Not everyone is going to be a rockstar there is a curve and statistics do not lie people do. Whatever the national average is, that is the national average that includes the guy making the rockstar salary, and everyone that doesn’t make shit. You will probably fall to the center over the course of your career and start at the low end just like every other industry very fuel will rise to the top, it’s not just skill they get you to the top. It’s connections and your ability to socialize which not everyone has.
You don't live Texas I can attest to that, when the taco trucks start showing up, get ready for the bread line.
@@rammone5241 I do something they can’t
Been a welder fabricator since 1988, in 2015 I became a “manager” and was needed to guide and lead, the issue with that is now I’m 52 and may have to strap on the old RedWings and jump back in the fun because of private equity failures and messes. It’s been a while, hoping I still have it lol.
I personally worked in the trades for 43 years. It’s a great way to make a living but takes a toll on your body and time with your family. That’s why we are worth good pay 💰 and benefits. My advice for young kids nowadays is man-up and get into an apprenticeship and become a strong American Tradesman
Or don’t their whole system is collapsing and they’re just trying to get as much work out of here as they can. The trades promise a bunch of money they never actually pay in the national numbers and statistics show what I am saying is true rather than the bullshit that these people are spitting out. Sure you can work side jobs and make money, but this is self-employment and you can make money doing this cleaning carpets or cleaning out peoples basements with no skill. Self-employment always pays more and you can get away with taxes when self-employed legally a self-employed guy making $300,000 a year will not pay as higher of a tax as a computer program are working for a company making $300,000 a year. This is because the system is rigged to help the rich because it was designed by the rich don’t be deceived always look into real numbers if people are making this kind of money and construction it would be reflected With national figures. It is not look up with the national average for every trade is and I guarantee that’s closer to what people actually make then all these bullshitters pretending they’re making money handover fist you have to remember in America. Everyone pretends to be rich when they are fucking dirt broke.
now if there was only good pay
i grew up working the trades, was brainwashed into going to college, got out with a science degree and have been in sales for the last 15 years. I'm 51 and literally hate my job, I sit at a desk and beg for appointments. I'm in a technical sales, but it's still sales and people treat salespeople like crap. I would love to get out from behind this desk, but at 51 I feel it's too late. I hate the fact that for the most of my professional life I have not cared for job one second. Salesforce did a lot to ruin sales. At this stage in my life I feel like there is not much hope.
why are sales people saying they make 250-500k?
My dad is a master plumber he makes $60 an hour, he was an illegal alien and his apprentice took advantage of that he work hard and got paid $15 an hour eventually he got his papers and was able to get his license after 10 years of back breaking work he works lots of hours he is 50 years old now, I’m not going to lie it’s good money but is HARD WORK. Instead of following his footsteps I took a job as an NDT inspector apprentice six years later I making $100K plus a year it’s a cushy job and I spent about 80% of my time sitting down inspecting aerospace parts 😊
What part of the Country do you live in. In the Northeast I know a few plumbers and electricians. They charge $150-$180/hr. My friends son just got his journeyman's electrician license after 4 years. He's 23 years old and making $52/hr. I've seen a Solar Panel Company hiring post stating starting pay between $50-$250/hr depending on level of experience.
So he came here illegally and you're bitching about his situation? He doesn't deserve anything he got.
@@ourrealestatejourney_original lol he came legally and overstay his visa so he had to pay lots of money for lawyer fees and eventually got his papers relax we all good American here
@@sideguysideguy4810 he works for a union but if he did it as a contractor he would make more but he does not like doing side jobs
@@ourrealestatejourney_original propaganda bots?
Currently in northern California (local 1245) journeyman lineman make with OT and Storm make about $250k-400k . To reach that high of earnings means a lot of personal sacrifice.
Good interview Roger. When can we expect another interview episode? Can you get an elevator technician or lineman onto your show?
Thank you for the note. New Episodes are released every Wednesday, and we're re-vamping the channel, so you'll see some changes and more long-form content coming out.
Yes, we'll do our best to get a lineman or elevator tech in! Thank you again!
I’ve been doing hardwood flooring for almost 20 years, I can’t see me raising square footage prices any higher because I don’t see how the costumer can afford it. But at the same time by the time I’m finished it never seems to be enough.
I’m extremely burnt out on plumbing but there not many jobs you can make easily 500 dollars by lunch time
$500 gross or net. $500 gross in 4 hours are rooky numbers.
@@tallbrian100 Says the ROOKIE ! lol
As a carpenter/plumbtrician my wages started. At $9/hr i now charge at minimum $50/hr and i can tell you the work aint slowing down even in this shit economy
Graduated from a local community college in 2021. I've worked in the off highway world and now I'm in the public sector maintaining a fleet of school buses. The reality of modern diesel mechanics : for every hour you hold a wrench , you spend an hour behind a screen. Chasing leads.
Messing with diagrams.
Instead of a soiled mechanic the image needs to be a laptop with a VCI
@twostroke12v71
Except that’s not quite true yet…. As a Freightliner dealer tech I’m working across multiple makes, models bumper to bumper repair in any given day. And there are aspects of this job that are stil extremely dirty. Wheel seal leaks, clutch replacement, engine oil leaks on 30 year old trucks that still come in, animal hits that still have pieces of carcass still attached to the truck when they come in. Sanitation vehicles that should be handled with biohazard gear-maggots and all crawling out of the compactor area. There is an increased use of screens to find information but the industry still has 1 foot in the old ways while trying to grab new ways. Someone who only wants clean work isn’t going to last long in this industry at the moment at least in the dealer side anyway. Lots of retirees took their knowledge with them and left a skills gap on the old equipment. Factories stopped training on the older equipment so it’s become a trial by fire, and mistakes get expensive quickly as I’m sure you are aware
@@Tyler-gb5sl I recently attended OEM training and there was myself and maybe two other tech under 30. Everyone else was leaving the industry in the next 10 years. I'm a computer science major before I was a mechanic. I'm enjoying Pico-scope and building a waveform library for when the younger fellas enter the industry in the next 10 years.
I’m glad Roger Wakefield is doing a podcast like this. A ton of experience and information being presented on this podcast.
The tradesmen making big money all are never home and constantly on the road traveling ignoring their family and living in hotels. And a lot of trades do lay offs constantly. So you’ll be employed a little then get laid off again. Then employed a little and then laid off again.
It’s more important to just find a job you actually like doing instead of just focusing on the money.
YOU FORGOT TO ADD THAT THE TRADES ARE NOW FULL OF TOXIC (AND INCOMPETENT) WOMEN.
In the Fire Service also. The department I work for has hired do many women in the last 5 years that just last week a Rescue(2 personnel) and an Engine Company(3 personnel) had to call for another Engine Company to respond to help get a patient into the Rescue. All 5 women together couldn't lift the patient. The patient was on the larger size, but just 2 guys from the second responding Engine Company were able to lift the patient. One of the guys said "Nice Job Ladies". All 3 guys got called up to HQ for making the women FFs "Feel Bad"
It's give and take 🤷🏿♂️ I'm a pipe fitter/ welder I work 6 months and make well over 100k. The other 6 months I'm home I collect unemployment to pay the major bills. I'll fly home once or twice a month depending on the work schedule. It's gotten better over the years for me personally.
@@TariqSunOfYah It's a death sentence for intellectuals, or anybody needing stimulation after work. More importantly, though, if you collect unemployment, then you are a shameless parasite. Real men don't spend other people's money. Cheers.
@@LeadingIndicator indeed thanks to DEI and woke ideas
In regard to safety, just my two cents from a 20+ year tradesmen who worked in the Freedom Tower: site safety is meant to handhold the “idiots” among us. I’ve been working long since before OSHA enforcement became “real” and I’ve never had any serious injury. Also like Roger said, there has been multiple times where I had to do the “unsafe” thing to get something done because ultimately it’s all smoke and mirrors to appease the cattle. As a foreman I’ve been with GCs and site safety when we had to coordinate something “unsafe” and it became a matter of looking the other way and “don’t ask don’t tell” because in real life sometimes rules are meant to be bent, you just gotta have someone you can trust to safely bend them.
How many tradesmen have come across the border?
they want more slaves
And work for half.
More than you think,tile work, all trades but not licensed. The big builders have them work and 1 high paid licensed plumber,electrician signs off. Pretend you don’t know this. Trades are worthless!
check out your local shipyard.... oy vey!
@ SeanEustace-zk3mc also I’m only 31, trades wages will increase because all the fucking fools like yourself going the college route will only increase the demand for SKILLED tradesmen. No student debt a better wage unlimited work. Sucks to suck buddy.
I’m a degreed and licensed engineer, who worked as a facilities manager for a government agency. I made less than the journeyman trades people working for me. The frustrating part, is I had all of the skills the tradespeople had, and actually trained most of them that worked for me. No one but the top five percent are thriving in the current economy.
The delusion of youtube grifters knows no bounds lol. The economy is in free fall and while trades certainly will hold up they are paying shit,. Anyone can find an outlier anecdote to make a claim to the contrary but in general trades are struggling as well. Between the consumer being squeezed and millions of illegal immigrants working construction for 13, 14, 15 bucks an hour it's difficult to say tradesmen will be drowning in cash
Are you in a trade right now?
Yes@@PjMaxed0ut
The only reliable way to make good money as a skilled trades person is owning your own business and finding a niche that allows you to work by yourself or with a couple guys that you can trust. But at that point you're a business person and a trades person. Working for someone else will only allow you to barely survive and learn the skills you need to go your own way.
@muadiib exactly. "Just go learn a trade and you'll make $100k is overly simplistic"
Well I'm not sure if it's because I'm in California. But I picked up a trade, boom pump operator to be exact. The first 2 years while you get your apprenticeship done, you don't make much. But you learn a whole Lot. After I became a journey man operator, I've never made less 130k a year. My best year I made 160k. I know it's not like that everywhere, but it has definitely worked for me.
I don't expect for them to be counted among traditional trades but cybersecurity and networking are very "trades-like" careers. You can still self-teach, get by on skill (up to the mythical 6 figure mark), break away and start your own company and everything. They're also critical infrastructure style jobs (for now).
The physical networking side of things isn't really a career. Starting a business could be good if you can skirt regulations, otherwise impossible
Yup husband is an iron worker and our son is a certified welder/iron worker, both make six figures with pensions and annuity. Son just turned 23 and both he and hubs are union iron workers, son already 4 years into his career building both pension and annuity. He can retire from his trade at 50 with a full pension. Learn a trade! Husband will retire at 591/2 from iron working and have a full 30 years pension and can still work. We can choose whether or not to tap into annuity or pension. It’s hard work but worth it
Amazing. Thank you!
IT'S A DEAD END RACKET NOW, FULL OF TOXIC WOMEN. IT USED TO BE A GOOD LIVING, BUT NOT ANYMORE.
bs where? you are a liar. im an ironworker for 28 years . i have nothing , im going to lose my home in 7 days.
@Cody-gt5em she? is full of shit iron worker in Philly there is nothing especially if your white
is this for drain techs also
Any blue collar worker, wanting to put in the hours and the work
@@TheTradeTalks2.0 thanks ill keep clearing poop
Bro I'm always hearing plumbing Welding hvac electrician. What about us carpenters bruh without us half of building wouldn't get framed or drywalled
yeah but thats the stuff every illegal can figure out in their first month. Supply and demand my friend. there is certainly a demand but the supply of labor is overinflated thanks to our deliberately incompetent [read nefarious] friends in Washington.
the biggest part of safety is watching out for your brother. as an ironworker , calculated risks are the norm. everyone wants to be a cowboy. dont get under a load. dont get in a pinch point. accidents are gonna happen . but no one getting hurt in an accident is the win
Maybe even host a few general contractors on at the same & have them bounce some stories of the many trades off one another, I’m sure it would be some great content!!! 💪
Agreed.
Psssed the electrical journeyman exam in 1984.....master exam in 1990. I've NEVER regretted my decisions!
Amen!
3 million illegals in 2023 alone suggests that tradesman won't make that much.
You have to create your own lane and be an owner
Imagine “losing” work to illegal immigrants and crying about it.
@@Marco11-08I can’t imagine crying about anything but I can imagine being one of the 5000 Tyson chicken employees who became unemployed because Tyson could save millions hiring undocumented workers.
@@edwinwheatley2732 that’s just not true. Do you have the slightest idea how employment law works ?? Tyson foods is a publicly traded complain . It’s federally regulated. No way they knowingly hire illegal immigrants. You people in the south really do live in a different world. You guys are highly uninformed
I was a contractor for over 20 years. All of my competitors hired illegals and made higher profits for awhile. It was short-sighted because some of the illegals siphoned away customers and eventually started their own businesses. They continued to use their illegal brethren at low wages to prosper. All of the citizen workers lost their jobs, and eventually the old contractors who exploited illegals went out of business. To add insult to injury, politicians and media propagandists kept saying the illegals were simply doing the work Americans don’t want to do. What were solid middle class jobs are now the jobs of peasant slaves. These guys are full of it; there is no good future in the trades. America is done because you were all too busy drinking and watching sports to pay attention and stop what was happening!
As a commercial painting contractor it is a nightmare to find skilled labor and I have to bring in over 1 mil a year just to keep the light on. I can't raise prices the way the inflation is going up 😡😡😡