I know a lot of people that tried to get into the trades for years but couldn’t find reliable work because the field was full of boomers who didn’t want to train people and dilute their pricing power. Especially if it’s a union job, it’s a club you can’t get in unless your related to someone.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@9770G "only 100k" Maybe that's not much on the coasts where a 600 square foot condo is half a million, but in the rural Midwest you can buy a house on a $50k salary
Graduated in 08 did the same thing ended up going to a trade school for it and when I got out two years later landed a job. Felt like a big gamble. Economy was crappy then much like today.
I found an apprenticeship on Facebook. I did a 1 year level 2 diploma first and got my driving licence, so at least I had something to offer. Then the proper training with my boss, converting my level 2 diploma to nvq/diploma over 6 months and then took a 2 year level three nvq/diploma with my gas bolted on. Get yourself something to offer the employer. If you can start the call with I have a full clean driving licence and a level 2 plumbing qualification, then you will be a lot more appealing as an employee because they can see that not only are you serious but you have put the effort in to prove you are serious. As a side note expect your body to have a short shelf life if you choose that career. Elbows, knees and back degenerate quickly in that trade. I know you said 15 years ago but it's never too late. I was 33 when I started.
Bro, if you're getting paid 18/hr your welds are absolute dogshit and you didn't put the work in like you're saying. Under the rare situation of you actually being right, then all you would of had to do was apply to the 200+ openings on indeed right now hiring in your area and many others at 30-40 dollars for pipe welding, aluminum and railroad welding for companies like Pacific Union Siemens and many others.
@@EaterOfFlesh I do this for a living. If you have the skills, you need to prove it. You come into your interview with your welds like I did and tell them how much you want hourly and per diem, they will respect that, then you're not wasting yours or their time. Only a fool that's excellent at welding lets the company set their pay.
I have two friends that are children of farmers who wanted to farm, but their parents dont want to retire and let them do it so they went to college in their twenties to change careers.
I work in manufacturing and I've seen that attitude in so many of the older workers. They would purposefully try to sabotage the younger people who where brought in to replace them. Show them methods just a little bit incorrect or withhold important aspects needed to get consistent results. Then after they retired the new workers would have trouble with production and the retired people would get called back on as a "consultant" making more money with less hours of work. I think many people in a wide range of fields have this attitude to some extent or another. Seeking out way to artificially make themselves irreplaceable.
I've seen that a lot in trucking. They'll tell someone that already has the numbers ran, the experience, and a market they can get into to not do it, then in the same breath ask them for the contacts so they can haul the same freight they said not to haul. I'm just lucky enough that I'm in an area where farming wise, people don't seem to be actively keeping others out. Sadly, not enough people want to do it, which is understandable. It's a hard life. I've seen bto's break up because their kids don't want to farm. About 90% of ground changing hands is retired guys not having anyone to pass it on to. The other %10 are financial mishaps.
My buddy is 24 and started painting a bit. Makes decent money. Has a relaxed life. I'm working my ass off @ 60 hours a week to make 90,000$ a year and thinking of quitting and starting my own business Any tips?
@lucysmith4242 Im a horseshoer and thats literally my life. im actively trying to work hard just because i dont feel like im working enough, well that and people keep calling me and i like saying yes, im crazy 😄
@@brianwalsh1078150k a year for someone with 5 years experience also a company vehicle company gas card $1500 weekly tool allowance all sorts of shit and great benefits there is a lot in this industry
@Justin-nf9qh as a boilermaker, I enjoy those benefits as well. Hard work and long days. Ever growing demand on top of an already huge demand. And less and less people in my industry.
I'm in machining and there's a 20 year gap between me and the next guy. There's a recent push for trade education and I think it might be a little too late
I'm 25 and I've trained alot of my coworkers twice my age. I'm dying to get into machining. But I love metal working all around but precision work looks fun as hell.
@benkenny3220 learn on your own and use the company to network with machine suppliers and just dudes who have good junk in a shop they might sell. Become too skilled or knowledgeable for them not to move you up or put that 2 weeks in and apply at another shop that might give you a chance to shine. My older brother used to always say "don't let anyone steal your shine." He'd also joke whenever we'd do something like basketball and if he got one upped he'd say in sad voice "awee, you stole my shine" Or if you got in his way on a shot he'd yell playfully "ah you bitch, stole my shine."
Depends on location and the company. Most smaller companies will pay you a good thousand plus a week after taxes. At least in my area. We were hiring people with no experience in soffit/fascia/gutters/screens for $900 per week, after taxes. 2 weeks paid vacation, only 5-7 hour work days. We don't travel more than 30 miles etc. Gravy manual labor work. I'd honestly pay whatever someone named if they were experienced, young and energetic, and would show up everyday. I'd double that pay, honestly.
What? I work in HVAC and EVERYONE is hiring. I get asked by my boss at least once a week if I know anyone. We’ve gone from 13 to 40 techs in less than 4 years.
In Louisiana, there’s a shortage of people going into the trades because a lot the employers pay minimum wage or just a few bucks over and you have to supply your own tools (and sometimes truck). Almost no trade schools either.
@@Sergio-up5yx I couldn’t agree more. I’m just pointing out WHY there is such a shortage in a lot of places of trade workers, namely low wages and being treated like crap. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend someone get into the trades unless they eventually plan to have their name on the truck (or least ownership in some type of business structure). Just based on what I’ve seen.
Especially when fast food pays up to 20 bucks an hour, it just doesn’t make sense. Trade work is gonna die off if it doesn’t start paying really well with amazing benefits.
@@nickbryant2318 which is why cities that don't enforce or are loose are booming. Austin, Houston etc. Makes it so easy to do things that theyre the fastest growing cities
Problem is everything is becoming expensive, my boss is a builder and charges a premium, but he's paying around 50k a month with only two employees to stay in business
As a 23 year old I remember teachers telling us our lives would suck if we went into a trade. This is why we don’t have plumbers anymore, because vocational skills were made to look ugly by people that have no concept of how infrastructure works.
I was told the same thing as a kid in the 90s. Considering all the harmful things teachers say to students, are they just demons who want to see civilization collapse? 🤔
Oh you don't want to go to college? Why, are you stupid or do you just want to be broke forever? This is how it felt like the schools treated you. They literally try to shame you into it. I lived in a really blue collar area and a lot of the kids just weren't gonna be able to afford it but doesn't stop counselors from coming to our class rooms and asking the kids planning to go to college to hold you hand up.
Yup I’m a millennial. School guidance counselors and some teachers told us we’d be flipping burgers unless we had a 4 year degree. If we only had a 2 yr degree we’d be struggling. I’m going back for a trade right now so they can bring their side by side atv retirement toy to me and pay me big money to fix it or do service on it.
As someone whos been trying to find a plumbing apprenticeship for years, it seems like at least in my area, you really need to know someoneto get your foot in the door.
Of course, would you train a competitor? They only hire people that they can trust usually by referral. Otherwise, they just quit after a couple years thinking they know something.
@@nathanhempton4292 you've clearly never managed staff in the trades. It's more hassle to chase someone who doesn't turn up on time, or makes costly mistakes that you have to pay to put right, and take on mountains of government mandatated paperwork and liability. In the end its easier and less hassle to just do it yourself. I'm surpised you're not happy, because this is the economic enviroment you voted for...
Worked 4 years of general construction, tried to get an apprenticeship for electrical or plumbing. Was told some variation of "I'm not gonna waste time training some useless kid I don't know" every time. Gave up on it and decided I didn't want to destroy my body trying anymore and went to nursing school. Best decision I ever made
Yeah, I always thought it was social stigma that contributed to more men not doing these jobs. Seeing some if these comments are eye opening. Because it seems like alot of experienced people don't seem interested in training the young bucks..
Electrician here.. this is 100% true where I live. There are just not enough workers/contractors. You can almost charge whatever you want and still have more work than you could ever do.
Yup been working like a chimp since covid all the old guys close or past retirement age didn't want to deal with masks and sanitization they just went straight to retirement and sold their houses for good money and moved away to cottage country. Can't blame them I would have done the same.
Started HVAC last year, was fortunate enough to have a boss willing to give me hours and decent pay. 2 things I learned in trades. 1. It's hard work but not everyday, there are some days it's easy work in a nice basement but also some days you're installing in a 125° attic. 2. It is not hard to learn if you have a good boss, teacher, and if you stick with it long enough you'll retain so much
But if you don't have that it's worse than cleaning toilets overnight for 19/HR at Wal-Mart lol😂🎉 people ruin everything that's why I gave up on the video game industry. 😢used to wanna work in it but scummy people ruined it
I have an outstanding resume and no trades have ever called me back. The trades are in trouble because the attitude of those in the trades. Let's get real.
It’s true. My buddy works at a space center as a welder, pipe fitter etc and he’s 27 He said 50 older guys got fired all at once because they didn’t want to listen to a damn thing and thought they always knew better than the project managers. He wasn’t fired because he literally just did what they said and didn’t ask any questions or complain. The ego was their downfall and he found out afterwards why they all suddenly stopped showing up lmao
Trades are in trouble because people don’t want to work. Not saying you’re one of them but I’m a 27yrd old master plumber in west texas with almost ten years of experience and the problem I see is younger people feel very entitled, as if they are to good to work a shovel or want 20/hr to learn a trade. I started at 9/hr and still do the same work I did as an apprentice as a master plumber. But I was raised very different I was raised working on a ranch so working hard has never bothered me but it has gotten me very far in life to where I provide a comfortable lifestyle for my family because of my hard work. The trades are in trouble because everyone pushes college so hard that kids don’t know the opportunities out there for them. If schools would push trades as hard as they push college I promise you this world and economy would be in a lot better shape
@@baileyespinosa6008everyone wants to work, they said that about your generation too. Every generation has said the one underneath them doesn’t know how to work hard. The young people haven’t changed you are just not young anymore.
It’s funny how I keep hearing the average age is going further up and no one wants to apply but I seek an apprenticeship or entry level position (still in 20s mind you) that provides training but my applications keep getting denied because I haven’t shown interest before now. All my prior work is in retail and I’m already packing supervisor experience, it isn’t like I don’t have the drive or the want, don’t worry, I’m getting into a trade one way or another before this year ends, I can promise you that.
I've been there. Tried nursing in my early twenties and didn't like it. Long story short, I got an office job right after and wanted out of that also. I actually wanted a skill I could take with me, (granted i do use what I've learned from nursing regularly, but people won't pay me for that knowledge) so i attempted to be a low level apprentice and work my way up at different businesses. Because I had no "labor experience" I couldn't get anyone to even give me an interview. Finally got an interview for a small business that did industrial electrical work. I started out with crap pay, but a year and a half in, I'm his best apprentice with his top apprentice pay ($43k a year, not including OT). My best advice is to market yourself by just having a simple conversation with the right people. Teach yourself what you can on your own. It makes a heck of a difference to the right employer.
You ain’t getting into a trade unless you know someone. Most of the old-timers won’t hire people they don’t know, and limit the amount they train so rates stay up
@@shawnleighton339 And your single experience shows a general trend how? The person commenting is talking about the trades IN GENERAL - which absolutely is a boys club for 50-60 year old dudes in unions who don't want to make themselves look less valuable.
Every trade I work with is hiring, they don't want whiny brats or lazy bastards though. I'm an electrician in Oklahoma and there is no lack of job opportunities here.
@@scottkelly5817 your single experience in the electrical trade has no bearing on the general experience of people being blocked from working in their trade because they wont be hired by 60yo boomers
@scottkelly5817 I'm strong for kids my age, eager to learn, ready to work hard, and I'm pretty sure I've applied to at least a few of the places you have in your head right now. Guess what? Three never called to schedule an interview. Four turned me away at the door. The other two never bothered to call me back. I'm great at interviewing. I'm confident and concise. I'm always clean and dressed well. Which is a courtesy my interviewers have never extended to me. The only problem I can see them having, is that I'm a girl. Many of the trades are a male dominated boy's club with straight white old dudes who don't want to practice what they preach. And from what I can tell, you're no different.
What do you mean by this? The market is saturated with plumbers, or there's no new construction, or not a lot of high paying work around/repairs not enough? Genuinely curious what is up. Im in ct, most jobsites i see with multiple trades working, the average age is 50+, maybe a young guy in their 20's-30's here or there.
@@ctdieselnut we don't have young guys because they wont pay, ohio still pays apprentices under 20/hr while avg rent is over 900 here now..... they haven't upped the wages here in a long time so they all go work at mcdonalds and make as much if not more than they would starting out. Example my buddy works on a line as a cook in a restaurant and makes 18/'hr he's almost where I'm at three years into my trade. There is no incentive for young guys and i haven't seen any benefit yet tbh just all the old guys make soooooo much more cause the companies don't wanna lose them but wont engage the younger guys or invest in the next generation.
@@Cincy ok, that makes sense, i can definitely see that being the case. Thx for the response. When the demand starts to outpace the supply of available man hrs, i would think they would smarten up and increase wages. I know companies can be stubborn with that, even to the point where its shortsighted. They probably dont want to pay young guys more, cause then everyone will want more. If everyone wasn't so cutthroat pricing jobs when it comes to trades, mabey those higher wages would be able to be given sooner. Bidding wars help the consumer, and hurt the trades. Thats just one reason for low wages. In ct, its 1200 for a one bedroom appt, 2k for a 2 bed appt. give or take. Mortgages on any house worth buying is 2500+. My brother is looking for a home in nh, same deal there, seems its the same across the northeast, its crazy. Same anywhere within a 2hr drive radius from boston/nyc. Feels crazy even if you can afford it lol. Hope you get a boost soon.
Yeah until your first day your boss doesn't show up, then the next day, then the next, then when he does finally go back to work he has forgotten all about you. This actually happened.
That's no shit I do whole homes and yes!! I have doubled the price and the person just ask when can you start!! Home owners are like crackheads😂🤣😂🤣😂 you gotta hammer???
Yeah there will be alot more young farmers when the boomers die and transfer their land over. Pretty easy to become a farmer back in the day when a quarter of land cost you $10,000 and a pail of moonshine. Tractor was 3-5k. Now the broken system the people 60+ have created has that same land and tractor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Young people do not have the same opportunity these days as our parents and grandparents had
@victor hopper point went right over your head but okay. Young people can't afford to buy the equipment to save your body. They can not afford to start a farm anymore.
@@levi_shutup5060 hardly. good land and being able to work enough to live good was not cheap or easy. if it was there would still be millions of 100 acre farms. in 1961 i had the joy with my brother of picking 60 acres of corn by hand . it was january when we got done. i remember it with a fondness since we were milking 25 cows by hand at the same time. i was 10 and he was 14. that 105 acres of hilly clay cost 22,000 in 1956. the wages in this area for a adult farm hand were a buck an hour. mom was getting 3 cents a pound for the milk.corn was maybe 1.10 a bushel and we got about 75 a acre. yup big bucks easy life, kiss my
Our family did this cool thing where we all picked a different trade so we always had people for our houses work. Our family has roofers, people in construction, plumbing, lawyers, and mechanics. Big family.
When I graduated in 2018 I tried for a year and a half to find an apprenticeship. I tried plumbing, hvac, and electrical companies, but I was turned away everywhere because I had no experience. I needed an apprenticeship because I couldn’t afford to go to school for it. Eventually I gave up and went in the military, best decision I ever made.
@@DZE457 it doesn’t really work like that, I had a list of jobs to choose from before I went to basic training. I chose aircraft maintenance, got an A&P certificate, and a 100% free bachelors degree in software engineering out of it. So either way I think I made the right choice lol
The problem is they don't pay jack shit. The pay hasn't changed much in some of these fields since the 90s. Back then it got you a house and a good living. Now it barely gets me a room in bumfuck nowhere
@manicsurfing that is a massive ask when there are immediately available alternative careers that pay a living wage already. When all the Boomers are worm food, the handful of next Gen plumbers will make a mint, but not before then.
Im 24, and now an apprentice plumber. I got lucky with a decent company that was willing to take on new people who knew nothing but wanted to learn. I'm here for a skill that could last me a lifetime.
Honestly one in a million chance. I've never seen anything outside of fast food and supermarkets hiring young people with no experience in that field. That's why they blame young people for not wanting to work, it's the employers who screw them over and just can't take accountability
@@danielbarker2522 where are you looking? It might be different in other parts of the country but in East TN everyone is hiring anyone who wants to work and isn't a junkie
I'm 33 and started working as a plumber for my dad's company part-time at age 15 and full time at 18. In the past 10 years 3 plumbers who ran their own company in my area have retired, and nobody has started up any new companies to take their place. I can confirm that there is absolutely more work out there than you can handle. You could literally work 24/7 and you'd still have to turn down work.
Over here in the uk, also 19 and an apprentice plumber, i was lucky enough to get taken on by the company of my college’s work experience… applying online is as good as not applying, unless youre ready to phone 100 companies and not work locally its not that easy, another issue is companies promoting an apprenticeship position they dont have because they are legally required to have an apprenticeship scheme
@@dev0tn474 oh yeah im not even technically in the apprenticeship program yet because im still waiting on people to take there journeyman’s test, so my hours contributed so far has gone go nothing
they're doing it to everyone I'm qualified and handing out resumes everywhere ...and apparently they're struggling BUT STILL refuse to respond back to me and apparently everyone else to🤔🤔🤔 that's odd
I just now got into working towards being an electrician. I went to the union hall and basically all I had to do was convince them I was serious and they set me up with an apprenticeship, college course as well as materials and tools to help me pass my courses which my employer is paying for. Desperation for trade workers is an understatement.
Just dont do anything that's not unionized!! I used to do residential electrical, and it was bullshit. Now, I am an accountant and personally couldn't be happier. Way better working hours, I won't be crippled at 50, and more money.
Got my journeyman last year. I have worked 7 days a week since. Had to back off a couple months ago from exhaustion. There is more work to do than anyone can keep up with.
Tradesman are a dying breed. Im 33 and rarely see anyone younger in my trade (auto collision tech) most guys are 40 plus. No younger guys joining the force
Take on apprentices! When I graduated high school in '08 I asked to work for every plumber in town & got turned away for "lack of experience." I offered to work for free and was still told NO.
@arh9068I tried that some years ago for butcher shops and motorcycle repair shops. It's crazy to me they'd turn down free labor, unless it's some kind of insurance liability for them.
@ericaz1458 these poor kids have been fooled media and the government into thinking the only way to be successful is to go to college and run up huge debts, to the government. The media has consistently portrayed tradesmen as dumb since I was a kid in the 80s. Sitcoms, Movies, dramas; tradesmen are an easy foil for the pampered writers of those shows. Pop Culture has helped get us here.
I’ve tried HVAC and Welding. Got schooling, certifications, and years of experience in them. What I discovered was in most cases they want people with YEARS Of experience right out of school who will work long hours for crap pay.
When I was in my early 20s I tried to get into plumbing. While going through the process it was like trying to climb a hill. The hill was a difficult one and there was a lot of work to do and obstacles to overcome. But it was made so much worse by all the industry veteran's throwing metaphorical rocks down the hill at me and telling me to get off their hill. I eventually said screw this and went to college and got my degree. Sure I make less than them, but I also do have to deal with their territorial bull crap.
Same thing with electricians. Now I repair cell tower equipment, and am making roughly what they are making. Electronics repair is a good gig, air conditioned lab instead of construction site or whatever someone's home is like. And little to no bullshit. They are hiring people because they need the skilled workers, not doing everything they can to muscle you out.
I’m an electrician man & I know what you’re saying I only got an apprenticeship because one of my best friends dads is an electrician. The trades are at such a high demand but it’s like an old boys club where you need to know someone to even get in
@@nolancavanaugh406 in my city, anyone can get an apprenticeship gig if you can pass a drug test and show up at 6am. But the good apprenticeships? Where they pay a living wage, don't have a toxic work environment? Those are rare and need connections. I'm not saying apprenticeship is impossible without connections, just that it is an awful experience for a long time until you get respect. Electronics repair? If you show that you want to learn, respect is given on day 1. Acceptable wages day 1. Good wages after you pick up some competence. It isnt suck-ey to break into this field.
About ten years ago I had a conversation with a plumber who was looking to retire early and was trying to find an apprentice to train and then sell the business to but was having no luck and getting pessimistic.
@kodyrehbein8680literally no one buys a business in cash. And no bank would turn down someone buying a well established company. You all are just sad, low life people. Yes he’s trying to sell his business so he can retire. That what he’s supposed to do. And work his entire life towards. He didn’t steal from anyone. No long lasting business is successful scamming people.
It’s the rural areas that are hurting the worst. One or two people for miles and miles that do any work, and the guy who has time is just good enough to make you have to wait for the other guy.
@@prestonbelgarde6896 I DON'T BLAME YOU BROTHER YOUR INDOCTRINATED LIKE MILITARY VETERANS, WHO WASTED TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS IN AMERICANS WEALTH AND DIDN'T DEFEND AMERICANS 1 DAY, BUILT NO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, NO HOUSES NO ROADS, NO ELECTRICITY NO MINING NO LUMBER NO STEEL NO FABRICATION NO GASOLINE NO DIESEL NO SOLAR NO NUCLEAR NO ETHANOL NO METHANOL NO SMALL BUSINESSES NO RETAIL NO COMMERCIAL FISHING NO SHIPPING AND NO LOGISTICS NO GLAZING NO MINING FOR GOLD NO JEWELRY NO CARS NO MOTORCYCLES NO BICYCLES NO BOATS NO ENTERTAINMENT NO MUSIC NO ART NO RAILWAYS NO TEXTILES NO MAKEUP NO ADVERTISING NO BOOZE NO WEED NO FOOD, JUST HYPERINFLATION, SHUTDOWN FOR ASSISTED INVASION CALLING EVERYONE A RACIST, LAS VEGAS MASSACRE, 1 MILLION DEAD, PROGANDA ARSON, LOOTING, HIGHER TAXES, DESTROYED SMALL BUSINESSES REGULATIONS, MANDATES, WOODWORKERS NO STEEL FABRICATORS NO PHUCK'N NOTHIN ANYWHERE , HE ASSISTED MIGRANTS HE EXPECTS SOCIETY TO SUPPORT A LOSER WHO LIVES OFF SOCIETY HIS ENTIRE LIFE AND CREATES NO WEALTH FOR AMERICA AND BUILT NOTHING IN AMERICA, HE BETRAYED HIS OWN FAMILY FOR MONEY, HIS WIFE KNOWS HE'S A LOSER WHO SOLD GRANDCHILDREN OUT
My Dad was a plumbing contractor and I worked for him as a teen but he pushed me and my brother in a different direction. He always had way more work than he could handle but it's a tough life and it affected his health later in life.
What direction did you and your brother go if you don't mind me asking? I've been looking into plumbing due to the experience I have obtained from working in utilities with my local county, but I'm beginning to think I need to go a different route.
@@MellowBiped I went totally different, retail management.. No easier but less physical. My brothers a carpenter and he has taken lots of opportunities that have taken all over the world. We've done ok for ourselves and we're not afraid of hard work.
My father was a plumber and I remember being a little kid and asking him why he became a plumber and he told me that people will do almost anything to not have to sh!t outside. I didn’t follow in his footsteps but I got all his tools and know how to use them! lol
That's true. I was a Carpenter by trade. People will let their facia rot. Even deal with a leaking roof with a tarp or even a damn bucket. Hvac and plumbing are the 2 trades people will not do without. I try and tell young men wanting to get in the trades this same thing. Thsts why they get to charge so much. I did a lot of plumbing too and I made damn good money doing it
He was smart. It's all supply and demand. Not related to plumbing, but a similar story nonetheless. My grandfather was a professional jazz musician. He played guitar seriously from when he was 5 until he died in his 90's. I was about 12 and told him I wanted to play guitar for a living like him. He looked me in the eye and asked if I wanted to make money or just wanted to make it a hobby. I told him both. He showed up at my house the next day with a bass guitar😂 He said everyone plays guitar, and nobody wants to play bass. He said I'll never have to look for work in the music industry as a bass player. I was bummed at the time, but 25 years later, and he was absolutely correct.
Hey! I do garage does as a part time gig when I’m not at the fire station. It ain’t easy work and it’s dirty BUT I make more doing that than the city pays me.
S___ floats and water runs downhill. Pex, pvc, and common sense. Patience allows most people to do most trades. Jumping into concrete work might be the most iffy. If things go south, it's too late to watch that utube video.
This is entirely way too true, there’s so much damn work out there in the plumbing field it’s not funny, but all the old heads treat up and comers and new hires like total shit or just straight up refuse to let anyone new in the club lol it’s scary to think about how many issues can arise and how little people there are to really fix these things.
It’s a ridiculous attitude. Plumbing isn’t rocket science. Because I can’t find plumbers to do the work, I don’t even call anymore - I just do it myself.
@@SNRSachse1 there is a difference between hard and abusive. If work is hard it is ok, if my supervisor is being abusive that is not ok. Also treating like they were treated is not a good excuse
It’s like that for truckers too my buddy had to find something else for a career after getting his class A and going to driving classes and training and all but every place he went to look for work all said no they wanted people with years experience, pretty ridiculous how these older guys in these jobs have ruined the market
That is excellent advice however at some point you are reliant on someone or something else unless you literally have a factory that can produce all materials known to man at short notice and in high qty. Supply chain is king.
@RK-zf1jm I can't argue with you on that, I was more referring to being able to repair just about anything (within reason). In my area I'm the local MacGyver, people bring me A to Z to fix. I enjoy it very much and Barter as much as I can. But you are 100% supply chain is God. I can fix anything (almost) but with out raw material, mud huts and spears for everyone.
@user-iv5yl5sq2i what I'm describing is what I have done for 30+ years, and enjoy all of the technology, no Amish here. It's not at all impossible, it's called the want, need and will to learn as much as possible. If you never try I promise you , you never will, in anything in life.
As someone who worked in a trade job. The problem is they don’t pay you very well, they pay barely above minimum wage. On top of that we had to supply our own tools and supplies. That’s provided you even find a job because most won’t call you back unless you have experience. I went to so many places applying until I finally got a job somewhere and the only reason I got it was because my friend recommended me. It’s a lot of physical labor that takes a huge toll on your body that doesn’t pay well
God, this is what happened to me outta high school. Vo-tech for Machinist. Already had several certifications that were recognized nationally. 1st job was minimum wage and I was the only one in my apprenticeship that had to pay tuition and book fees. Everybody else's company paid for them. After my first paycheck the owner slapped a big book in front of me showing me all these tools i needed to buy. Thousands that he wanted me to finance. On minimum wage, with no credit history what so ever. This was 2011. In hindsight the car accident I had a few months into it probably saved me from a total mental breakdown. Owner laid me off about a month after that happened cause my back was screwed up. Never had another job in the field because on interviews new companies would ask me why my previous company gave me such bad reviews. Being 18 and learning is fucking wicked in trades fields. Floor manager was an absolute legend though. Id probably have much worse back problems had he not encouraged me to stop and take care of myself first.
if your bringing your own supplies then you were just working for a shit company, providing basic hand tools is fairly common, but were talking about less then $150 to prove your serious about the job (plus you can use them outside of work) As for pay, any half decent company, you start off at the bottom, prove your worth it and you get raises. The company I'm at now started me off low for my experience, but I got a raise and a company vehicle after a month, and raises every 6 months since then (all of them dollars per hour not pennies like most places) Meanwhile we have guys that have been here for a year or more that don't get company vehicles (even though we have one literally sitting at the shop available) and probably haven't gotten raises because they do the bare fucking minimum work and half assed at that. I would literally get 2x the work done when I had as much experience as them. Now its more like 4x.
Dude that sucks, sorry that happened to you. There are a lot of dog shit companies out there, I got lucky and worked for a company that prioritized training me, pay was shit when I was new but when I started figuring out how to fix and install shit started making bank. (Again was lucky enough to find a good company, good friend of my, great tech has been shafted by about 4 companies). Got in the union, they gave me a 2022 Transit pay for gas and tools and guaranteed raise every year till you hit journeymen (5 year apprenticeship then journeymen makes about 80 with 40 ish in benefits)
Welders here start at $16/hour, 14 after union dues and they wonder why they had to resort to teaching laborers to weld in order to get the numbers they need
Im a second generation electrician i make the same as my dad did 20 years ago only difference is i started at 9 an hour they are starting kids at 16 now.
There’s a lot of jobs that need higher wages to compete with today’s cost of living. If you want good people, you have to pay them what they’re worth. It’s not rocket science here. A smart employee who knows what they’re doing will find a higher paying job because they’re smart and knows what they’re doing.
I couldn't get a trade apprentice if my life dependend on it in my early 20s. Everyone wants you to have a trade school degree. I ended up just working on the railroad and got really lucky with shifts and work location. The jobs are there but nobody is willing to hire anyone who doesn't have 5 years of experience. And if you do get that apprenticeship outside of a union your making walmart money and you can barely survive unless your living with your parents
You nailed it. Last year I got 13/hour and an extra 1$ hour after 90 days. 65 year old boomer had spending issues and wouldn’t pay me shit. I left that job and applied to 4 other apprenticeships with 90 day’s experience and I heard nothing back
In St. Louis you can't do plumbing or electrical without a license. They make it impossible to get one. You pretty much have to sell your soul to someone or a company.
Was just gonna say that. The plumbers union is impossible to get into. Heavy nepitism. Nobody hires without previous experience but nobody offering apprenticeship. Ranken in STL is the only place i found unfortunately.
same around the country. you can have a 4 year electrical engineering degree and 10 years work experience, but you have to work 12/hr for 2-4 years for a licensed troll and pay the toll to get a license. Why not have the ability to test out of the internship that doesnt pay a liveable wage?
There’s one guy one TH-cam who had the same problem with the septic business. He started the business with no experience and hired somebody who was licensed and had him teach him the entire trade and help him pass the test etc
Everytime I tried talking to a plumber or electrician about an interest in their job. they tell me to do literally anything else. or do something computer related.
I do electrical construction and I can agree that the job isn't interesting for most people. When it's new construction it's good but we do a lot of panel changes, service upgrades, and getting older houses up to new code I can say for certainty that most electricians can put in recess cans receptacles and switches blindfolded and likely have lost interest. Also new construction is harder these days because Popeyes for example has a half a year wait list for the switch gear (ct can, main disconnect etc) which means we can't finish it even if we were to start it unless we had them in our shop.
A lot of "computer related" jobs are currently saturated but there is a lot of opportunity if you're genuinely interested and looking to learn new things. It can take a while to start making good money though.
@@imt3206 It's saturated because since the start of Covid companies have been doing mass layoffs and mergers (which lead to mass layoffs). Over 100,000 software engineers across the world have been laid off in the last year alone. This means there's a big glut of talent looking for work which makes it impossible for recent graduates such as myself to get anything.
Yes here in Texas it’s almost physically impossible to work in the summer all day. You can do it a few times but imagine every single day out there. No one can survive that.
Aye, I pushed for a raise and better working conditions after the first heat stroke, now I don’t get yelled at for grabbing a bottle of water, given the crew I work with is pretty small and the boss and journeyman both have a second job, so they were pretty willing to do whatever to get another guy back working again
@@FoilPowellconnecting pipes is extremely difficult.. I wasn't doing that at 5 years old at all Edit: reading blueprints is not something I can do so 🤷 being fair and all
@@FoilPowelldo you even know what a pre check is? You would be lost after 15 seconds. Trucking isn’t easy on your body or mind. Imagine driving a 30k steel machine with idiots who can’t drive and if something happens it’s your fault every time. And plumbing isn’t easy either, codes codes and more codes need to be followed. Same with trucking lots of regulations.
@coupons420 I had a commercial driver's license at 1 point so I understand what a "pre check" is about. I'm also a mechanic, so I can fix that rig too... lol
@creativeleodaily you can make any amount just takes timing for all the jobs to stack up. But i aint tryna make a milli in a year just for the IRS to come for my ass lmao. 10k a year or even 25k
I continue to make more in IT than my friends in the trades, it's crazy. There is demand but a lot of places don't want to be burdened with training and if they don't mind then they likely don't pay well either. The friend closest to me is an electrician in the DMV, but with us at the same seniority in careers I was kind of puzzled myself as to how he isn't making >$125k yet either. It sucks too because becoming an electrician is my fallback career but I probably wouldn't be able to keep up financially if I went in low/mid-range due to low voltage experience with RJ45/RJ/11/RJ6/RJ12 and data-over-power.
@@anibal5845 IT is broad and your questions is a yes and no like most things with AI. Someone could theoretically make plumbing software that uses AI+instrumentation to automate the majority of plumbing diagnostics as an example, but like with plumbing where you need a human to wield the wrench, in IT you still need humans to deal with end users and rack equipment. For electricians I already know of software+hardware out there that can scan a building with human vetting/completeness of data and can help firms plan out new runs, capacity, etc. Very few things aren't prone to AI/robotics/automation in general, but I don't look at it fearing for job security, if anything it automates the boring stuff and will eliminate the concept of "bs jobs" ("BS Jobs" by David Graeber)
I went for my apprenticeship in 2017, the journeymen at the place I was at were there because they had a loyalty to the name and didn't want to start new somewhere else but I did hear quite a bit that the management dynamic has changed when the son of the owner took over and changed the pay rates. The son found out that the plumbers were making more than him because they were doing all the work that came in, afterwards he cut down on the staff and out sourced more of the work to subs
@@DyingBreed007You have to find a company/someone who is willing to train you but you also have to put in the work in knowing the different names of plumbing parts, materials, systems, and how they work/operate and it makes things alot easier. I ive been doing it since I was 22 and work under a Master Plumber whos been doing it for 30+ years and he still shows me stuff I dont know all the time
@jarenagra2804 Some things are out of my technical expertise. But 90% of the time, I can figure it out. The easy stuff like fluid changes, alternators, batteries, the occasional code, ect is all stuff you can likely troubleshoot on your own. It gets a bit more technical with electrical gremlins, sensors, bearings, cv joints..ect. Most cars and trucks these days, if you take good care of them, they will last at least 200k without major repair.
@jarenagra2804 wow, you just completely demolished every argument for the right to repair. we better just throw everything away immediately or pay more than what the object is worth to have someone "qualified" fix it for me
It’s physically impossible to “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” you’re far more likely to tear the strap or hurt yourself than deny gravity. That’s why it’s such a great analogy, it’s so good people don’t get that it’s supposed to be impossible.
It's a common idiom because it's meant to mean that the only person who's going to help you overcome what seems impossible is yourself. There are plenty of idioms that people know aren't actually physically possible, such as "If the sky falls, we shall catch larks". They're meant to communicate an idea through metaphor, not be a command to actual action.
I'm 43 and started building houses as a licensed contactor when I was 21. I chose my plumber, hvac, and electrician that were all near the same age as me. We have built our own little empire of semi custom new home construction. I can call these guys, and they don't have to be hounded. They show up and show out, and I never have to push them. It's rare to find someone like them, but I had a big hand in helping them build their business along with mine. The secret is Loyalty is a 2 way street. Stick with them and they wil stick with you.
Yup, actually TRAIN your employees and work with them and us younger fellas have no problem showing up. When the older fellas are dead/retired, that's some shit I need to know so I can pass it on to the next generation.
Different world now. You can't get a license at 21 without someone signing you up out of fucking middle school. NO ONE in the trades will take on someone without experience. So, no one gets hired.
Smart man. IMNSHO, everyone needs to have 4 semesters of education/training in 'the trades'. 2 sem. general/overview and 2 sem of a specific. I'm pushing 60, grew up in a tool and die family, got a EE, spent almost 40 yrs designing software, with bouts of elec, plumbing, and various other old house repair/total rehab.
@TheShadowPerson. That sucks, man. In Chicago, there's massive nepotism for getting into any of the unions. OTOH, there's so much 'small ' work that one can find some union guy who does weekend side jobs and propose to help out doing anything.
I'm pushing 60 and don't want to go back into the hi-stress world of software engineering. Just picking up elec. and plumbing jobs (some etc.) in my historic 'hood in Chicago. So many places that have issues where people don't know how to do something, but the job is too small for many FT plumbers to even bother quoting or looking at.
@@tezwah5651 I live in a tourist town. As far as licensed, insured and good at what they do, yes. They're are a few that are shit and that no contractor uses because they fk up almost every job they do.
@@stevienicks210 instead of adding a bunch of qualifiers after the fact save us both time and just say no you havent. I get your point, the industry generally seems to be booked for months but it's a bit much to say you know every plumbers bookings.
I'm 26, started hvac when I was 20. Branched I to apprentice plumbing and electrician. And there truly isn't enough workers to go around. Some days I get home and the second I walk in the door, some poor grandma has water falling out of her ceiling or some cancer patient has no AC. 50% of the time it's all lies, just to make you go out there and cut them a break on the bill. But the greatest customers are the sweetest old ladies who baked you a cake/brownies/cookies just because you said you were coming. Those are the customers who get the best deals from me.
I couldn't agree more. Two of my grandkids this year decided to go to trade schools instead of college and I couldn't be happier that they are a part of building America
i mean pay more. the issue is literally just pay. everyone goes on about how high their paying. but for some reason when you actually go to get a job its like ok the standard 50k a year, after waiting 3-5 years and starving the first two. if you can make that ubering without overtime than its simply a matter of pay.
The world is lagging behind in raising prices to offset the ever increasing cost of living. Adequate pay just 10 years ago is barely scraping by now. Inflation puts a higher dollar amount for a good or service, yes, but the flip side is seeing the value of every dollar diminishing. Things aren't actually taking more value to get, just what were using to get it is being devalued by an increasing money supply (gov printing money with no backing). Homes/cars/rent/food go up faster than wages can increase to offset it, so people get squeezed. Markets sometimes wont bear price increases (some plumbing companies dont so others cant up their prices fast enough to maintain wage standards), so as a result the wages effectively go down, even if the number stays the same. Its not just plumbers or even all trades, but everyone whose pay isn't inflation adjusted. Rich or poor. This is why things cost 30x what they did in the early 1900's, and we sometimes don't play catch up fast enough. Blame the fed reserve. A handful of central bankers have more control over your life than any gov ever could have.
@@ctdieselnut the issue is large corporations simply have to accept they are going to make less. its the single variables all other variables are derived from. obviously if you have a small business and your competing with a large business. they set the wages, as they can afford to pay less to drive you out. the only problem is their is no mechanism in place to "force" them to make less money. and any mechanism you purpose will be meet with that's against property rights, or that's communism, or what about their freedom. and when one origination is playing the mental chess game against thousands of employees that have no untied strategy or approach. and the cost of none compliance is starvation. the organization will win every time.
@@humpteedumptee8629 big corporation dont necessarily have to make less as a result of paying higher wages, they need to up their prices to offset the higher salaries. They may be hesitant to do this, because higher prices drive consumers to the competition if they have lower prices. 'Workers not being payed enough' at a big corp coming down to a single variable is oversimplified and misleading. Greed is one variable of many here. I don't get what you mean by saying 'they can afford to pay less to drive you out', talking about small vs big businesses, referring to the latter. Drive who out? Their workers? Why would they want to drive their workers out? Big corps arnt paying well, that benefits small businesses by setting the market standard wages low, and allows them to offer an incentive of higher pay to attract employees.
@@humpteedumptee8629 also, a mechanism to force big corps to do something about this is anti free market and anti capitalism. Of course this isn't going to happen and the idea of it will be looked down upon, i believe as it should be. Unions are an acceptable answer to this, and there already is a union for plumbers. Not trying to be a dick here, but i think your coming at this the wrong way. The market forces an incentives that drive the decisions that corps make have clear motivations that easily explain why certain scenarios play out over and over again (what hsppens when), and without knowing these factors corp's behavior appears mysterious. Or worse, you wrongly attribute everything to greed, when theres more to the explanation that will give a more complete view. The broad strokes are simple, but the minutiae can get complex. People go to business schools, who's sole purpose is to graduate MBA's, to understand these kind of things. Im not well versed on all this stuff(i don't have a degree) but the basics are fairly easy to learn if you're willing to look into it. If you're going to say fuck big corporations, at least do it for the right reasons lol.
@@ctdieselnut I obviously meant accept they will make less and pay more. than all other business could pay more, as their still competitive. its not a hard concept if I'm working with massive economy of scale and have more throughput efficiency. I set the prices and wages for all smaller versions of me. you cant pay more because I pay less, you cant sell for more because I sell for less. I can afford this because my scale allows me more margin. I'm willing to make less to force you into submission. the only reason I don't remove all in my path there exist a certain limit to how cheap I can be while maintaining my own survival. so all not willing to be at the same price/wage point as me while making less than me. have to lose and go under. and those willing will forever be my enemy and ill keep them at as small a margin as possible until I get a better position and eventually ill squeeze them as well. its really not a hard concept that massive companies set the wages and prices. if you want to fix the issue of stagnate wages you simply have them accept they will lose money. but there is no real way of doing that. and they don't care at all if the entire middle class becomes poor. it only further strengthens their position. there's no reason to be pedantic and act like were playing weird word games. you can just say I disagree I support whatever and that's my opinion. personally I don't like big business, small business, the gov, or anyone else for that mater. I don't like anyone who's intention is to use me as a number on a ledger. I don't want to be anyone's 3rd holiday homes upkeep in exchange for scraps.
As a plumber this is music to my ears, maybe in 15 years we’ll actually get paid what we’re worth. Have one of the most important jobs in the world and get paid pennies
If you even get paid. That's why my dad doesn't do contracting anymore, people just don't pay you. Sure you can take them to court but that costs even more money...then you find out they're flat broke and you're double fucked.
Charge half the labor cost up front or more. The materials full payment. Simple. No prepayment, no service. charge them a retainer like lawyers do. Talk to the other people in other companies and tell them to do the same. Before you know it, you will all be getting paid what you're worth.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@9770G 100k is solid money but for how important trades are we should be getting probably double that. Especially with inflation fcking everyone now a days that 100k ain’t what it was even 5-10 years ago.
high schools need to have this as a vocation, and also states should help with finding internships and a good loan to purchase what is needed from a retiring plumber. The PAY IS GOOD. These kids need to see they can eventually have their own business.
A lot of schools have done away with vocation classes where I'm from. I still remember when they took away the auto shop from my old local HS after I had graduated, no one even batted an eye. They're funneling these kids into "higher" learning, strapping them with immense debt, then saying "good luck!", and wondering why they flounder through life.
@@JV-io3nnWe need to start de-emphasizing the 4 year university and start emphasizing the 2 year community colleges. Because these rules will always apply; 1. Every student is not going to college. 2. Of the students going to college, not every one of them should be going to college.
@@earlwyss520my computer teacher would give a speech every Monday called "Monday motivational". He just told us to go to college and showed us the wage difference. I did, I got hired and dropped out, then 5 years later became a carpenter starting at a higher wage than I was making after 5 years as a service tech for Point of sale.I was making $15/hr after 5 years, I started at $18/hr with no experience as a carpenter. 4years into carpenterry and i was general foreman. College is a waste unless ur going into science/math field. Everything else should just be a trade that's taught as you work.
I’ve attended 3 different high schools in two different states and I’m sure a huge reason for this is that schools are pushing students to go to college with the idea of “even if you don’t know what you want to do now, you can always change your major when you find out”. Everyone from my graduating calls who have went to college all now have degrees they don’t use making minimum wage jobs because working any jobs with your hands dirty is frowned upon now
It was the same in mine. They never even told us that going to college for anything other than STEM was an option except for one guy, who was a tradesman before his current job, told us it was an option AS we were selecting which colleges to send our act scores to.
As a HVAC tech and licensed plumber i cant agree more. Its gonna hit HARD when the people realise theres no one there to fix the toilet or get the heat going middle of winter
@@larryscarr3897It dosen't take much skill to do the work in a house. As a electrician the hardest thing in a house to do is a 3 way switch. Figuring out amd trouble shooting is the part the requires skills and knowledge.
Same ! Been a cook a few years now and it’s not gonna cut it, I love it but I need something on paper so if I want to leave I don’t gotta start over from the bottom like a kitchen
@@y0nd3r Eventually roboplumber will also be able to scan the pipes to replace the metal that has deteriorated over time with the exact proportions of metals the rest of the pipes are made of, ofc after draining all the water and thoroughly cleaning the pipes.
I, luckily enough, go to a school district that does co-op with its trade school. From freshmen to senior year I did both schools. Went for plumbing class. Graduated and went on to go to a plumbing shop. Great time to be honest.
Im in a rural Canadain community. Up here we're being taxed so much and paid so little that there is no longer insentive to work in trades. Its depressing, our government is useless junk.
Did a landscape apprenticeship and boss didn’t want to teach me anything, just wanted cheap labour, good thing I persisted and prayed a lot and after 25 years am now sharing my skills on my channel to help others
Sadly you're rhetoric exception. Seems alot if young boys like myself were never taught about how to get into this line of work. So now we have a shortage.
Happening now my dude, and it will absolutely trickle to larger areas. I live in a small county (roughly 30k people) and almost all skilled laborers with licenses and insurance are booked out 6+ months.
Lol, not at all. Union halls in big cities are like universities and politics - it’s all legacy gatekeepers and you gotta be related to someone to get in. In small towns, sure. But big cities will be set for the next century, especially now that so many old people died with COVID.
@@edgardiaz690 Cities are just your life on a harder difficulty. If you make money, the city is fantastic. If you make under the average (70-80k annually), you'll suffer. That's why people move out to the sticks.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@9770G or you could make half of that, owing a hundred thousand to some college, and have a piece of paper that says you paid a school many thousands of dollars for info that is mostly on the internet for free. What is the average salary for a medical doctor?
@@9770G zipping metal together or fixing a furnace isn't all that hard, compared to say a auto mechanic or roofer. Especially for an 18 year old to have no debt and start making $60k a year, it is not very hard labor and a sound financial decision. By the time they are 22 they will have made a quarter million dollars, or be in debt to a school for a $100k and start making $50-60k at 22.
I've thought about switching from soffit/fascia/gutters/screen rooms to something indoors like plumbing or A/C. It's just so brutal working outside in FL. Heat beat us up all Summer. Then you have week's like this, where the rain just destroyed us this week. Didn't really make much money but am like $3k per week expenses/labor I pay out regardless. Then again, that's irrelevant and a wash since we did phenomenal this year. And last year. best thing ever was charging higher prices and making more money doing less work. Just have to target different homeowners and turn down all the small shit. We're worth it, I think.
Ive been plumbing for over 25 years. Done it all. Industrial, commercial, residential, from rough, topout, trim, gas, septic tanks. We are a dying breed.
My dad is a master plumber in 2 states and the job offers he gets on a daily basis is incredible. Companies request information about all the masters in the state and will send them a letter with a job offer without ever meeting. When I mention my dad is a master and I worked with him in high school I get 45/hr+ offers on the spot.
As someone who works in fire compliance,there is definitely a shortage of plumbers, electricians & Hvac techs. The starting salaries are only like 45-50k & your gonna be working and driving ALOT. As well as exposure to bacteria & mold on a daily basis which seems like the reason ppl dont wanna deal with it. Not to mention sassy managers and residential customers.
Proud to be a 25 year old blue collar worker, been doing low voltage work for over a year now and without a doubt the best job I’ve had. Beats working at grocery stores and restaurants
@@luck9837 it's not that at all lol. It's usually very hot and dirty job rooting around in attics, above ceiling tiles, in crawlspaces, etc. New building installation isn't too bad usually, but existing places will usually have no airflow and have you rooting around in , drywall dust, insulation, years of dust thrown up into the air by the insulation, dirt, rat poop, bird poop, dead animals, spiders, webs, mold, ... you name it. There is no scenic cruising, and being in the great outdoors lol
@@luck9837 depends on where you are in the country, and union or not. Union jobs can be up to like $70 an hour for data cabling if you have all your credentials and whatnot. If not, then as low as minimum wage for the area lol
If you look into automation work you can get the best of bother worlds. Initial rough in. Then further down the line installation programming and configuration to finish the project.
Can confirm, I live in Australia and all our major cities are hotspots for “skilled labour” price gouging and I use these words because real professionals I am happy to pay whatever price they need - but the chumps we have couldn’t tell you the difference between their assholes and a hole in the ground and they’ll charge you hundreds just for walking in your front door.
My own industry faces a lot of the same problems. I work in ponds, and I’m the youngest guy doing it. Everyone else doing it is around my father’s age; that is to say, in their 60s. But the thing is, so long as there is work to be done and pay to be made, there will always be someone to do a job that is in demand. I’m sure it’ll take a while, but eventually someone will replace me.
Ive called every college and high school in 100 miles offering free summer classes/training to any of 2 dozen fields and full time 6 figure jobs after summer training. they all hung up on me
Maybe the problem is you then. Not making fun of you, but if you already failed multiple times to enter a high demand job on the entry level, you might want to rethink your tactics. Cause the standard nowadays is that you get hired if you are able to stand upright and make it to the job on time
@RandomGuy-qr5jw Or its that they are exploting a tax loophole where if they are 'hiring', they get tax reductions... I'm not saying that it plumbing isn't a high demand job, only that most buisnesses are shady as fuck with that shit.
@chumajamesnxele106 that actually could be the issue. But I dont think the specific company I was applying for was unionized or required union membership. Could be wrong, though.
@@Sure_You_Betchaalso a lot of companies are just shady in general. The ones to look for are smaller operations that have been in the business for a while. I applied to all the big ones in my area and they basically turn you into a salesman. Found a small company with 35 years of great rapport that was honest and wanted to train me. Sucks there are so many shitty ones out there, but rest assured there are a few legit ones that want hard workers who are willing to learn
I met a guy last fall, all he did was fix dryers and such. He was friends with a few appliance stores. He was a little "off" mentally. This guy had work stacked a week out, and charged 60 hr to replace a friggin belt. He's doin fuckin great.
$60 change a belt on a dryer seems fair. those things can be real pain in the asses. i think most people would charge $150+ just to come out and teardown the dryer + parts
I know someone that did that when Sears was around. His turn around was so quick he doubled backed as a contractor and his employees under his business fixing washers and driers.
there's alot of talk about older people not training people to keep the prices up, or because they simply don't want to. what is your take on this. Why do you think 3 people were needed to fill you boots? Also congrats on retiring so early, i'll be finishing my masters at 28 and then be working for the next 40 years before actually being able to retire. Studying is fun, it definetly makes up for it i think... Also knowing that i'll be doing a job that won't require physical labour is a good foresight.
I did HVAC for a year after I got out the Navy. Living in Florida, crawling around in attics, there was no way I wanted to do that for the rest of my life and only making $60k a year maybe $80k at about 15-20 year mark.
I’m a 46 yo plumber and I can say this is 110% true! I encourage any young person to pursue that career. In Charlotte nc service plumbers are making 6 figures s year!
The idiot kids of today think they're all going to become python programmers with Machine learning skills and startups will give them 2 million dollars in equity and they'll retire before their 35th birthday. My dad is 70 years old. Has his HVAC and construction electrician license in Alberta. He says they still call him back to work because no one wants to put in a full work day.
@rohitnijhawan5281 there you go call them idiots that'll get them in the trade....or is it that these kids can learn programming for free within their home...where as to learn a skill you have to work under someone who most of these old guys dont want to teach anyone and then these old guys tell young kids trying to learn that they need to bring their own tools and sometimes their own truck....which most young kids trying to learn a skill obviously dont have. Then they have to be on the job for 4 years before they can start going on their own.
@@DeNorsemenTell em! What's easier to do: Get on a computer and learn (for free) as much as you want for the career path that pays highly and a company that treats you lavishly or have some boomer half-ass teach you how to do a job that asks way too much of you physically, mentally, and financially that you can't even surpass anyone even if you are more than able?
@@DeNorsemen Compare a 17 year old who learns programming at home is no match for actually going out and getting a theoretical degree in computer science that teaches you Big O, compelxity theory, NP, and NP complete problems and a formal setting in which to learn concurrency, OS kernels, and data structures. I will never say that it's not worth it or that can't be a great choice but to tell me that you can simply learn programming at home and that's akin to getting hands-on apprenticeships are two equals is downright foolish. Now, much like how there are regulatory barriers to entry in medicine (limited residency spots, medical college spots, protectionism against foreign doctors), requiring 4, or 5 year 29 year apprenticeship to get your full card or union ticket is another barrier to entry. Ask a doctor how they feel about this before and after they enter the profession. It's the same for any trade. "i went through hell for it - you should too"
@rohitnijhawan5281 im sorry but your wrong lol. Does a degree help? Of course it does but in the field of programming as long as you can showcase your skills you can achieve literally the same positions. In fact most people in the industry will tell you that school doesn't actually teach you the necessary skills and its what you do outside the classroom that will really teach you what you need to know. If someone freshly 18 applied for any entry level programming position and showed they have a portfolio of projects showcasing their skills and ability to learn they are probably going to get hired. You say learning at home isn't equivalent to hands on learning....im not sure what you think learning entails but building programming projects at home is quite literally...hands on learning... So no its really not that foolish. In fact i think its foolish to have that viewpoint considering there are literally hundreds of free classes provided on websites such as freecodecamp that will teach you the same if not better than classroom learning. Which will teach you all about all of those things you say that cant be learned from self teaching? Which is an odd take since literally anyone in the field of programming or cybersecurity will tell you that they have to teach themselves something new just about every day even though they are already considered experts in the field.... nice try though! Edit: also this is why programming is so attractive to young people because you dont have to go through some bull "apprenticeship". If you truly want to showcase your skills you can take the vast vast amount of any certification offered through companies like CompTIA that any hiring manager will accept as "you know your stuff". Certificates that you can take...wait for it....in your home.. for a fraction of the cost of any tool you'd use in a trade lol
I know a few people who would make it in trades and already had the base know how but no place wants to pay to train them or if they do get a chance to train them up the old dude who is meant to train them would just bust their balls or haze them instead of training them
I know a lot of people that tried to get into the trades for years but couldn’t find reliable work because the field was full of boomers who didn’t want to train people and dilute their pricing power. Especially if it’s a union job, it’s a club you can’t get in unless your related to someone.
Spot on.
Exactly what I was thinking.
I don't remember the last time I saw a help wanted posting for one of those jobs
Absolutely correct and then they pretend theyre desierate for help but gate keep the jobs relentlessly.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@9770G "only 100k"
Maybe that's not much on the coasts where a 600 square foot condo is half a million, but in the rural Midwest you can buy a house on a $50k salary
Back when I graduated high school (2007), I called every plumber in my city and asked if I could apprentice, and no one gave me a chance.
My son tried for 3 years to become an apprentice. Unfortunately, the trades are a joke. He ended up going into computers.
Graduated in 08 did the same thing ended up going to a trade school for it and when I got out two years later landed a job. Felt like a big gamble. Economy was crappy then much like today.
Here in western europe its the other way around, but yes young people these days seem to be into computers and fitness etc more that the trades.
@@stacysu9131your son was never cut out for the trades to begin with.
I found an apprenticeship on Facebook. I did a 1 year level 2 diploma first and got my driving licence, so at least I had something to offer. Then the proper training with my boss, converting my level 2 diploma to nvq/diploma over 6 months and then took a 2 year level three nvq/diploma with my gas bolted on.
Get yourself something to offer the employer.
If you can start the call with I have a full clean driving licence and a level 2 plumbing qualification, then you will be a lot more appealing as an employee because they can see that not only are you serious but you have put the effort in to prove you are serious.
As a side note expect your body to have a short shelf life if you choose that career. Elbows, knees and back degenerate quickly in that trade.
I know you said 15 years ago but it's never too late. I was 33 when I started.
That’s what they said about welders then I only got paid 18/hr at most so I went to a warehouse job and make 3 more dollars there and it’s 50% easier
Bro, if you're getting paid 18/hr your welds are absolute dogshit and you didn't put the work in like you're saying. Under the rare situation of you actually being right, then all you would of had to do was apply to the 200+ openings on indeed right now hiring in your area and many others at 30-40 dollars for pipe welding, aluminum and railroad welding for companies like Pacific Union Siemens and many others.
@@lanthanumlanthanium6373false. Some jobs absolutely give no shit if theyre dogwayer or gods gift. If youre new you're getting paid like ass.
@@EaterOfFlesh I do this for a living. If you have the skills, you need to prove it. You come into your interview with your welds like I did and tell them how much you want hourly and per diem, they will respect that, then you're not wasting yours or their time. Only a fool that's excellent at welding lets the company set their pay.
@@lanthanumlanthanium6373 Once again, you do not know the payscale of where they live. You assume a lot - sure makes you look pretty damn stupid
@@lanthanumlanthanium6373yes but that’s your company and this is his company.
The older generation has no desire to pass the torch in many areas.
I have two friends that are children of farmers who wanted to farm, but their parents dont want to retire and let them do it so they went to college in their twenties to change careers.
I work in manufacturing and I've seen that attitude in so many of the older workers. They would purposefully try to sabotage the younger people who where brought in to replace them. Show them methods just a little bit incorrect or withhold important aspects needed to get consistent results.
Then after they retired the new workers would have trouble with production and the retired people would get called back on as a "consultant" making more money with less hours of work.
I think many people in a wide range of fields have this attitude to some extent or another. Seeking out way to artificially make themselves irreplaceable.
@@ElationProductionsBrooo nobody does apprenticeships anymore 😂 boomer plumbers around the states refuse to let young guys like me in.
That’s boomer mentality
I've seen that a lot in trucking. They'll tell someone that already has the numbers ran, the experience, and a market they can get into to not do it, then in the same breath ask them for the contacts so they can haul the same freight they said not to haul.
I'm just lucky enough that I'm in an area where farming wise, people don't seem to be actively keeping others out. Sadly, not enough people want to do it, which is understandable. It's a hard life. I've seen bto's break up because their kids don't want to farm. About 90% of ground changing hands is retired guys not having anyone to pass it on to. The other %10 are financial mishaps.
I started painting in 1999, I was the youngest in my field at that time. Fast forward 24 years and I'm still the youngest.
My buddy is 24 and started painting a bit. Makes decent money. Has a relaxed life. I'm working my ass off @ 60 hours a week to make 90,000$ a year and thinking of quitting and starting my own business
Any tips?
@@lucysmith4242delegating your work load is what you need to keep your headspace in
@@lucysmith4242 Understand your geographical location and know your target market.
@lucysmith4242 Im a horseshoer and thats literally my life. im actively trying to work hard just because i dont feel like im working enough, well that and people keep calling me and i like saying yes, im crazy 😄
I'm 19 doing asphalt and painting. Started at 12 roofing at 5 homeless the real gs step the prep only step cause the fed by the spoon
I’m in the hvac industry and the benefit I see from it is extremely high wages.
What’re you looking at give us some numbers
@@brianwalsh1078150k a year for someone with 5 years experience also a company vehicle company gas card $1500 weekly tool allowance all sorts of shit and great benefits there is a lot in this industry
@@Justin-nf9qh yeah no seriously that’s why you see them in 100,000 fleet vehicles with nothing but milwakee cases in them too!
And then other people don't respect tradesmen and treat you like you're stupid and smell bad
@Justin-nf9qh as a boilermaker, I enjoy those benefits as well. Hard work and long days. Ever growing demand on top of an already huge demand. And less and less people in my industry.
I'm in machining and there's a 20 year gap between me and the next guy. There's a recent push for trade education and I think it might be a little too late
Nope. The good thing about trades is that as long as you have willing apprentices, they can be picked up pretty easy
I'm 25 and I've trained alot of my coworkers twice my age. I'm dying to get into machining. But I love metal working all around but precision work looks fun as hell.
I'm that young guy in the machine shop. I want out so bad. Sweat shop, cuts, joint pain, hearing damage, poor pay, no room to go up or learn anything.
@benkenny3220 learn on your own and use the company to network with machine suppliers and just dudes who have good junk in a shop they might sell. Become too skilled or knowledgeable for them not to move you up or put that 2 weeks in and apply at another shop that might give you a chance to shine. My older brother used to always say "don't let anyone steal your shine."
He'd also joke whenever we'd do something like basketball and if he got one upped he'd say in sad voice "awee, you stole my shine"
Or if you got in his way on a shot he'd yell playfully "ah you bitch, stole my shine."
@@benkenny3220 moral of the story, value that shine and call out anything trying to steal it.
"I pay them $3 above minimum wage I wonder why I don't have any young employees. I know it's because they're lazy"
Depends on location and the company. Most smaller companies will pay you a good thousand plus a week after taxes. At least in my area. We were hiring people with no experience in soffit/fascia/gutters/screens for $900 per week, after taxes. 2 weeks paid vacation, only 5-7 hour work days. We don't travel more than 30 miles etc. Gravy manual labor work. I'd honestly pay whatever someone named if they were experienced, young and energetic, and would show up everyday. I'd double that pay, honestly.
Im a maintenance tech im not just a 1 trick poney i do it all and bring home 70k in iowa my house 5 bedroom cost 130k move here
@@shanezahs7841 how cold is it. I'm a welder making 180k a year and want a ranch one day
I hear this all the time but - they aint hiring.
I figure, in a couple years there's gonna be a lot of new positions available.
@@jermainet.4680 would be sweet
Go to a union that's how I got in to trades
What? I work in HVAC and EVERYONE is hiring. I get asked by my boss at least once a week if I know anyone. We’ve gone from 13 to 40 techs in less than 4 years.
@@OramWerd where you at? I'm in WI
In Louisiana, there’s a shortage of people going into the trades because a lot the employers pay minimum wage or just a few bucks over and you have to supply your own tools (and sometimes truck). Almost no trade schools either.
I would recommend….RUNNING FOR THE HILLS !!!!!! With jobs the like that, that’s legit exploitation
@@Sergio-up5yx I couldn’t agree more. I’m just pointing out WHY there is such a shortage in a lot of places of trade workers, namely low wages and being treated like crap. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend someone get into the trades unless they eventually plan to have their name on the truck (or least ownership in some type of business structure). Just based on what I’ve seen.
I am a contractor, i start people at 25 an hour. Tools and experience is 35 an hour or more. All trades should have high pay rate.
Especially when fast food pays up to 20 bucks an hour, it just doesn’t make sense. Trade work is gonna die off if it doesn’t start paying really well with amazing benefits.
Get paid to learn and then take that skill to a company that will pay you more but requires experience. Boom.
This is why DIY is becoming more and more popular. Labor rates are becoming incredibly expensive.
Diy can be a pain if you city requires a permit
@@nickbryant2318 which is why cities that don't enforce or are loose are booming. Austin, Houston etc. Makes it so easy to do things that theyre the fastest growing cities
@@whaletime69 only a good idea in the short term
Problem is everything is becoming expensive, my boss is a builder and charges a premium, but he's paying around 50k a month with only two employees to stay in business
This is a great observation the state of things has definitely encouraged younger generations to “DYI”
As a 23 year old I remember teachers telling us our lives would suck if we went into a trade. This is why we don’t have plumbers anymore, because vocational skills were made to look ugly by people that have no concept of how infrastructure works.
I was told the same thing as a kid in the 90s. Considering all the harmful things teachers say to students, are they just demons who want to see civilization collapse? 🤔
Oh you don't want to go to college? Why, are you stupid or do you just want to be broke forever?
This is how it felt like the schools treated you. They literally try to shame you into it. I lived in a really blue collar area and a lot of the kids just weren't gonna be able to afford it but doesn't stop counselors from coming to our class rooms and asking the kids planning to go to college to hold you hand up.
Exactly.
Yup I’m a millennial. School guidance counselors and some teachers told us we’d be flipping burgers unless we had a 4 year degree. If we only had a 2 yr degree we’d be struggling. I’m going back for a trade right now so they can bring their side by side atv retirement toy to me and pay me big money to fix it or do service on it.
100% nailed it and now I can't find any plumbing apprentices because of it
It's harder to find a good employer than it is to find a good employee
True
that's because of capitalism
its also harder to find a good employee than just an employee
Yeah and older people say people are just lazy...🙄
@@katiebarber407Keep blaming your poor life choices on capitalism. I'm sure it'll make your shit life better.
As someone whos been trying to find a plumbing apprenticeship for years, it seems like at least in my area, you really need to know someoneto get your foot in the door.
Of course, would you train a competitor? They only hire people that they can trust usually by referral. Otherwise, they just quit after a couple years thinking they know something.
ABSOLUTE FACTS!
@@nathanhempton4292oh no, they are not gonna work for me for decades so better not teach them anything
Cap.
@@nathanhempton4292 you've clearly never managed staff in the trades. It's more hassle to chase someone who doesn't turn up on time, or makes costly mistakes that you have to pay to put right, and take on mountains of government mandatated paperwork and liability. In the end its easier and less hassle to just do it yourself. I'm surpised you're not happy, because this is the economic enviroment you voted for...
Worked 4 years of general construction, tried to get an apprenticeship for electrical or plumbing. Was told some variation of "I'm not gonna waste time training some useless kid I don't know" every time. Gave up on it and decided I didn't want to destroy my body trying anymore and went to nursing school. Best decision I ever made
Yeah, I always thought it was social stigma that contributed to more men not doing these jobs. Seeing some if these comments are eye opening. Because it seems like alot of experienced people don't seem interested in training the young bucks..
Electrician here.. this is 100% true where I live. There are just not enough workers/contractors. You can almost charge whatever you want and still have more work than you could ever do.
Retired two years ago and the new contract has 6$/hr increase. Figures.
Raise your rates until the work volume decreases to a manageable level
Yup been working like a chimp since covid all the old guys close or past retirement age didn't want to deal with masks and sanitization they just went straight to retirement and sold their houses for good money and moved away to cottage country. Can't blame them I would have done the same.
Where's that? I'm a contractor but no work rn
@@ethancurley9392 I know San Diego needs most skilled trades right now
Started HVAC last year, was fortunate enough to have a boss willing to give me hours and decent pay. 2 things I learned in trades. 1. It's hard work but not everyday, there are some days it's easy work in a nice basement but also some days you're installing in a 125° attic. 2. It is not hard to learn if you have a good boss, teacher, and if you stick with it long enough you'll retain so much
What did you start out at?
Hvac is the air force of the trade industry. Highest pay least amount of work.
@@cupajoeltv4 it's the least amount of work if we start on the project before the electricians and plumbers🤣
But if you don't have that it's worse than cleaning toilets overnight for 19/HR at Wal-Mart lol😂🎉 people ruin everything that's why I gave up on the video game industry. 😢used to wanna work in it but scummy people ruined it
3 you could make a thousand bucks on the side on a Saturday afternoon
I have an outstanding resume and no trades have ever called me back. The trades are in trouble because the attitude of those in the trades. Let's get real.
It’s true. My buddy works at a space center as a welder, pipe fitter etc and he’s 27
He said 50 older guys got fired all at once because they didn’t want to listen to a damn thing and thought they always knew better than the project managers.
He wasn’t fired because he literally just did what they said and didn’t ask any questions or complain. The ego was their downfall and he found out afterwards why they all suddenly stopped showing up lmao
Trades are in trouble because people don’t want to work. Not saying you’re one of them but I’m a 27yrd old master plumber in west texas with almost ten years of experience and the problem I see is younger people feel very entitled, as if they are to good to work a shovel or want 20/hr to learn a trade. I started at 9/hr and still do the same work I did as an apprentice as a master plumber. But I was raised very different I was raised working on a ranch so working hard has never bothered me but it has gotten me very far in life to where I provide a comfortable lifestyle for my family because of my hard work. The trades are in trouble because everyone pushes college so hard that kids don’t know the opportunities out there for them. If schools would push trades as hard as they push college I promise you this world and economy would be in a lot better shape
@@baileyespinosa6008everyone wants to work, they said that about your generation too. Every generation has said the one underneath them doesn’t know how to work hard. The young people haven’t changed you are just not young anymore.
@@Therealtitobooty what trade are you in?
@@TherealtitobootyOkay. What trade are you doing?
I’m a 27 year old black American plumber and this is facts. Always get that surprised look from customers.
What the fuc does ypu being Black have anything to do with it.
Keep up the good work man
That's a hard job 👍
Wait your putting in copper pipe not taking it out 😂
@ariesmars8592 that's white folks on that crystal lmaooo.
It’s funny how I keep hearing the average age is going further up and no one wants to apply but I seek an apprenticeship or entry level position (still in 20s mind you) that provides training but my applications keep getting denied because I haven’t shown interest before now. All my prior work is in retail and I’m already packing supervisor experience, it isn’t like I don’t have the drive or the want, don’t worry, I’m getting into a trade one way or another before this year ends, I can promise you that.
I've been there. Tried nursing in my early twenties and didn't like it. Long story short, I got an office job right after and wanted out of that also. I actually wanted a skill I could take with me, (granted i do use what I've learned from nursing regularly, but people won't pay me for that knowledge) so i attempted to be a low level apprentice and work my way up at different businesses. Because I had no "labor experience" I couldn't get anyone to even give me an interview. Finally got an interview for a small business that did industrial electrical work. I started out with crap pay, but a year and a half in, I'm his best apprentice with his top apprentice pay ($43k a year, not including OT). My best advice is to market yourself by just having a simple conversation with the right people. Teach yourself what you can on your own. It makes a heck of a difference to the right employer.
Find out what residential shops are union. Apply directly to the shop.
You ain’t getting into a trade unless you know someone. Most of the old-timers won’t hire people they don’t know, and limit the amount they train so rates stay up
thats not true. i went to trade school after high school. 7 years in the field not a single other tradesman in my family
@@shawnleighton339 And your single experience shows a general trend how? The person commenting is talking about the trades IN GENERAL - which absolutely is a boys club for 50-60 year old dudes in unions who don't want to make themselves look less valuable.
Every trade I work with is hiring, they don't want whiny brats or lazy bastards though.
I'm an electrician in Oklahoma and there is no lack of job opportunities here.
@@scottkelly5817 your single experience in the electrical trade has no bearing on the general experience of people being blocked from working in their trade because they wont be hired by 60yo boomers
@scottkelly5817 I'm strong for kids my age, eager to learn, ready to work hard, and I'm pretty sure I've applied to at least a few of the places you have in your head right now. Guess what? Three never called to schedule an interview. Four turned me away at the door. The other two never bothered to call me back. I'm great at interviewing. I'm confident and concise. I'm always clean and dressed well. Which is a courtesy my interviewers have never extended to me.
The only problem I can see them having, is that I'm a girl. Many of the trades are a male dominated boy's club with straight white old dudes who don't want to practice what they preach. And from what I can tell, you're no different.
I’m a plumber and I’m 26 let me know where the crisis is because Ohio we can’t get paid for shit right now
Don’t feel so bad Georgia’s been the same for the past 2-3 months probably.
as a fellow ohioan we got this
What do you mean by this? The market is saturated with plumbers, or there's no new construction, or not a lot of high paying work around/repairs not enough? Genuinely curious what is up. Im in ct, most jobsites i see with multiple trades working, the average age is 50+, maybe a young guy in their 20's-30's here or there.
@@ctdieselnut we don't have young guys because they wont pay, ohio still pays apprentices under 20/hr while avg rent is over 900 here now..... they haven't upped the wages here in a long time so they all go work at mcdonalds and make as much if not more than they would starting out. Example my buddy works on a line as a cook in a restaurant and makes 18/'hr he's almost where I'm at three years into my trade. There is no incentive for young guys and i haven't seen any benefit yet tbh just all the old guys make soooooo much more cause the companies don't wanna lose them but wont engage the younger guys or invest in the next generation.
@@Cincy ok, that makes sense, i can definitely see that being the case. Thx for the response.
When the demand starts to outpace the supply of available man hrs, i would think they would smarten up and increase wages. I know companies can be stubborn with that, even to the point where its shortsighted.
They probably dont want to pay young guys more, cause then everyone will want more. If everyone wasn't so cutthroat pricing jobs when it comes to trades, mabey those higher wages would be able to be given sooner. Bidding wars help the consumer, and hurt the trades. Thats just one reason for low wages.
In ct, its 1200 for a one bedroom appt, 2k for a 2 bed appt. give or take. Mortgages on any house worth buying is 2500+. My brother is looking for a home in nh, same deal there, seems its the same across the northeast, its crazy. Same anywhere within a 2hr drive radius from boston/nyc. Feels crazy even if you can afford it lol.
Hope you get a boost soon.
Yeah until your first day your boss doesn't show up, then the next day, then the next, then when he does finally go back to work he has forgotten all about you. This actually happened.
That's depressing.
My plumber is so busy that he will get calls and throw out the I don’t want to do it price and most say when can you come ? Ahh … maybe a month !
Exactly!
That's no shit I do whole homes and yes!! I have doubled the price and the person just ask when can you start!! Home owners are like crackheads😂🤣😂🤣😂 you gotta hammer???
Did u just say my plumber 😅
@@dawit9496 well he is a good friend and I have used his services many times over the years. So yeah 👍🏼
Yeah there will be alot more young farmers when the boomers die and transfer their land over. Pretty easy to become a farmer back in the day when a quarter of land cost you $10,000 and a pail of moonshine. Tractor was 3-5k. Now the broken system the people 60+ have created has that same land and tractor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Young people do not have the same opportunity these days as our parents and grandparents had
are you nuts? you have opportunities that did not exist 70 years ago. and equipment that saves your body
@victor hopper point went right over your head but okay. Young people can't afford to buy the equipment to save your body. They can not afford to start a farm anymore.
@@tomwilson3969 they never could
@@levi_shutup5060 hardly. good land and being able to work enough to live good was not cheap or easy. if it was there would still be millions of 100 acre farms. in 1961 i had the joy with my brother of picking 60 acres of corn by hand . it was january when we got done. i remember it with a fondness since we were milking 25 cows by hand at the same time. i was 10 and he was 14. that 105 acres of hilly clay cost 22,000 in 1956. the wages in this area for a adult farm hand were a buck an hour. mom was getting 3 cents a pound for the milk.corn was maybe 1.10 a bushel and we got about 75 a acre. yup big bucks easy life, kiss my
Our family did this cool thing where we all picked a different trade so we always had people for our houses work. Our family has roofers, people in construction, plumbing, lawyers, and mechanics. Big family.
Overall a smart move. A good diversified skillet.
That's what my uncles do. A plumber, carpenter, dry wall guy, and an electrician. They flip houses after they fix them up and split the profit.
Can y’all adopt me? Lol
The mob does this too. Please dont kill me
Lawyers aren’t tradesmen.
When I graduated in 2018 I tried for a year and a half to find an apprenticeship. I tried plumbing, hvac, and electrical companies, but I was turned away everywhere because I had no experience. I needed an apprenticeship because I couldn’t afford to go to school for it. Eventually I gave up and went in the military, best decision I ever made.
Lol this whole time you could’ve done plumbing in the military after basic training
@@DZE457 it doesn’t really work like that, I had a list of jobs to choose from before I went to basic training. I chose aircraft maintenance, got an A&P certificate, and a 100% free bachelors degree in software engineering out of it. So either way I think I made the right choice lol
The problem is they don't pay jack shit. The pay hasn't changed much in some of these fields since the 90s. Back then it got you a house and a good living. Now it barely gets me a room in bumfuck nowhere
@@manicsurfingyou say this like it's easy to start a business, it costs money to start which is what he is struggling to get
@manicsurfing that is a massive ask when there are immediately available alternative careers that pay a living wage already. When all the Boomers are worm food, the handful of next Gen plumbers will make a mint, but not before then.
@@manicsurfing"that is the purpose of becoming a master."
Yeah let me become a master plumber real quick...
Trades don’t pay very well unless you own the company or independent contractor but yes it does cost the initial investment for those
@@brandonpoliahji6969 they are going to start being far more lucrative when the demand wildly outstrips the supply of competent tradesmen.
Im 24, and now an apprentice plumber. I got lucky with a decent company that was willing to take on new people who knew nothing but wanted to learn. I'm here for a skill that could last me a lifetime.
You work for a small family business? I work for a small family HVAC buisness and to me that's the best way to get hours, experience and network
Honestly one in a million chance. I've never seen anything outside of fast food and supermarkets hiring young people with no experience in that field. That's why they blame young people for not wanting to work, it's the employers who screw them over and just can't take accountability
@@danielbarker2522 where are you looking? It might be different in other parts of the country but in East TN everyone is hiring anyone who wants to work and isn't a junkie
I'm 33 and started working as a plumber for my dad's company part-time at age 15 and full time at 18. In the past 10 years 3 plumbers who ran their own company in my area have retired, and nobody has started up any new companies to take their place. I can confirm that there is absolutely more work out there than you can handle. You could literally work 24/7 and you'd still have to turn down work.
Whatever you say, chief brown fart.
A wise old plumber once said everybody has to take a crap and until that ends you will be in business😮😢😊😅😂
Very true!! Good story! God bless sir
Charge people more lol
If this isn’t the truest thing I’ve seen, we’ve had jobs booked for the next month for the last couple years straight
im 19 and a apprentice plumber but it definitely isn’t easy finding people right now and finding good help not randoms
Over here in the uk, also 19 and an apprentice plumber, i was lucky enough to get taken on by the company of my college’s work experience… applying online is as good as not applying, unless youre ready to phone 100 companies and not work locally its not that easy, another issue is companies promoting an apprenticeship position they dont have because they are legally required to have an apprenticeship scheme
@@dev0tn474 oh yeah im not even technically in the apprenticeship program yet because im still waiting on people to take there journeyman’s test, so my hours contributed so far has gone go nothing
Started truck driving at 27. Same issue over here bro.
You're gonna do well. Keep working hard .
@@DickShooterim 26 looking into trucking. Howd you get started?
Maybe start hiring some apprentices AND PAYING THEM. “Why would I need to pay? Your knowledge is your paycheck.” People are starving out here.
They don't want me as an apprentice, they don't get me, there's one less plumber.
That’s the same thing that happened to me
Trying to get into the IBEW here. Keep hearing about all the old heads retiring without anyone to replace them. Been waiting 2 years to get in
they're doing it to everyone
I'm qualified and handing out resumes everywhere ...and apparently they're struggling BUT STILL refuse to respond back to me
and apparently everyone else to🤔🤔🤔 that's odd
This!
@@fatrat137start on your own! You don't gotta be union to be a plumber
I just now got into working towards being an electrician. I went to the union hall and basically all I had to do was convince them I was serious and they set me up with an apprenticeship, college course as well as materials and tools to help me pass my courses which my employer is paying for.
Desperation for trade workers is an understatement.
Just dont do anything that's not unionized!! I used to do residential electrical, and it was bullshit. Now, I am an accountant and personally couldn't be happier. Way better working hours, I won't be crippled at 50, and more money.
Most unions have a waiting list to get into the apprenticeship program and the wages haven't kept up with inflation over the past 30 yrs.
@topherh5093 here in Indiana, they pay a minimum of $45 a hour. The median is $65.
@@2002nkpB Which local??
May go into electrician, field. No matter what part of the world you’re in, it’s always useful.
Got my journeyman last year. I have worked 7 days a week since. Had to back off a couple months ago from exhaustion. There is more work to do than anyone can keep up with.
How would you make an hour? If you are a One Man company?
Tradesman are a dying breed. Im 33 and rarely see anyone younger in my trade (auto collision tech) most guys are 40 plus. No younger guys joining the force
Take on apprentices! When I graduated high school in '08 I asked to work for every plumber in town & got turned away for "lack of experience." I offered to work for free and was still told NO.
@arh9068I tried that some years ago for butcher shops and motorcycle repair shops. It's crazy to me they'd turn down free labor, unless it's some kind of insurance liability for them.
@ericaz1458 these poor kids have been fooled media and the government into thinking the only way to be successful is to go to college and run up huge debts, to the government. The media has consistently portrayed tradesmen as dumb since I was a kid in the 80s. Sitcoms, Movies, dramas; tradesmen are an easy foil for the pampered writers of those shows. Pop Culture has helped get us here.
I’ve tried HVAC and Welding. Got schooling, certifications, and years of experience in them. What I discovered was in most cases they want people with YEARS Of experience right out of school who will work long hours for crap pay.
When I was in my early 20s I tried to get into plumbing. While going through the process it was like trying to climb a hill. The hill was a difficult one and there was a lot of work to do and obstacles to overcome. But it was made so much worse by all the industry veteran's throwing metaphorical rocks down the hill at me and telling me to get off their hill. I eventually said screw this and went to college and got my degree. Sure I make less than them, but I also do have to deal with their territorial bull crap.
Same thing in carpentry
Same thing with electricians. Now I repair cell tower equipment, and am making roughly what they are making. Electronics repair is a good gig, air conditioned lab instead of construction site or whatever someone's home is like.
And little to no bullshit. They are hiring people because they need the skilled workers, not doing everything they can to muscle you out.
I’m an electrician man & I know what you’re saying I only got an apprenticeship because one of my best friends dads is an electrician. The trades are at such a high demand but it’s like an old boys club where you need to know someone to even get in
@@nolancavanaugh406 in my city, anyone can get an apprenticeship gig if you can pass a drug test and show up at 6am.
But the good apprenticeships? Where they pay a living wage, don't have a toxic work environment? Those are rare and need connections.
I'm not saying apprenticeship is impossible without connections, just that it is an awful experience for a long time until you get respect.
Electronics repair? If you show that you want to learn, respect is given on day 1. Acceptable wages day 1. Good wages after you pick up some competence. It isnt suck-ey to break into this field.
Imagine going to fucking college and still making less than a goddamned plumber. This whole shopping mall needs to collaspe soon.
About ten years ago I had a conversation with a plumber who was looking to retire early and was trying to find an apprentice to train and then sell the business to but was having no luck and getting pessimistic.
"Couldn't find anyone to sucker into buying his business, to pay for his retirement" might be more likely what was happening.
@@therealdannymullen If you say so, sheep dip.
@kodyrehbein8680 ......uhm, exactly my point??. HOW could the old man "sell it to" an apprentice?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?! Read the op.
Usually another successful company has to buy it. An apprentice? Eh not so much because they haven’t been working long enough to bankroll.
@kodyrehbein8680literally no one buys a business in cash. And no bank would turn down someone buying a well established company. You all are just sad, low life people. Yes he’s trying to sell his business so he can retire. That what he’s supposed to do. And work his entire life towards. He didn’t steal from anyone. No long lasting business is successful scamming people.
It’s the rural areas that are hurting the worst. One or two people for miles and miles that do any work, and the guy who has time is just good enough to make you have to wait for the other guy.
I live in a rural area, you should be able to do your own plumbing, and repair your own car and equipment
@@VonXMZ-qe1dfgood luck in a world where right to repair is a hot topic (for some reason)
@@prestonbelgarde6896 I DON'T BLAME YOU BROTHER YOUR INDOCTRINATED LIKE MILITARY VETERANS, WHO WASTED TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS IN AMERICANS WEALTH AND DIDN'T DEFEND AMERICANS 1 DAY, BUILT NO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, NO HOUSES NO ROADS, NO ELECTRICITY NO MINING NO LUMBER NO STEEL NO FABRICATION NO GASOLINE NO DIESEL NO SOLAR NO NUCLEAR NO ETHANOL NO METHANOL NO SMALL BUSINESSES NO RETAIL NO COMMERCIAL FISHING NO SHIPPING AND NO LOGISTICS NO GLAZING NO MINING FOR GOLD NO JEWELRY NO CARS NO MOTORCYCLES NO BICYCLES NO BOATS NO ENTERTAINMENT NO MUSIC NO ART NO RAILWAYS NO TEXTILES NO MAKEUP NO ADVERTISING NO BOOZE NO WEED NO FOOD, JUST HYPERINFLATION, SHUTDOWN FOR ASSISTED INVASION CALLING EVERYONE A RACIST, LAS VEGAS MASSACRE, 1 MILLION DEAD, PROGANDA ARSON, LOOTING, HIGHER TAXES, DESTROYED SMALL BUSINESSES REGULATIONS, MANDATES, WOODWORKERS NO STEEL FABRICATORS NO PHUCK'N NOTHIN ANYWHERE , HE ASSISTED MIGRANTS HE EXPECTS SOCIETY TO SUPPORT A LOSER WHO LIVES OFF SOCIETY HIS ENTIRE LIFE AND CREATES NO WEALTH FOR AMERICA AND BUILT NOTHING IN AMERICA, HE BETRAYED HIS OWN FAMILY FOR MONEY, HIS WIFE KNOWS HE'S A LOSER WHO SOLD GRANDCHILDREN OUT
He probably treats his tenants the same way he treats that hat lol.
that is a funny joke. you should write that one down.
@@pekmezajvarthis is funnier than the original comment
Bro.
My Dad was a plumbing contractor and I worked for him as a teen but he pushed me and my brother in a different direction. He always had way more work than he could handle but it's a tough life and it affected his health later in life.
Yeah the silica dust from concrete cutting that service technicians deal with is no joke
Exactly...not worth the pay.
What direction did you and your brother go if you don't mind me asking? I've been looking into plumbing due to the experience I have obtained from working in utilities with my local county, but I'm beginning to think I need to go a different route.
@@Daedalus1111 at least service isn't. New construction isn't as bad
@@MellowBiped I went totally different, retail management.. No easier but less physical. My brothers a carpenter and he has taken lots of opportunities that have taken all over the world. We've done ok for ourselves and we're not afraid of hard work.
My father was a plumber and I remember being a little kid and asking him why he became a plumber and he told me that people will do almost anything to not have to sh!t outside.
I didn’t follow in his footsteps but I got all his tools and know how to use them! lol
That's true. I was a Carpenter by trade. People will let their facia rot. Even deal with a leaking roof with a tarp or even a damn bucket. Hvac and plumbing are the 2 trades people will not do without. I try and tell young men wanting to get in the trades this same thing. Thsts why they get to charge so much. I did a lot of plumbing too and I made damn good money doing it
I'll do almost anything to take a good shit outside "oh whats that, you're in the shower sweety? Never mind dont rush"
He was smart. It's all supply and demand. Not related to plumbing, but a similar story nonetheless. My grandfather was a professional jazz musician. He played guitar seriously from when he was 5 until he died in his 90's. I was about 12 and told him I wanted to play guitar for a living like him. He looked me in the eye and asked if I wanted to make money or just wanted to make it a hobby. I told him both. He showed up at my house the next day with a bass guitar😂 He said everyone plays guitar, and nobody wants to play bass. He said I'll never have to look for work in the music industry as a bass player. I was bummed at the time, but 25 years later, and he was absolutely correct.
@@MilesWilliams88 love it! Wise man.
Somebody’s gotta fix garage doors. A hundred million skills are on the verge of becoming super rare
I’m with you I learned overhead doors and it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done and I’m only 19👍
@@ABBlaisebe safe brethren
Hey! I do garage does as a part time gig when I’m not at the fire station. It ain’t easy work and it’s dirty BUT I make more doing that than the city pays me.
fax i’m 19 with my own garage door company
Nah, we'll invent new ways. Your old ways are dead and gone.
They want certified people but the best techs are self taught.
They don't want to do apprentice ship either
This is why my licensed plumber buddy has three houses in his late 30s...
I taught my self how to plumb because I couldn’t find a plumber. 😂
Yes, and most people can do part of the job themselves these days. Even non 'plumber' contractors can do it with the tools available.
Saved yourself ALOT of money
That's the way you do it!
S___ floats and water runs downhill. Pex, pvc, and common sense. Patience allows most people to do most trades. Jumping into concrete work might be the most iffy. If things go south, it's too late to watch that utube video.
This is entirely way too true, there’s so much damn work out there in the plumbing field it’s not funny, but all the old heads treat up and comers and new hires like total shit or just straight up refuse to let anyone new in the club lol it’s scary to think about how many issues can arise and how little people there are to really fix these things.
I was an apprentice plumber for 5 months then quit because of how miserably I was treated.
It’s a ridiculous attitude. Plumbing isn’t rocket science. Because I can’t find plumbers to do the work, I don’t even call anymore - I just do it myself.
They treet young guys the same way they were treated when they were coming up. They just b didn't quit when it got hard.
@@SNRSachse1 there is a difference between hard and abusive.
If work is hard it is ok, if my supervisor is being abusive that is not ok.
Also treating like they were treated is not a good excuse
It’s like that for truckers too my buddy had to find something else for a career after getting his class A and going to driving classes and training and all but every place he went to look for work all said no they wanted people with years experience, pretty ridiculous how these older guys in these jobs have ruined the market
This is why people should strive to learn everything they can about everything they can, never live your life reliant on anyone else.
That's always been my philosophy.
That is excellent advice however at some point you are reliant on someone or something else unless you literally have a factory that can produce all materials known to man at short notice and in high qty. Supply chain is king.
@RK-zf1jm I can't argue with you on that, I was more referring to being able to repair just about anything (within reason). In my area I'm the local MacGyver, people bring me A to Z to fix. I enjoy it very much and Barter as much as I can. But you are 100% supply chain is God. I can fix anything (almost) but with out raw material, mud huts and spears for everyone.
What you speak of is almost impossible, you're basically describing Amish lifestyle
@user-iv5yl5sq2i what I'm describing is what I have done for 30+ years, and enjoy all of the technology, no Amish here. It's not at all impossible, it's called the want, need and will to learn as much as possible. If you never try I promise you , you never will, in anything in life.
As someone who worked in a trade job. The problem is they don’t pay you very well, they pay barely above minimum wage. On top of that we had to supply our own tools and supplies. That’s provided you even find a job because most won’t call you back unless you have experience. I went to so many places applying until I finally got a job somewhere and the only reason I got it was because my friend recommended me. It’s a lot of physical labor that takes a huge toll on your body that doesn’t pay well
Facts. People say go union for more money but where I’m at they are sending your ass out of state to plumb for months if you’re union. No thanks.
God, this is what happened to me outta high school. Vo-tech for Machinist. Already had several certifications that were recognized nationally. 1st job was minimum wage and I was the only one in my apprenticeship that had to pay tuition and book fees. Everybody else's company paid for them. After my first paycheck the owner slapped a big book in front of me showing me all these tools i needed to buy. Thousands that he wanted me to finance. On minimum wage, with no credit history what so ever. This was 2011. In hindsight the car accident I had a few months into it probably saved me from a total mental breakdown. Owner laid me off about a month after that happened cause my back was screwed up. Never had another job in the field because on interviews new companies would ask me why my previous company gave me such bad reviews. Being 18 and learning is fucking wicked in trades fields. Floor manager was an absolute legend though. Id probably have much worse back problems had he not encouraged me to stop and take care of myself first.
Dont know where you're from but a union plumber in NYC make over 60 dollars an hour, and double that when they go over 35 hrs...
if your bringing your own supplies then you were just working for a shit company, providing basic hand tools is fairly common, but were talking about less then $150 to prove your serious about the job (plus you can use them outside of work)
As for pay, any half decent company, you start off at the bottom, prove your worth it and you get raises.
The company I'm at now started me off low for my experience, but I got a raise and a company vehicle after a month, and raises every 6 months since then (all of them dollars per hour not pennies like most places)
Meanwhile we have guys that have been here for a year or more that don't get company vehicles (even though we have one literally sitting at the shop available) and probably haven't gotten raises because they do the bare fucking minimum work and half assed at that. I would literally get 2x the work done when I had as much experience as them. Now its more like 4x.
Dude that sucks, sorry that happened to you. There are a lot of dog shit companies out there, I got lucky and worked for a company that prioritized training me, pay was shit when I was new but when I started figuring out how to fix and install shit started making bank. (Again was lucky enough to find a good company, good friend of my, great tech has been shafted by about 4 companies). Got in the union, they gave me a 2022 Transit pay for gas and tools and guaranteed raise every year till you hit journeymen (5 year apprenticeship then journeymen makes about 80 with 40 ish in benefits)
Tradesmen need to be paid more. The infrastructure will fail before that happens
Welders here start at $16/hour, 14 after union dues and they wonder why they had to resort to teaching laborers to weld in order to get the numbers they need
Im a second generation electrician i make the same as my dad did 20 years ago only difference is i started at 9 an hour they are starting kids at 16 now.
When I started in the trade I was at 14 an hour almost 10 years ago, now they are starting some guys with no experience at $25 an hour
There’s a lot of jobs that need higher wages to compete with today’s cost of living. If you want good people, you have to pay them what they’re worth. It’s not rocket science here.
A smart employee who knows what they’re doing will find a higher paying job because they’re smart and knows what they’re doing.
Electricians make a good wage now, im at 35$ an hour. Journeyman with 4 years experience
I couldn't get a trade apprentice if my life dependend on it in my early 20s. Everyone wants you to have a trade school degree. I ended up just working on the railroad and got really lucky with shifts and work location. The jobs are there but nobody is willing to hire anyone who doesn't have 5 years of experience. And if you do get that apprenticeship outside of a union your making walmart money and you can barely survive unless your living with your parents
You nailed it. Last year I got 13/hour and an extra 1$ hour after 90 days. 65 year old boomer had spending issues and wouldn’t pay me shit. I left that job and applied to 4 other apprenticeships with 90 day’s experience and I heard nothing back
Now I work at a car wash making 16/hour and benefits lol
A trim carpenter went from 31k 15 years ago to 160k today ... , and I'm loving it
You’re the problem
@paulgregory1612 base , crown. Stair Cases , windows , doors , ect
@RandomUser_360 na , I went in buisness
In St. Louis you can't do plumbing or electrical without a license. They make it impossible to get one. You pretty much have to sell your soul to someone or a company.
Was just gonna say that. The plumbers union is impossible to get into. Heavy nepitism. Nobody hires without previous experience but nobody offering apprenticeship.
Ranken in STL is the only place i found unfortunately.
same around the country. you can have a 4 year electrical engineering degree and 10 years work experience, but you have to work 12/hr for 2-4 years for a licensed troll and pay the toll to get a license.
Why not have the ability to test out of the internship that doesnt pay a liveable wage?
There’s one guy one TH-cam who had the same problem with the septic business. He started the business with no experience and hired somebody who was licensed and had him teach him the entire trade and help him pass the test etc
Not the case in Charlotte NC. It’s easy to get into plumbing. There are temp services that will hire starting at 20 an hour. No experience.
Everytime I tried talking to a plumber or electrician about an interest in their job. they tell me to do literally anything else. or do something computer related.
I do electrical construction and I can agree that the job isn't interesting for most people. When it's new construction it's good but we do a lot of panel changes, service upgrades, and getting older houses up to new code I can say for certainty that most electricians can put in recess cans receptacles and switches blindfolded and likely have lost interest. Also new construction is harder these days because Popeyes for example has a half a year wait list for the switch gear (ct can, main disconnect etc) which means we can't finish it even if we were to start it unless we had them in our shop.
A lot of "computer related" jobs are currently saturated but there is a lot of opportunity if you're genuinely interested and looking to learn new things.
It can take a while to start making good money though.
@@nelsoncorreia7293saturated?
I’ve heard the opposite. I’ve heard it’s the opportunity of the century.
Why can it take a long time to make money?
@@imt3206It is saturated because the past 20 years every man has chosen that path and immigrants.
@@imt3206 It's saturated because since the start of Covid companies have been doing mass layoffs and mergers (which lead to mass layoffs). Over 100,000 software engineers across the world have been laid off in the last year alone. This means there's a big glut of talent looking for work which makes it impossible for recent graduates such as myself to get anything.
Im a plumbing apprentice and the work is brutal in the heat sometimes for low pay. They cant keep employees for the pay.
They can absolutely afford it.
Yes here in Texas it’s almost physically impossible to work in the summer all day. You can do it a few times but imagine every single day out there. No one can survive that.
Aye, I pushed for a raise and better working conditions after the first heat stroke, now I don’t get yelled at for grabbing a bottle of water, given the crew I work with is pretty small and the boss and journeyman both have a second job, so they were pretty willing to do whatever to get another guy back working again
They are underpaying you leave
Correct. Difficult to find an available plumber........and in Northern California, they're $150+/hour.
Really...
It's far and far more than what doctors get paid in uk
You are 100% correct I am in Sacramento, and there are only like 3 reputable companies, and good luck booking one.
@@Aegon_Targaryenthen again we use plumber services daily compared to a doctor.
The average age of a trucker is around 50.
It takes zero skill or knowledge to drive a truck. Plumbing is a different story
@@FoilPowellconnecting pipes is extremely difficult.. I wasn't doing that at 5 years old at all
Edit: reading blueprints is not something I can do so 🤷 being fair and all
@@FoilPowelldo you even know what a pre check is? You would be lost after 15 seconds. Trucking isn’t easy on your body or mind. Imagine driving a 30k steel machine with idiots who can’t drive and if something happens it’s your fault every time. And plumbing isn’t easy either, codes codes and more codes need to be followed. Same with trucking lots of regulations.
@coupons420 I had a commercial driver's license at 1 point so I understand what a "pre check" is about. I'm also a mechanic, so I can fix that rig too... lol
We could replace every trucker on the east coast with rails in a decade
Cant replace plumbers
Flooring/hvac/plumbing at 24. Can say i wish more of my cousins my age did the same lol mfs cant figure out what end of the shovel to hold 😂
Hi, I am just curious what can a perosn who gets into the industry makes a month in your country?
@@creativeleodaily10k
@creativeleodaily you can make any amount just takes timing for all the jobs to stack up. But i aint tryna make a milli in a year just for the IRS to come for my ass lmao. 10k a year or even 25k
I continue to make more in IT than my friends in the trades, it's crazy. There is demand but a lot of places don't want to be burdened with training and if they don't mind then they likely don't pay well either. The friend closest to me is an electrician in the DMV, but with us at the same seniority in careers I was kind of puzzled myself as to how he isn't making >$125k yet either. It sucks too because becoming an electrician is my fallback career but I probably wouldn't be able to keep up financially if I went in low/mid-range due to low voltage experience with RJ45/RJ/11/RJ6/RJ12 and data-over-power.
But isn't it looking like many IT jobs will be severely impacted by the advent of AI?
@@anibal5845 IT is broad and your questions is a yes and no like most things with AI. Someone could theoretically make plumbing software that uses AI+instrumentation to automate the majority of plumbing diagnostics as an example, but like with plumbing where you need a human to wield the wrench, in IT you still need humans to deal with end users and rack equipment. For electricians I already know of software+hardware out there that can scan a building with human vetting/completeness of data and can help firms plan out new runs, capacity, etc. Very few things aren't prone to AI/robotics/automation in general, but I don't look at it fearing for job security, if anything it automates the boring stuff and will eliminate the concept of "bs jobs" ("BS Jobs" by David Graeber)
Well he works a govt job that’s why. Any service tradesmen in any area can make 100k +
I went for my apprenticeship in 2017, the journeymen at the place I was at were there because they had a loyalty to the name and didn't want to start new somewhere else but I did hear quite a bit that the management dynamic has changed when the son of the owner took over and changed the pay rates. The son found out that the plumbers were making more than him because they were doing all the work that came in, afterwards he cut down on the staff and out sourced more of the work to subs
Started plumbing when I was 22 now 28 and love it
How do I get into it?
Same here man. Started plumbing when I was 22 and now 27 and its awesome. Money is good and you see something new everyday
😂😂😂only took you 6 years to start dang that’s better then most people Ik in the trade.
@@DyingBreed007You have to find a company/someone who is willing to train you but you also have to put in the work in knowing the different names of plumbing parts, materials, systems, and how they work/operate and it makes things alot easier. I ive been doing it since I was 22 and work under a Master Plumber whos been doing it for 30+ years and he still shows me stuff I dont know all the time
This is exactly why I fix my own stuff, whenever possible.
Oh ya man I hear ya. I don't let anyone touch any of my things. Everyone has the power inside them to tackle anything.
until you can't
@@jarenagra2804 Until then, we will.
@jarenagra2804 Some things are out of my technical expertise. But 90% of the time, I can figure it out.
The easy stuff like fluid changes, alternators, batteries, the occasional code, ect is all stuff you can likely troubleshoot on your own. It gets a bit more technical with electrical gremlins, sensors, bearings, cv joints..ect.
Most cars and trucks these days, if you take good care of them, they will last at least 200k without major repair.
@jarenagra2804 wow, you just completely demolished every argument for the right to repair. we better just throw everything away immediately or pay more than what the object is worth to have someone "qualified" fix it for me
It’s physically impossible to “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” you’re far more likely to tear the strap or hurt yourself than deny gravity. That’s why it’s such a great analogy, it’s so good people don’t get that it’s supposed to be impossible.
😂
It's a common idiom because it's meant to mean that the only person who's going to help you overcome what seems impossible is yourself.
There are plenty of idioms that people know aren't actually physically possible, such as "If the sky falls, we shall catch larks". They're meant to communicate an idea through metaphor, not be a command to actual action.
@@benjamintherogue2421no, it’s not meant to say that only you can do what seems impossible. It’s an idiom that mocks the people who say exactly that.
False
@@yeef3493 bears, beets, battle star galactica
where I live its like that for EVERYTHING. and people are slowly but surely going nuts
I'm 43 and started building houses as a licensed contactor when I was 21. I chose my plumber, hvac, and electrician that were all near the same age as me. We have built our own little empire of semi custom new home construction. I can call these guys, and they don't have to be hounded. They show up and show out, and I never have to push them. It's rare to find someone like them, but I had a big hand in helping them build their business along with mine. The secret is Loyalty is a 2 way street. Stick with them and they wil stick with you.
Yup, actually TRAIN your employees and work with them and us younger fellas have no problem showing up. When the older fellas are dead/retired, that's some shit I need to know so I can pass it on to the next generation.
Different world now. You can't get a license at 21 without someone signing you up out of fucking middle school. NO ONE in the trades will take on someone without experience. So, no one gets hired.
Makes me happy to be training in the HVAC trade as a young man. There are some hard workers still out there.
Stay with it hvac does all trade
Keep grinding stay away from the drugs and you'll be set man. Keep your mind sharp and you'll have your own business one day, making real bank.
Smart man. IMNSHO, everyone needs to have 4 semesters of education/training in 'the trades'. 2 sem. general/overview and 2 sem of a specific. I'm pushing 60, grew up in a tool and die family, got a EE, spent almost 40 yrs designing software, with bouts of elec, plumbing, and various other old house repair/total rehab.
As a young man the trades in my county don't pay shit. You also need 5-6 years of experience for entry level jobs. Fuck that work smarter not harder
@TheShadowPerson. That sucks, man. In Chicago, there's massive nepotism for getting into any of the unions. OTOH, there's so much 'small ' work that one can find some union guy who does weekend side jobs and propose to help out doing anything.
I agree been doing commercial plumbing since i was 18 and I’m 23 now it’s very tiring not being able to find any good help
I'm pushing 60 and don't want to go back into the hi-stress world of software engineering.
Just picking up elec. and plumbing jobs (some etc.) in my historic 'hood in Chicago.
So many places that have issues where people don't know how to do something, but the job is too small for many FT plumbers to even bother quoting or looking at.
We handled that issue here in Texas. You only need 1 licensed plumber and 20 illegal immigrants....😂
Shits not funny
As a contractor I can tell you this is 100% true..... every plumber in my area is 4 months out for new clients, if they even say yes.
You've spoken to every plumber in your area? Every one?
why don't they hire and train more people and maybe raise prices in the mean time?
What area is this? Its the exact opposite here in Miami
@@tezwah5651 I live in a tourist town. As far as licensed, insured and good at what they do, yes. They're are a few that are shit and that no contractor uses because they fk up almost every job they do.
@@stevienicks210 instead of adding a bunch of qualifiers after the fact save us both time and just say no you havent.
I get your point, the industry generally seems to be booked for months but it's a bit much to say you know every plumbers bookings.
I'm 26, started hvac when I was 20. Branched I to apprentice plumbing and electrician. And there truly isn't enough workers to go around. Some days I get home and the second I walk in the door, some poor grandma has water falling out of her ceiling or some cancer patient has no AC. 50% of the time it's all lies, just to make you go out there and cut them a break on the bill. But the greatest customers are the sweetest old ladies who baked you a cake/brownies/cookies just because you said you were coming. Those are the customers who get the best deals from me.
good on ya for honoring the elderly mate
Going for my journeyman’s plumbing license next month. Love it!
I'm hiring apprentices right now. Ever thought of getting paid to learn rather than paying a school?
@@stakehexthankmelater likely knows more than you
@scottrobinson7360 how did you arrive at that conclusion?
@@stakehexthankmelater i read bills post then your offer and worked it out from there
@@stakehexthankmelater an apprenticeship is required to become a licenced plumber at the journeyman's or masters levels
The problem isn't lack of plumbers, it's a lack of honest plumbers
This is why I got into the trades, supply and demand, baby!
I couldn't agree more. Two of my grandkids this year decided to go to trade schools instead of college and I couldn't be happier that they are a part of building America
i mean pay more. the issue is literally just pay. everyone goes on about how high their paying. but for some reason when you actually go to get a job its like ok the standard 50k a year, after waiting 3-5 years and starving the first two. if you can make that ubering without overtime than its simply a matter of pay.
The world is lagging behind in raising prices to offset the ever increasing cost of living. Adequate pay just 10 years ago is barely scraping by now.
Inflation puts a higher dollar amount for a good or service, yes, but the flip side is seeing the value of every dollar diminishing. Things aren't actually taking more value to get, just what were using to get it is being devalued by an increasing money supply (gov printing money with no backing).
Homes/cars/rent/food go up faster than wages can increase to offset it, so people get squeezed. Markets sometimes wont bear price increases (some plumbing companies dont so others cant up their prices fast enough to maintain wage standards), so as a result the wages effectively go down, even if the number stays the same.
Its not just plumbers or even all trades, but everyone whose pay isn't inflation adjusted. Rich or poor. This is why things cost 30x what they did in the early 1900's, and we sometimes don't play catch up fast enough. Blame the fed reserve. A handful of central bankers have more control over your life than any gov ever could have.
@@ctdieselnut the issue is large corporations simply have to accept they are going to make less. its the single variables all other variables are derived from. obviously if you have a small business and your competing with a large business. they set the wages, as they can afford to pay less to drive you out. the only problem is their is no mechanism in place to "force" them to make less money. and any mechanism you purpose will be meet with that's against property rights, or that's communism, or what about their freedom. and when one origination is playing the mental chess game against thousands of employees that have no untied strategy or approach. and the cost of none compliance is starvation. the organization will win every time.
@@humpteedumptee8629 big corporation dont necessarily have to make less as a result of paying higher wages, they need to up their prices to offset the higher salaries. They may be hesitant to do this, because higher prices drive consumers to the competition if they have lower prices.
'Workers not being payed enough' at a big corp coming down to a single variable is oversimplified and misleading. Greed is one variable of many here.
I don't get what you mean by saying 'they can afford to pay less to drive you out', talking about small vs big businesses, referring to the latter. Drive who out? Their workers? Why would they want to drive their workers out? Big corps arnt paying well, that benefits small businesses by setting the market standard wages low, and allows them to offer an incentive of higher pay to attract employees.
@@humpteedumptee8629 also, a mechanism to force big corps to do something about this is anti free market and anti capitalism. Of course this isn't going to happen and the idea of it will be looked down upon, i believe as it should be. Unions are an acceptable answer to this, and there already is a union for plumbers.
Not trying to be a dick here, but i think your coming at this the wrong way. The market forces an incentives that drive the decisions that corps make have clear motivations that easily explain why certain scenarios play out over and over again (what hsppens when), and without knowing these factors corp's behavior appears mysterious. Or worse, you wrongly attribute everything to greed, when theres more to the explanation that will give a more complete view.
The broad strokes are simple, but the minutiae can get complex. People go to business schools, who's sole purpose is to graduate MBA's, to understand these kind of things. Im not well versed on all this stuff(i don't have a degree) but the basics are fairly easy to learn if you're willing to look into it.
If you're going to say fuck big corporations, at least do it for the right reasons lol.
@@ctdieselnut I obviously meant accept they will make less and pay more. than all other business could pay more, as their still competitive. its not a hard concept if I'm working with massive economy of scale and have more throughput efficiency. I set the prices and wages for all smaller versions of me. you cant pay more because I pay less, you cant sell for more because I sell for less. I can afford this because my scale allows me more margin. I'm willing to make less to force you into submission. the only reason I don't remove all in my path there exist a certain limit to how cheap I can be while maintaining my own survival. so all not willing to be at the same price/wage point as me while making less than me. have to lose and go under. and those willing will forever be my enemy and ill keep them at as small a margin as possible until I get a better position and eventually ill squeeze them as well.
its really not a hard concept that massive companies set the wages and prices. if you want to fix the issue of stagnate wages you simply have them accept they will lose money. but there is no real way of doing that. and they don't care at all if the entire middle class becomes poor. it only further strengthens their position.
there's no reason to be pedantic and act like were playing weird word games. you can just say I disagree I support whatever and that's my opinion. personally I don't like big business, small business, the gov, or anyone else for that mater. I don't like anyone who's intention is to use me as a number on a ledger. I don't want to be anyone's 3rd holiday homes upkeep in exchange for scraps.
As a plumber this is music to my ears, maybe in 15 years we’ll actually get paid what we’re worth. Have one of the most important jobs in the world and get paid pennies
If you even get paid. That's why my dad doesn't do contracting anymore, people just don't pay you. Sure you can take them to court but that costs even more money...then you find out they're flat broke and you're double fucked.
Charge half the labor cost up front or more. The materials full payment. Simple. No prepayment, no service. charge them a retainer like lawyers do. Talk to the other people in other companies and tell them to do the same. Before you know it, you will all be getting paid what you're worth.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@9770G 100k is solid money but for how important trades are we should be getting probably double that. Especially with inflation fcking everyone now a days that 100k ain’t what it was even 5-10 years ago.
Excatly, just like electricians.
They don't want to pay a livable wage anymore that's the problem.
high schools need to have this as a vocation, and also states should help with finding internships and a good loan to purchase what is needed from a retiring plumber. The PAY IS GOOD. These kids need to see they can eventually have their own business.
A lot of schools have done away with vocation classes where I'm from. I still remember when they took away the auto shop from my old local HS after I had graduated, no one even batted an eye. They're funneling these kids into "higher" learning, strapping them with immense debt, then saying "good luck!", and wondering why they flounder through life.
@@JV-io3nnWe need to start de-emphasizing the 4 year university and start emphasizing the 2 year community colleges. Because these rules will always apply;
1. Every student is not going to college.
2. Of the students going to college, not every one of them should be going to college.
My highschool here in Texas teaches vocational trades, I took classes to become an electrician, but now I’m in college to become an aircraft mechanic
@@jerrbear1017 L
@@earlwyss520my computer teacher would give a speech every Monday called "Monday motivational". He just told us to go to college and showed us the wage difference. I did, I got hired and dropped out, then 5 years later became a carpenter starting at a higher wage than I was making after 5 years as a service tech for Point of sale.I was making $15/hr after 5 years, I started at $18/hr with no experience as a carpenter. 4years into carpenterry and i was general foreman. College is a waste unless ur going into science/math field. Everything else should just be a trade that's taught as you work.
I’ve attended 3 different high schools in two different states and I’m sure a huge reason for this is that schools are pushing students to go to college with the idea of “even if you don’t know what you want to do now, you can always change your major when you find out”. Everyone from my graduating calls who have went to college all now have degrees they don’t use making minimum wage jobs because working any jobs with your hands dirty is frowned upon now
It was the same in mine. They never even told us that going to college for anything other than STEM was an option except for one guy, who was a tradesman before his current job, told us it was an option AS we were selecting which colleges to send our act scores to.
As a HVAC tech and licensed plumber i cant agree more. Its gonna hit HARD when the people realise theres no one there to fix the toilet or get the heat going middle of winter
yea till you actually look into it, and its so fukkin easy its a joke.
It's gonna hit a point where people start fixing their own garbage again
@@narwhal9852good
@@larryscarr3897It dosen't take much skill to do the work in a house. As a electrician the hardest thing in a house to do is a 3 way switch. Figuring out amd trouble shooting is the part the requires skills and knowledge.
@@justingray1215 100% agree!! Go slow check your work.. if a different guy can do it so can you.
My Plumbing course starts next monday. I'm 30 and decided that food service ain't gonna cut it.
I have been a plumber since 1993, good luck with the course and don't quit.
There really is a good living to be made as a plumber
I'm starting tmr!!! Doing my research LMAO
@@thyxedgood luck! I start in winter
I'm starting this coming Monday .. did autobody for over 10 years and going into plumbing apprentice
Same ! Been a cook a few years now and it’s not gonna cut it, I love it but I need something on paper so if I want to leave I don’t gotta start over from the bottom like a kitchen
I started plumbing 8 years ago because I saw this exact thing happening around the time I hit my prime as a working man. Feels good brother.
Enjoy your next shift.
Was it worth it i just started a plumbing apprenticeship two months ago I like it
@@micahboy5994its worth it. Trust me. Its a skill that cannot be replaced and will only continue to become a more valued trade
@@Sneaky5.sl0w. you'll say that until RoboRooter hits the scene.
@@y0nd3r Eventually roboplumber will also be able to scan the pipes to replace the metal that has deteriorated over time with the exact proportions of metals the rest of the pipes are made of, ofc after draining all the water and thoroughly cleaning the pipes.
I, luckily enough, go to a school district that does co-op with its trade school. From freshmen to senior year I did both schools. Went for plumbing class. Graduated and went on to go to a plumbing shop. Great time to be honest.
Im in a rural Canadain community.
Up here we're being taxed so much and paid so little that there is no longer insentive to work in trades. Its depressing, our government is useless junk.
Did a landscape apprenticeship and boss didn’t want to teach me anything, just wanted cheap labour, good thing I persisted and prayed a lot and after 25 years am now sharing my skills on my channel to help others
Sadly you're rhetoric exception. Seems alot if young boys like myself were never taught about how to get into this line of work. So now we have a shortage.
Happening now my dude, and it will absolutely trickle to larger areas.
I live in a small county (roughly 30k people) and almost all skilled laborers with licenses and insurance are booked out 6+ months.
Lol, not at all. Union halls in big cities are like universities and politics - it’s all legacy gatekeepers and you gotta be related to someone to get in. In small towns, sure. But big cities will be set for the next century, especially now that so many old people died with COVID.
@@Qwerty0791cities must suck to live in lol
@@edgardiaz690 Cities are just your life on a harder difficulty. If you make money, the city is fantastic. If you make under the average (70-80k annually), you'll suffer. That's why people move out to the sticks.
@@Qwerty0791 dude, move to a small town. I live like a king. Then again my wife and I make 96,000 or close to 100,000.
@@edgardiaz690 Yeah, but I like staying out all night and having museums and shit to do.
Where I’m located any trade is in high demand and no people to fill the spot. AC techs plumbers electrician top pay
$30+ an hour for hvac where I'm at.
Ya guys like to say there’s soooo much $ in the trades yet go look at any company hiring for these positions. The pay is anywheres from 40k-150k at best usually. Only way u making more than that is working for yourself but even then you are making 200-300k a year at most unless u start a massive business.
@@scottmattern482ya that’s hard work for 60k a year.
@@9770G or you could make half of that, owing a hundred thousand to some college, and have a piece of paper that says you paid a school many thousands of dollars for info that is mostly on the internet for free. What is the average salary for a medical doctor?
@@9770G zipping metal together or fixing a furnace isn't all that hard, compared to say a auto mechanic or roofer. Especially for an 18 year old to have no debt and start making $60k a year, it is not very hard labor and a sound financial decision. By the time they are 22 they will have made a quarter million dollars, or be in debt to a school for a $100k and start making $50-60k at 22.
I've thought about switching from soffit/fascia/gutters/screen rooms to something indoors like plumbing or A/C. It's just so brutal working outside in FL. Heat beat us up all Summer. Then you have week's like this, where the rain just destroyed us this week. Didn't really make much money but am like $3k per week expenses/labor I pay out regardless. Then again, that's irrelevant and a wash since we did phenomenal this year. And last year. best thing ever was charging higher prices and making more money doing less work. Just have to target different homeowners and turn down all the small shit. We're worth it, I think.
Ive been plumbing for over 25 years. Done it all. Industrial, commercial, residential, from rough, topout, trim, gas, septic tanks. We are a dying breed.
How many men have you trained in your career?
My dad is a master plumber in 2 states and the job offers he gets on a daily basis is incredible. Companies request information about all the masters in the state and will send them a letter with a job offer without ever meeting. When I mention my dad is a master and I worked with him in high school I get 45/hr+ offers on the spot.
Lots of Nepotism in the trades
As someone who works in fire compliance,there is definitely a shortage of plumbers, electricians & Hvac techs. The starting salaries are only like 45-50k & your gonna be working and driving ALOT. As well as exposure to bacteria & mold on a daily basis which seems like the reason ppl dont wanna deal with it. Not to mention sassy managers and residential customers.
Proud to be a 25 year old blue collar worker, been doing low voltage work for over a year now and without a doubt the best job I’ve had. Beats working at grocery stores and restaurants
I do IT work and completely hate being inside an office all day, sounds like fun being outside and different work places every day
@@luck9837 it's not that at all lol. It's usually very hot and dirty job rooting around in attics, above ceiling tiles, in crawlspaces, etc.
New building installation isn't too bad usually, but existing places will usually have no airflow and have you rooting around in , drywall dust, insulation, years of dust thrown up into the air by the insulation, dirt, rat poop, bird poop, dead animals, spiders, webs, mold, ... you name it.
There is no scenic cruising, and being in the great outdoors lol
@@GeneralTaco155555a hows the pay? Idk if I’m just burnt out but that sounds better than sitting in a cubicle all day
@@luck9837 depends on where you are in the country, and union or not. Union jobs can be up to like $70 an hour for data cabling if you have all your credentials and whatnot.
If not, then as low as minimum wage for the area lol
If you look into automation work you can get the best of bother worlds. Initial rough in. Then further down the line installation programming and configuration to finish the project.
Can confirm, I live in Australia and all our major cities are hotspots for “skilled labour” price gouging and I use these words because real professionals I am happy to pay whatever price they need - but the chumps we have couldn’t tell you the difference between their assholes and a hole in the ground and they’ll charge you hundreds just for walking in your front door.
My own industry faces a lot of the same problems. I work in ponds, and I’m the youngest guy doing it. Everyone else doing it is around my father’s age; that is to say, in their 60s. But the thing is, so long as there is work to be done and pay to be made, there will always be someone to do a job that is in demand. I’m sure it’ll take a while, but eventually someone will replace me.
Ive called every college and high school in 100 miles offering free summer classes/training to any of 2 dozen fields and full time 6 figure jobs after summer training. they all hung up on me
Damn... Then why do none of the plumbing companies around me hire, despite the fact that they say they are hiring apprentices?
Maybe the problem is you then. Not making fun of you, but if you already failed multiple times to enter a high demand job on the entry level, you might want to rethink your tactics. Cause the standard nowadays is that you get hired if you are able to stand upright and make it to the job on time
@RandomGuy-qr5jw Or its that they are exploting a tax loophole where if they are 'hiring', they get tax reductions... I'm not saying that it plumbing isn't a high demand job, only that most buisnesses are shady as fuck with that shit.
@chumajamesnxele106 that actually could be the issue. But I dont think the specific company I was applying for was unionized or required union membership. Could be wrong, though.
@@Sure_You_Betchaalso a lot of companies are just shady in general. The ones to look for are smaller operations that have been in the business for a while. I applied to all the big ones in my area and they basically turn you into a salesman. Found a small company with 35 years of great rapport that was honest and wanted to train me. Sucks there are so many shitty ones out there, but rest assured there are a few legit ones that want hard workers who are willing to learn
I met a guy last fall, all he did was fix dryers and such. He was friends with a few appliance stores. He was a little "off" mentally. This guy had work stacked a week out, and charged 60 hr to replace a friggin belt. He's doin fuckin great.
I don't think there's anything wrong with him mentally if he's getting 60 an hr. 🤔 😂
High or reasonably high functioning autistic people can do that. Not everyone is inclined but...
@xandersmith6619 not at all bro, I'm happy for him. I think his daddy took him around as a gopher for a few years and set him loose. Dude is aces.
$60 change a belt on a dryer seems fair. those things can be real pain in the asses. i think most people would charge $150+ just to come out and teardown the dryer + parts
I know someone that did that when Sears was around. His turn around was so quick he doubled backed as a contractor and his employees under his business fixing washers and driers.
I'm retired at 45. My last company gave me a great send off when I quit. Had to hire 3 of the new generation to kind of fill my boots😅
there's alot of talk about older people not training people to keep the prices up, or because they simply don't want to. what is your take on this. Why do you think 3 people were needed to fill you boots? Also congrats on retiring so early, i'll be finishing my masters at 28 and then be working for the next 40 years before actually being able to retire. Studying is fun, it definetly makes up for it i think... Also knowing that i'll be doing a job that won't require physical labour is a good foresight.
I did HVAC for a year after I got out the Navy. Living in Florida, crawling around in attics, there was no way I wanted to do that for the rest of my life and only making $60k a year maybe $80k at about 15-20 year mark.
I’m a 46 yo plumber and I can say this is 110% true! I encourage any young person to pursue that career. In Charlotte nc service plumbers are making 6 figures s year!
The idiot kids of today think they're all going to become python programmers with Machine learning skills and startups will give them 2 million dollars in equity and they'll retire before their 35th birthday.
My dad is 70 years old. Has his HVAC and construction electrician license in Alberta. He says they still call him back to work because no one wants to put in a full work day.
@rohitnijhawan5281 there you go call them idiots that'll get them in the trade....or is it that these kids can learn programming for free within their home...where as to learn a skill you have to work under someone who most of these old guys dont want to teach anyone and then these old guys tell young kids trying to learn that they need to bring their own tools and sometimes their own truck....which most young kids trying to learn a skill obviously dont have. Then they have to be on the job for 4 years before they can start going on their own.
@@DeNorsemenTell em! What's easier to do: Get on a computer and learn (for free) as much as you want for the career path that pays highly and a company that treats you lavishly or have some boomer half-ass teach you how to do a job that asks way too much of you physically, mentally, and financially that you can't even surpass anyone even if you are more than able?
@@DeNorsemen Compare a 17 year old who learns programming at home is no match for actually going out and getting a theoretical degree in computer science that teaches you Big O, compelxity theory, NP, and NP complete problems and a formal setting in which to learn concurrency, OS kernels, and data structures.
I will never say that it's not worth it or that can't be a great choice but to tell me that you can simply learn programming at home and that's akin to getting hands-on apprenticeships are two equals is downright foolish.
Now, much like how there are regulatory barriers to entry in medicine (limited residency spots, medical college spots, protectionism against foreign doctors), requiring 4, or 5 year 29 year apprenticeship to get your full card or union ticket is another barrier to entry. Ask a doctor how they feel about this before and after they enter the profession. It's the same for any trade. "i went through hell for it - you should too"
@rohitnijhawan5281 im sorry but your wrong lol. Does a degree help? Of course it does but in the field of programming as long as you can showcase your skills you can achieve literally the same positions. In fact most people in the industry will tell you that school doesn't actually teach you the necessary skills and its what you do outside the classroom that will really teach you what you need to know. If someone freshly 18 applied for any entry level programming position and showed they have a portfolio of projects showcasing their skills and ability to learn they are probably going to get hired.
You say learning at home isn't equivalent to hands on learning....im not sure what you think learning entails but building programming projects at home is quite literally...hands on learning... So no its really not that foolish. In fact i think its foolish to have that viewpoint considering there are literally hundreds of free classes provided on websites such as freecodecamp that will teach you the same if not better than classroom learning. Which will teach you all about all of those things you say that cant be learned from self teaching?
Which is an odd take since literally anyone in the field of programming or cybersecurity will tell you that they have to teach themselves something new just about every day even though they are already considered experts in the field.... nice try though!
Edit: also this is why programming is so attractive to young people because you dont have to go through some bull "apprenticeship". If you truly want to showcase your skills you can take the vast vast amount of any certification offered through companies like CompTIA that any hiring manager will accept as "you know your stuff". Certificates that you can take...wait for it....in your home.. for a fraction of the cost of any tool you'd use in a trade lol
yeah job shortages ain't a thing some places, it's the skilled labor shortages or rather people willing to put in the work for the cost
Well, in quite a few places there really isn't enough jobs for everyone or positions don't actually exist (see ghost jobs)
I know a few people who would make it in trades and already had the base know how but no place wants to pay to train them or if they do get a chance to train them up the old dude who is meant to train them would just bust their balls or haze them instead of training them