Thought I may as well ask here since I suspect most of you have blue collar careers in the skilled careers. I'm thinking of getting into the trades and I have some questions:
>What is your job?
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
>Is the salary good?
Thanks in advance.
I repair medical imaging equipment. I'd consider it a trade because you don't need a degree. 3rd party service is a small field. Most engineers get their start in the military or through a manufacturer. The manufacturers don't pay much for the most part, but 3rd party service is such a small industry that 100k is average pay for people who aren't even that good.
Do you have a background in electromechanics?
No, which is why I'd call it a trade. The are guys who get biomed degrees in medical imaging, but a lot of us start from nothing. Some guys get their start in the military, some start for the manufacturer, and some get their start at 3rd party companies.
After you spend a year or two training and working, entry level at a 3rd party service company, if you're competent, will be 80-100k depending on your region. Starting you can expect around 40k base plus overtime, which you will work.
I've been trying to get into that field, but up here in Canada it's a 2-year diploma. I've got my ticket and 10 years experience as an HET yet despite having multiple family members in my province's health services industry getting a foot in the door seems impossible.
I'm not opposed to schooling but for such a hyper-specific diploma I'd rather go for Mech. Engineering Tech or something.
Elakta is on suicide watch after Varian got taken over by Siemens Healthineers; hope you don't work dor Varex Imaging.
I got a cnc job with absolutely no prior experience and have been learning on the job.
They don't know I have no experience. But they keep telling me that I'm the best they've ever hired, so maybe it's easier to get into trades than most people think.
I started at $21 but now I'm at $37 after the first 60 day grace period. As much overtime as I want, within reason though.
It's a forty-hour work week, 8ish~4ish, I arrive early so I can leave earlier.
I'm on my feet all day, constantly engaged in what I'm doing. No real risk of injury or death unless I pass out onto the CNC as it's running.
not op but what does cnc stand for, google gives me several results.
Right now I'm running a CNC Router, which is mainly used for cutting down sheet goods, plastics, wood, some metals, etc.
I also run a laser cutter as well as an engraver
A bit of machining work with a mill, but that's pretty rare.
Eventually they want me to start welding, which I do have experience in and am pretty okay at. I think if I start doing more I'll also ask for higher pay.
Chicken-nugget creator. How can you go near /diy and not know that already?
chicken nugget creator
Computer numerical control.
Before computers it was just numerical control, or NC that used punch cards or paper tape with holes punched. Some old dudes in the industry still refer to modern machines as "NC"
Chimken Nugger Creator.
Well now you do have experience, so it's nice not to have to lie anymore.
Very true, I'll add it to my resume
sign shop, a whole world I didn't know existed before taking this job
I didn't even know these kinds of jobs existed until very recently. Now that I'm in the throes of it, I see a redonk amount of opportunities out there if I ever wanted to find similar, but other, work.
I'm hoping to find the right next step some day.
I worked as a cnc operator (punch turret) and want to get into programming, don't really know what to do, im working on diesel engines with occasional manual machining right now and want to go back to CNC. Any advice?
find a reasonable local school that does computer aided manufacturing and see what certificate/degree programs they have available
>want to get into programming
g-code is dead nuts simple. It's literally just memorization of 25 or so of the more common commands and knowing what the cartesian coordinate system is(you learn this in 4th grade). As for CAD/CAM, they're two fairly different types of software. with CAD you generally start with nothing to build a part, with CAM you generally start by entering in your stock size and subtracting material until you get your finished part.
If you want to learn how to write g-code from scratch, there's a whole shitton of tutorials and free courses online to learn it. You can use NC viewer(which is also free) to test your programs visually. The most common frickup people do in their programs are almost always either tool offsets or arcs going the wrong way.
If there's a local community college that offers a degree, do that. I went for a two year AAS, got a lot of hands on experience with manual and CNC machines, probing and inspection, and Mastercam and SOLIDWORKS. Also learned how to read and create prints and GD&T. If you can't go the school route, check out caminstructor dot com. They have online courses that will teach you a shitload about mastercam and SOLIDWORKS, which is likely what you will be using. Do some research into how to read prints, and get really familiar with GD&T, and that'll get you a good head start. You need to understand gcode, but not to the point that you can write programs by hand, just enough to be able to look at code and have an understanding of the frick it means.
post your pay-stub, but blank out the details other than the amount.
I just literally do not believe that you are making over 60% more than I do for the exact same shit, despite you having zero education, or experience running the machinery...
did you lie about that stuff when you applied for the job?
Or do you have literally zero benefits or something?
There's got to be some kind of catch, I guarantee I'm living in a higher COL area than you, and I don't make anywhere near that.
where the frick do you work c**t, you sound like a liar.
>CNC operator making $37/hr with no experience
>Best they ever hired.
I smell bullshit too. I'm not buying that someone just walks in never having touched a machine control before and is the "best they ever hired."
While not paying as much, CNC in my region really is very underrated.
The thing about trades is that the market may change completely from one region to another, so you gotta know what's going on in your area.
What state, anon?
>winging it at CNC
How the frick do you even do that?
You don't, he's larping. You don't "wing it" with g-code.
>77
glorified opperator who manages to pull the file code from one computer and have the actual machine run the file.
then stands there and watches each line process.
>hurr de durr i can make it go and stop...
hes lying
it is very easy, cnc operator = opening files with plots and running it. then replacing the wood when its finished.
I make ornamental metal railings for stairs/balconies/walkways etc. I was hired with no experience as a shop helper and was fabricating and welding stuff about a month into it. It's pretty safe if you wear PPE and don't act like a moron around industrial equipment, though I did once have a spark fly into my eye that had to get drilled out later. 8/10, would do again for the pain meds. We're constantly on site to install our pieces, but the building and finishing are done in the shop 99% of the time. The pay is impressively bad, ~15/hr. We're paid hourly instead of by the piece but honestly it would be about the same anyway. MIG is very easy though, so I guess that's why the pay stinks. I cannot afford a decent apartment on my own, but I hate living in the ghetto so I got a roommate and we split a pretty nice two bedroom in a good part of the city. Anyway don't be an ornamental steel guy I guess.
Do you have to get in-class training to be an electrician?
No. You can become a master electrician without school, however this means that you will study code and prepare for the exam. You will apprentice 4 years and with all the on the job training and some studying on your time you will become a journeyman electrician. From there 2 years later you are able to test to become a master electrician. Study the code learn to use the code book. (the exams are open book) I hope this helps. I’m a retired electrician and I did all the usual electrician stuff. Commercial construction, industrial construction, industrial maintenance, commercial maintenance, residential construction, and residential service repair. It can be physically demanding at times as well as ridiculous hours. The money can be really good, and sometimes you may have trouble getting work. Overall I wouldn’t say avoid trades but if you can your goal should be self employment.
in NJ, yes. This state sucks-ass.
>What is your job?
Plumbing Apprentice
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Still doing it, no cause I live in NJ.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Not yet, but it's required in NJ, ain't doing it, just going to do 4 years and move to PA or south.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Ain't bad, just me and a Boomer. I stay late when he does unless I have something really worth doing. I have a lot of free time since work is local.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
physically yes, but weight lifting helps with that. I recently sliced my thumb open trying to cut a flex pipe, careless mistake.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Only when it's really close to me, i.e 10mins away from my house, other than that. I drive 30mins to his house and use his van
>Is the salary good?
Not really, no($16 dollars). I currently live at home anyway.
It's 5 year apprenticeship here in Ontario. 4 years in other provicnes.
Depends on where you live. Look up your areas requirements on Google and it'll tell you.
Where I live they will pretty much hire anyone for a helper position. Just show up with tools.
Just as general advice from someone who has worked in a number of fields, some of which are nothing like they used to be or mostly extinct-
The term gets overused but a well developed and evolving skill set is what makes you valuable in trades and able to adapt to changes while generally making better money as you go.
You may need to learn specialized skills as you go that may become mostly obsolete over time but knowing the old ways is invaluable when troubleshooting or working around limitations in the new ones, plus in certain trades those can eventually make you that one guy who remembers how to do it right and can name his price as a restoration expert.
Even without that, being they guy who can take on work that would otherwise require hiring a specialist is one of the best ways to stay employed and seen as a valuable asset...IOW be the guy who knows the stuff a career ______ is supposed to know but also know as many potentially related skills as you can.
Example- I spent a crapload of time as a kid working on and fixing/maintaining boats and soaked up everything i could from master craftsmen...later on any time I worked in construction or making signs or whatever where things weren't square, unlike most of the other employees I was happy to tackle those tasks and not only made myself less dispensible, in the process I learned more esoteric aspects of construction involving irregular shapes, arches, vaults, etc...and that led to being able to do restoration work and consultation on older structures where those were more common and most people know little to nothing about how to work on them.
in other words you need to learn how to become and remain the HNIC - Head homie In Charge
high value post
low value post
How many of you are from Ontario or elsewhere in Canada? Can you tell me what the process was for getting an apprenticeship?
It's different in each province but generally you either go to community college (where you will not be an apprentice but your schooling hours will count towards apprenticeship) and they set you up or you find an employer who will agree to sponsor/indenture you and help you get set up.
There's paperwork and examinations and you will have to keep a logbook of all the work you do.
looks like Ontario offers support, connections, and training through Employment Ontario and Skilled Trade Ontario.
>they set you up or you find an employer who will agree to sponsor/indenture you and help you get set up.
>looks like Ontario offers support, connections, and training through Employment Ontario and Skilled Trade Ontario.
This seems like my speed. And I can start this at any time all year round right? There's no start date which I have to meet like how September is the Fall semester for community college?
This may not be your cup of tea, but I’d recommend joining the CAF. They are the #1 entry level employer in Canada. For most trades, you get training that is comparable or better than what you’d get on the civilian side of things with the added benefit of getting paid to workout and do military shit. Although if you value bodily autonomy and people caring about you may want to look elsewhere.
t. joined the CAF after high school and got out with a red seal trade
t. not a recruiter
Im in ontario. If you want to be a plumber (non-union) than just speak english well and apply for a job as a helper, youll move up quickly if you arent a moron. If you want a union job, ask your uncle Guido to put in a good word.
How much does being a non-union plumber pay?
Ontario former HVAC. It was tough getting into the union when i start (not sure how it is now) so I started my apprenticeship non-union. finished in 4.5 years. 3 terms of full time in class during that period which you get EI while youre doing it. after i completed my license i got a union job. never worked so hard in my life. beat the frick out of my body. eventually switched to be a foreman at a commercial real estate company which eventually led to leaving the trade altogether and starting property management.
if you get into a trade, make a plan to get out.
Got a company to sponsor my apprenticeship.
>>What is your job?
I'm a residential electrician (lead)
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I didn't do an apprenticeship or go to school or any of that, I simply started as a helper and learned on the job. took me a couple years to learn enough to be useful but I got paid the whole time
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
It's as much or as little as I want to work. I typically do six-seven days a week at 70ish hours. If I want to take a week off, I can. if I want to miss a day for any reason, including no reason, I just give my boss a call and say so
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
I just make my subordinates do the really shitty b***h work type stuff, and for everything else I go to the gym. There is a very high risk of injury or death as an electrician, higher than any other trade, and you have to be ok with that to do it. Pic related, just one of the many fun places you can die
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I travel somewhere new every day, usually about 30 minutes to an hour of driving for each day, which isn't too bad
>>Is the salary good?
Between my day job, my side work, and all of the other little hustles I've got going on I'm pulling in just over six figures annually, which works for me right now
>I didn't do an apprenticeship or go to school or any of that, I simply started as a helper and learned on the job. took me a couple years to learn enough to be useful but I got paid the whole time
That was your apprenticeship
sure, but it wasn't like an official apprenticeship and I got paid way better than an apprentice does, for about half of that period I was making what a starting journeyman does
>higher than any other trade
You aren't anywhere near the top narrow back. Careful with those 240V. Logging, mining and underwater welding/construction are far more dangerous than screwing on wire nuts homosexual.
>70 hrs per week
>100K per year
that's like $30 hr. Go work for the Post Office or work for yourself. Electricians in my area, which is not wealthy, make $70/hr. New England rates are $120/hr to poke wires into blue boxes.
>Pic related, just one of the many fun places you can die
if you get killed by a fricking meter box, you fricking a deserve it.
im a commercial electrician, meaning i do everything from new construction of large buildings to service work in those same buildings once completed. if you work 70 hrs/wk, and have side hustles, and only make 100k, you are a mongoloid and are definitely doing it wrong
>high risk of death
I thought the main risk of death to an electrician (that isn't a lineman) is getting complacent with safety procedures?
No offense, but if I'm making your kind of money I'll carry the fricking safety handbook with me and read it every time I work.
>What is your job?
Automation technician
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I did two years of community college
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
See above
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work 12 hour days. 3 to 4 days a week. With 3 to 4 days off.
I rarely work overtime
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
It's not particularly demanding but when shit goes south we're expect to do whatever we have to do to get it working. There's always a risk of injury or death in an industrial enviroment.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I spend all day every day in the same plant.
>Is the salary good?
For my rural area yes, It was around 80-90k gross last year.
Automation and controls specialist at a dairy here. Was doing ironwork in highschool/right after. Joined muh-reens, 0321 (don't do this.) Went to a technical school for aviation maintenance. Did that for a few years. Got tired of 3 pages of paperwork to pull a panel, clean, inspect, slap in some CPCP, grease, reinstall/seal panel. I now work at a dairy. Started off as a level 1 tech. Have worked my way up to automation and controls specialist. Work 3 12s and. 6hr shift. 3 1/2 on 3 1/2 off. It's a dairy. We receive, process, and ship over a million gallons of milk a week. It uh. As said its an industrial environment, everything will kill you and it will hurt the whole time. Company I work for takes care of their employees. South Texas grocery store. Texans know the one. But national average pay is shit. We have a dairy, meat, ice cream, snack, healthy snack?, and bakery on same lot I float between the plants if they need help. Main plant is dairy. I like it. Currently looking for something similar with more pay though.
>South Texas grocery store
HEB?
Yes. The grocery cult. I'm honestly surprised I haven't been talked to about posting here on the public wifi.
Do you get health insurance benefits on an apprenticeship?
Are there any risks in being a welder and would you usually just work at a plant?
Honestly the risks are about the same as you would expect at any factory, construction site, or plant. Like being in the vicinity of heavy equipment and having to rely on other guys to not be morons while you're working. Burning yourself is quite common though it's rarely serious, very small burns on your arms and the like. You can shock yourself but do to the low open circuit voltage of the machines even at high amps you're very unlikely to seriously hurt yourself, I've shocked myself accidentally with my machine at 180 amps a couple times but feels like nothing more than a jolt. As far as where you'd work, there's welders needed in all sorts of places, of course there are chemical plants and oil refineries but there's also cross country pipeline, construction site, oil rig, manufacturing, and random shop jobs. All these places may have different procedures too, hell one of the big ones in my area is work for space x which involves a lot of dual shield welding.
>>What is your job?
primarily residential electrician
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
no official apprenticeship. just a long period of time where I wasn't making good money doing the job. I just work with one guy.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
no
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
8-5 Monday to Friday. but the days often run short when we get finished early and there's not enough time to go to another job. I have free time on the weekend for side work.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
yes. and the second one is yes if you're stupid.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I use my own car to get to the job site from where I live
>>Is the salary good?
I make $27hr now. but I've been getting at least one raise a year. I bet I'll be making $30 by the time the years out. I make from $50-$150 an hour doing side work though.
How quick do you hear back from an employment office if you're looking for a sponsorship for your apprenticeship?
>government office
>on the weekend
bruh.
I mean, if I were to contact them on Monday, of course.
not op but thank you for this thread. soaking up everything i can. my current job has me miserable to the point where im actually, no bs, ready to fricking kill myself and id prefer to try a career change before that happens, nor that anyone probably cares but oh well. im worried about money though, i make 75k now which is okay and i fear going underwater before i catch up to that pay rate again and im nearly 30 so starting late. also curious about pros and cons of each trade, who has best pay, benefits, apprenticeship times, etc.
same boat as you anon, left my officecuck job because I'm at the point where I'd rather kill myself than put together shitty spreadsheets for some homosexual middle manager to glimpse at and forget about. Even if the pay is less, I feel more fulfilled when doing meaningful work like repairing or making shit on the side.
based, frick being a wageslave. quitting my job at the end of the year to start my own office where i can leave for a vacation for as long as i can.
I am also 30.
Don't worry mate, I get like this yearly and job hop. Get some tech certs if u want an easy to grift/job hop field. I currently am maintenance for industrial agriculture, gonna quit in 6~ months.
Same, about to turn 29 and I just want to do something that isn't staying in one place in one fricking building all day doing monotonous bullshit and being monitored by incompetent moron management for shit pay.
Don't forget:
Utterly replaceable and then won't be able to find another job.
Some trades may suck dick, but at least they always need a fricker who can do the job somewhere.
Equipment mechanic.
Apprenticeship was military directly after high school.
40 hrs a week with two hours overtime daily voluntarily. Some optimism for sixth and seventh day (time and a half and double time).
Not too hard. You get on the ground and roll around and are exposed to the elements occasionally, but vast majority is in a heated large shop. There is always a risk of injuring yourself or someone else injuring you, but most coworkers are safety conscious.
I have to commute an hour each way to their location in a secured facility (airport).
$41.54 hr in Kentucky.
That’s pretty good pay for Kentucky
>>What is your job?
Low voltage tech
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Did 4 years in an ABC sponsored NCCER electrician program which was pretty garbage because I never received anything from it due to our shitty sponsor middleman. Ideally you would go to class twice a week here for four years, take a journeyman test, then literally be able to go anywhere in the world that'll hire you but in the small town I lived in I never got a related job and made no money.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Tons of codebook with hands on training for practically everything. Bending, wiring, switches, cat5/6, fiber, relays we did a little of everything.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
It's suppose to be a basic 40 hour work week but it's a small company and it's hourly so we lie about our progress and leave early fairly often.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Not really, a lot of the heavy lifting is handled by sparkies and the worse that could happen is falling off a ladder or damage to your hands from repetition.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Always traveling but we have a few contracts so it's a lot of return trips to the same places.
>>Is the salary good?
Non-Union so frick no, my first job as an electrician helper was $10 8 years ago and I got out because there was more money to be made in retail/fast food. I'm making $18 now which is still $7 lower for somebody of my experience
nccer is our word, but you can say nccah
Is there a lot of union work to be found in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada?
Unions have been taking our guys like crazy. Spoke to some guys on site from union. They've stopped using moles to flip your shop. They've just started reaching out to anybody that's already an apprentice and offering them big money.
I am a gunsmith. I went to school and got a degree for it but it didn't teach me nearly enough to actually do the job. they pay is ok but not great. I've gone over 2 years without a raise, work about 6-8 hours unpaid overtime a month, and get no benefits. I get paid to play with other people's guns which is pretty fun though except for the one that partially blew up when I was test firing it.
Where did you go to school and what sort of degree did you get?
I went to pine technical college in minnesota. it was a 2 year aas program but I am a moron so it took me 5 years to actually finish. the schools in colorado are more highly regarded so probably go there if you can.
>Pine Technical College
Not that Anon, but I did not expect to see a post from someone who lives where I used to live.
>t. Lived there until I was 7.
Carpenter, apprenticeship in the 90s was 3 years, wages were £70 first 6 months and rose £20 every 6 months until completion of apprenticeship and then went on a full wage. Couldnt afford rent. 1 day a week at college and it was mostly a waste of time, long hours if you want them, have done 12 hour days 7 days a week for 6 months at a time a few times now. Job is very physically demanding and you will pick up some injuries if you are a grafter, my feet hurt all the time, my back neck and knees are in pretty bad shape and im currently on painkillers until i find out from my spinal specialist if my neck and back can be fixed. Travel to sites, i clear about 60k a year after taxes but thats working a lot more then a 39 hour week.
>job
Commercial diver
>apprenticeship
about 2 years
>schooling
you bet, 4 months 8 hours a day cost me 25 grand, same school is 40 now. Best kept secret in the industry is hidden in morgan city LA, they have a dive school for 6 grand
>hours
I work jobs to completion, I may work 1 month straight 12 hours a day and then not work for 1 month. I average 8 months of work a year
>physically demanding/deanger
Sometimes it is very difficult, humping fricking 9 ton comealongs up an oil rig aint no fun. It is so safe its moronic. So much safety, literal safety meetings 2 times a day, for 30 minutes and 10-15 JSA'S.
>travel
I work offshore, I meet the boats at the dock. Sometimes we chopper out to the platform
>salary
I average 80k a year, full benefits and a 6% matched 401K. There is a good retirements path as well, become a supervisor. I dont want to get out of the water but eventually I will have to and I can go to supervisor and then superintendent and eventually project management if I feel like it.
I miss oil work. Was an on call service tech for subsea systems. Hourly was only like 20$/hr but with all the bonuses I would take 1k/day when on the job. Got to travel all over the world
>What is your job?
Manufacturing chemist
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
No apprenticeship, but it took a four year degree for me. I think I learned more keeping my shitbox car rolling during my school years than I did in actual class.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
See above.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
2nd shift work schedule, occasional overtime. Other than making it difficult to make plans with people due to 2nd shift, it hasn't been too stressful.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Moderate physical demands (most labor intensive thing is moving drums around) but yeah there can be high risk of injury/death if you're not careful. Many of the chemicals I work with can be hazardous, but that's mitigated if you use common sense.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Company's building, it's really hard to move labs around.
>Is the salary good?
Can't complain, it's hourly but I cleared 80k last year.
>What is your job?
Plumber/HVAC in commercial construction
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Around 4 1/2 years. I live in one of the cheapest states for housing but yes I bought a house 2 years into apprenticeship.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I think it's 240 hours of classroom per year. Or somewhere around that.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work? It's 40 hours per week, 50 if you include the traveling to the jobsites.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Construction is one of the most dangerous jobs in the US so yes. It can be physically demanding if you let it, but just learn to tell foreman/bosses no. Don't do sketchy shit and don't lift heavy things alone, and after that the most strenuous part of the job for me is working outside in the winter in -20 weather and then working in 105 degree heat in the summer.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Most of the jobsites have been on average one hour away.
>Is the salary good?
Not for apprentices no. I'm not union but I interviewed with them and they pay journeyman very well but apprentices everywhere in my area only make a few more bucks an hour than retail or restaurant workers. The only reason I stuck through my apprenticeship is because just how relaxed my company is on attendance. I mean they have to be because of what they pay, but it's nice to just take days off whenever you want.
I'm a plumber appreciate doing new construction right now. Currently halfway through my first year, doing union schooling along with the work. Im learning and going well, but I came onto the tail end of the job after all of the hard work as been done. Mostly just been running copper, getting ready to put in fixtures, ect. Do you have any other advice you wish you knew while you were new, and how can I help myself survive the underground/rough-in at a new jobsite? I would really appreciate it.
Union electrician. I quit whenever I want and walk back into work whenever I want, other than rarely having the satisfaction of completing anything in a timely and professional manner its god tier employment. Also, checkem
>rarely having the satisfaction of completing anything in a timely and professional manner
What do you mean?
Might just be my experience, general motto is burn budgets, not bridges.
Was in an apprenticeship for tile. It was a 4 year program. You would go there for a whole month unpaid but no after work bullshit and there was no class time. First year started at $25 plus benefits. If you had half a brain and a good work ethic you would work year round. The down side is a lot of out of town work and you were in a union.
I build powerlines
The apprentice took just over three and a half years and has extreme travel requirements. I lived in a trailer
Yes, there is a significant amount of in person training e.g. crane operation, hot stick, hot glove and transformer labs. There is also homework, classes and exams.
Generally, the hours are demanding. I often work 80+ hours in a week. However, I am able to take months off of work with no consequences and come back easily.
Work is extremely physically demanding. There is risk of death everyday, multiple times a day.
I show up at a lay down yard, then drive the truck to the job.
The salary (hourly pay) is good.
You're a hero sir
>>What is your job?
Carpenter
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I did not do a traditional apprenticeship, I started as a laborer on a framing crew at 16 in 2011 through a highschool internship program. It was supposed to be unpaid, but I recieved $100/week until I "graduated" highschool and was hired on at $10/hour. After four years (the usual term of apprenticeship) and several crews later I was making $25, I became a foreman the next year and was paid $35/hour.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I did not have to, but I attended a 6 month trade school program two years after I started working. I learned quite a bit, and it set me up for success.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I'm self-employed now, so hours are what I choose. I prefer to work 8-330, but sometimes necessity requires more, and of course there are additional demands that come with running a business. When I worked for someone else, standard hours were 7-330, with some saturdays required.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Carpentry is a hugely diverse field so it largely depends on what you are doing. I've spent most of my career framing which is very physically demanding. Siding, which is not at all, but does require working at heights, which is inherently dangerous, and roofing, which is both, and one of the most dangerous jobs you can do (though the pay certainly makes up for it's your job). Nowadays I mostly just do trim work, which isn't particularly strenuous or dangerous.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Carpentry is by definition: field work. I've had years where I walked to work, and years where I was regularly driving two hours one way, so it varies, but no one's got a gun to your head making you take a certain job.
>>Is the salary good?
It's what you make of it. Carpentry is the lowest and the highest paid of all the trades. You have guys making minimum wage carrying around studs, and guys making $100/hour building circular stairs. If you want to get paid as a carpenter, your best bet is to become an independent contractor.
>>What is your job?
cnc dingus
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
0, but I went to school for tool & die
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
not required, it was voluntary
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
busy lately means 10 hour shifts and 6 hour saturdays
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
not really, unless I decide to be a moron
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
factory
>>Is the salary good?
$24/hour isn't good, but Ohio is cheap enough that it's enough, and I've only been doing it since January
most importantly it doesn't make me want to die like all of my other jobs did
>>IBEW Electrical Apprentice?
>>5 year apprenticeship but can receive journeyman pay and license after 4. Just bought a 3 bed home at the end of my 3rd year into apprenticeship.
>>We do 1 week of schooling in class/zoom for every 6 weeks of work
working 5 10’s (M-F) just enough OT to make good money but not slave hours
>>On my feet all day obviously so a bit demanding but not too bad typically just installing conduit in a scissor lift. Some risk of shock / electrocution if you disregard safety protocols.
>>Have to travel to the jobsite but there are electricians who work in our prefab shop as well.
>>Is the salary good? Currently making $26 as a 3rd year. Journeyman rate in my local is $36. Other larger cities Journeyman will make more around $40-50 per hour.
All in all it’s as good as a job can get when you disregard the Pro-Biden Propaganda the Unions try to feed you, everything else is grand.
Just started my IBEW apprenticeship a month ago. It beats the hell out of working retail.
can you answer questions about
Lineman
Fully paid the moment i was done with my training (no apprenticeship)
I work 7-4, 5 days a week with the odd overtime and being On Call once every 5 weeks, when I'm on call i can get called any time of the day including weekends pay is fricking great for being on call, i get 200% pay raise meaning i get paid 3 hours for every hour worked, and we always write a minimum of 2 hours regardless of the job, meaning i can get called at 04:15 pm drive 5 minutes and change a fuse and be done by 04:25 and get 6 hours pay for it, the down side to this is that i can work 20 hours straight if the gods will it, but hey that's 60 hours pay in one day so..
I have to climb poles, crawl around in mud on my knees, and work with electricity that will fry you faster then you can say aw shit, it's important not to be an idiot
We manage the electrical distribution of a medium sized city, we have an "office" we start every day from and eat lunch and drink coffee at, this is also where we carry most of our supplies
The salary is better then most, but with the on call duty i can pull in more then most people could dream of earning in a month
Forgot to add that we work 7-4 like everybody else when we are on call and we don't get anything extra for it, only work done on weekends and as overtime
Where are you a lineman, where/how long was the training?
Do you do bucket stuff too? Watched my utility install a new pole and was amazed how fast it went in.
how do I deal with hating overtime as a tradie? I don't mind weird hours or shifts but frick employers who want you to work 6+ days a week every week.
join the union ;^)
I got my CDL in hopes of being a lineman but mid-application got an email saying I was accepted into their inside wireman apprenticeship.It took a year to hear back from them, and up until I got that email I thought it was a no-go due to my lack of experience. That's not the case apparently. I'm going to pursue that instead of lineman because of the travel requirements, hours and some personal problems that I could have with the DoT and drug testing. Going from $22/hr to whatever 1st year apprentice pay is here (I think it's 12-15). I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep the bills up solely on that but I have a bit of savings and my gf of 3 years will be moving in soon so that should help. Although I will say, lineman make an absolute killing, even during apprenticeship. It's hard(er) work for sure.
>>What is your job?
Fitter and turner, machinist, CNC operator
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 years, first year was $7.90 an hour while minimum wage in any other job was like $16 so frick no
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, a week long module here and there. Although being on the job meant I already knew everything in the module before the actual class
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
7:30 to 4:30 mon to fri
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
No, yes but only if you are really stupid
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Company building/workshop 100%
>>Is the salary good?
Getting there, only started at this current place 4 weeks ago and have been told I'll get a $5/hr raise after a few months
Cannabis Cultivation Team Lead
Pros
>easy as frick
>I enjoy the work
>comfy as frick just caring for plants
Cons
>moron stoners that can't handle working
>regulations
>not as high paying as my last job (yet)
>Work at quick oil change place.
>Everyone pretends they're real mechanics.
>Get talked to for not knowing how to take off a weird air filter 4 days into job.
>Get talked too for leaning against a wall while we put in customers information. Need to look ready to work.
>Everyone vapes thc and smells like it.
Anyway I would recommend starting there. It can help you get certified but gives some pretty bad habits. Seen a guy use a drill to loosen a oil filter. Wonder if he has tightened one with it.
I used to work at a quick oil change place too and my boss sounded just like that. It's like these places expect workers to be more highly skilled like a real mechanic, yet pay rock bottom wages.
It's strange the coworkers were the worst part about it. Mine also tried to make everyone move up in the company once you became a senior you were judged based on how high you could the bill. Like using pricey oil or selling extra like air filters. Pay was low for how they acted. 16 an hour retail overnight was 16.50. Most bosses I met there had a stick up their ass. One bragged about how he knew a lot about cars and was really good at fixing shit yet worked at a bottom barrel service center.
As someone who has had to remove oil filters put on at those places, yes, he has tightened every single one with a drill.
>>What is your job?
Nuclear Machinery Inspection and Maintenance
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 weeks intense training and lot of book learning and study, 90 day apprentice period after that. Paid a base salary of 40K. ~18/Hr with full benefits during that period.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Absolutely, a lot. Its ongoing throughout the first few years of being on the job.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I have a schedule where I travel for 3 months and and home for 3 months. While I'm on the road I'm on call 24/5. Can take weekends off, but most people only take about 1 a month. While I'm at home we have in office learning hours. We make a salary so we get paid for the whole day but only technically have to be there long enough to complete the daily learning or paperwork. M-F 8-TBD.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Not really. It does require some physical work but is mostly just machinery work and inspection. You are in nuclear power plants so there are all the associated risks, mostly heat related, but its a highly regulated environment.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Like I said above, 3 months on the road spring and fall, 3 months at home. On site and on call while on the road. Minimal office time while home.
>>Is the salary good?
Very. Training and Apprentice period is 40K plus full benefits starting 1st day. After that your salary is based on performance. I currently make 80K, I've been doing this a little over a year not including the training. I have a friend working at the same company making more than 200K/year. That plus the benefits, $45/day per diem, and you're aid for driving and can claim all your mileage on your taxes. Its a pretty sweet deal.
Very cool. How did you get into a job like that? Through the power company? Gov't? Prior relevant experience? Knew a guy?
Very interested in something like this. How did you get started?
Im 20 and have a 2 year degree in automation technology (its PLCs, robots, servos, etc.) I also am almost finished with an industrial maintenance degree and manufacturing engineering degree. For over a year ive been working as an assembly role making 18 an hour and they just LARPED as having progression to automation tech but they dont.
I'm looking for a new full time job now, had an interview for a real automation tech position (building and installing robotic cells) and they would only pay me $20 an hour, even after I gassed and fluffed up my work experience in the interview.
Applied for an industrial maintenance position at a big corporation, working on machines that are controlled by PLCs, and they only offered $21 an hour. I came in asking $26 and STILL felt like I was lowballing.
Wtf am i doing wrong? Is there literally no money in automation unless you take a field tech job and travel 90% of the time? I literally do not get it. Are my expectations too high, do I just not know what this field pays
I started in the same field 6 years ago at $15
I'm currently making $31 doing nightshift automation right now which is pretty laid back. Just emergency stuff and some simple projects. Fresh out of school nobody is gonna give you big money. Although if you come where I work they're starting dudes at like $26.
Field techs do get paid bank but it's a hard life.
The only issue is you don't have on the job experience in your field. You might have to take one of the lower paying jobs and climb the wage scale, ask about this during your interviews. (that's what i did $16.50/hr to $35/hr in 4 years)
But yea, i think the field techs make the big money. In exchange for ruining their lives of course.
To be fair, even the most humble trade has risks.
I mean residential plumbers can't even count on having a safe working surface, and theirs is probably one of the safest trades.
Allen Bradley or Siemens? One tip I would have is get with someone who does programming builds for companies that are trying to automate their shit. Also maybe just me but it seems like bfe areas will pay you better then near cities because of lack of local talent. Just an idea, put in some resumes at places that are off in middle of nowhere and highball the dollar amount you want, might be pleasantly surprised
>What is your job?
Sparky
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 year apprenticeship (3rd year) and currently renting a 1000sqft apt for ~$1k/month. I would move but the gym here is amazing and I like the pool and sauna.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
My company doesn't require us to do classes beyond the first year. I would honestly quit but by completing this 4 year program I get a little piece of paper that says, "Frick you, pay me more money". The program is through ABC. If you want to actually learn something, go to college
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Sites have hours of 6-2:15 or 7-3:15. If the foreman is a tryhard homosexual he'll pull some bullshit like 6-3:00 because "muh lunch break/break hours". Plenty of free time even if the jobsite is 30 minutes away. Rarely do we work OT.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Getting shocked is a thing troubleshooting residential shit but you'll be fine. Just don't touch feeder wire/work on live shit you don't feel comfortable doing.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Travel to site
>Is the salary good?
Currently at $25/hr. I wanna take my wireman's test where upon passing they bump be up to $35. After that training program and I become Journeyman certified, I'd be fairly certain it will bump up to $40.
Younggay looking to become a plumber in Canada.
Heard from my uncle about challenging my first year; studying from the blue book on adderall for a week and getting to skip a whole year on the path to becoming a journeyman. How would I go about doing that?
Iron worker
Finishing my first year of 4
You're an apprentice. No matter what industry; you're still an apprentice.
>My local does one week a month from November through April. Those weeks are available for unemployment bc we are in class from 7-330 thus not being available for work. Other locals do 2 nights a week and that has its pros and it's cons.
Pros are you don't miss weeks of work waiting for unemployment. Cons are if you're working anything over 8 you are getting your pussy smacked with lack if sleep.
>Work is cool. 7-330. 930-945 coffee. 12-1230 lunch. Usually leave before 330. Free time is dependent on how much you want to work.
>iron working is the best part time job you'll ever have
Yes it's physically demanding and yes there is a risk for death pussy.
>We travel to most sites as we put up the structure for everybody else to follow.
As a first year my rate is 20.20
Next year to 23.75
Yearly increments to 31$ an hour. All overtime is 1.5
Sundays are always double.
>>What is your job?
Automation Technician
- Fault finding through PLC/VFD-software & electrical diagrams.
- LOTOTO
- Small repairs
- Small upgrades in hardware/software (add a new I/O-island or change sequence in PLC)
- Preventive checks (check/test emergency-generators, insulation tests on transformers, ....)
I don't pull cables or install electrical cabinets/pullpits.
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
No apprenticeship, I got an associate's degree through evening classes and got a job that way, only first 2 months was observing and learning, after that you start doing.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Work 7 days, free 7 days. It's great.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Physically sometimes, going up and down ladders to work on overhead cranes. Risk of death cause of low/mid-voltages(up to 15kV). Also all the spinning parts on a the machines.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Just a factory (stainless steel producing/finishing)
>>Is the salary good?
It's great. (> €30/h)
>be electrician apprentice in kentucky
>do sketchy shit all day for boomers
>make 15 an hour
I am a glutton for punishment
is your life good at least?
I live in a shed and shit in a bucket
Imagine falling for the electrician meme
Every day I wish I was a plumber
>What is your job?
“Sr. Field Service Engineer” at an industrial electrical testing (NETA) company
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I started when I was 19, there’s no formal apprenticeship but on-the-job training never stops. I’ve moved around a lot for work and have always made a comfortable living on my own even starting out.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
It’s such a niche field, if the company needs you to learn something specific you typically get paid to go to week-long training seminars on a given type of equipment.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Some companies will run you like a dog 60+ hours every week. Some keep it closer to 40. Some companies will require you to travel 60%+ but almost all require some travel. Currently I work about 50hrs/w and travel about one week per month.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Carrying equipment around sucks but it’s nothing like the less technical trades have to deal with. We have to deal with shock, arc flash, (working on energized switchgear), mechanical hazards, working from height, all the construction site hazards, and then some but what kills the most techs by far is driving. Lots of windshield time.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I’m in the field at a customer site 75% of the time, the office 10%, and working on reports/fricking off at home on the clock 15%
>Is the salary good?
I make $75/hour in rural Virginia.
>“Sr. Field Service Engineer” at an industrial electrical testing (NETA) company
Are you the same Netanon that lived in Texas?
I just got a job as a tool and die maker in a factory
do you make dice for tabletop games?
Congrats anon!
That’s some cool stuff. Do you guys still finish stuff with riffler files or is that old stuff?
The Carpentry and Joiner's job I'm applying for is the lowest paying one, according to them. Mill Cabinet they call it (from what I've seen, you work in a woodshop making things that other people put in: counters, fancy wall coverings, etc)
$20 an hour for a first year apprentice.
I live near the city in a cheap house, so I ain't got to rent an apartment, but I'd reckon I'd need to rent in a nearby town where prices are lower and commute.
Four to six weeks a year, depends on the trade. Not sure if Mill Cabinet is a four or a six.
Their apprentice schedule demands 25 hours a week to 'rank up' to next year's apprentice rating. So I'd reckon you would work full time at most. Mill wrights (the most technical and high paying apprenticeship offered) work a lot since they work until the job is done: they also work long shifts, though. The Mill Wright Representative said that working seven twelves was a thing that could happen. Also, Apprentices work on a 'pick up' system, so you could be out of work depending on demand.
Don't know.
Apprentices travel to where they're wanted. Mill Cabinet works at workshops (I think of them like wood factories). So expect to travel even if you pick mill cabinet, but you'll probably travel to a handful of locations (different contractors wanting you) rather than dozens or even hundreds in your four year apprenticeship. Heavy Highway, Pile Drivers, and Mill Wrights travel to where the job is, and it might be far afield. Floor coverers and Mill Cabinets can expect to work inside (though Floor Coverers have to work at night a lot of the time, since no one wants to see the help fixing the floors).
Depends on the trade.
I know I'm not employed but I got this information from a two hour fricking information session so I'm fine with sharing.
I forgot to mention danger:
Almost all trades are dangerous, but Mill Cabinet is working in what amounts to a machine shop. Obviously:
Dangers to your hearing and eyes: You'll probably be wearing hearing pro and safety glasses/goggles.
Machines can cut, crush, etc you.
More in the field carpentry has different dangers: Falling from height, dehydration, things falling on you, cranes hitting you, etc.
As a Mechanic, I can offer this advice : DO NOT BECOME A MECHANIC.
This field has become such utter bullshit, with warranty times 1/4 of billable hours as the same job customer pay, the advisors "doing the customer a favor" by not charging the labor (which means we don't get fricking paid for that job), and the ridiculous modern engineering that makes it impossible to do anything without removing at least 5 panels and 8 mechanical assemblies just to fricking GET TO THE GOD DAMN PART AND THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THE FRICKING ONE HOUR DIAGNOSIS FRICK!
... *deep inhale*....
Don't be a mechanic.
Though I personally would advise OP or anyone worrying about money to learn mechanical shit for your own life.
Changing your oil, basic fixes to do by hand, etc.
Oh yeah, absolutely.
Just don't do this shit professionally.
It's a bizarre trade, to be sure, I couldn't find any place to become an apprentice mechanic and learn for free like all the other trades.
Agreed which is why I joined the Air Force. Modern civilian vehicles suck to work on though doing it for myself lets me wallow in toys.
Cars suck. Fixing fighters was a wonderful choice (I worked avionics, crosstrained to engines then was merged with crew chiefs) I'd gleefully do again. Now fully retired (degenerative disc disease means chronic pain and no sleep) but thanks to Uncle Sugar I don't need to work. Vested retirements are worth killing for.
My pro carbros who did very well quit being line mechanics and opened used car lots. There's serious money in that and tricks like never working for the public or selling parts let ya have your own personal salvage yard which ya can barter with others, sell the cats for cash, then crush the hulls. (Cash for Clunkers was glorious.)
Many people hate being a USAF crew chief. That chance goes up if they're the type to use PrepHole. You are literally going to lead an anon into administrative separation or even an early grave, not 'muh retirement'.
Many people just hate everything. Gearheads and tech nerds tend to do well. Most of the disaffected sufficient to separate aren't top tier techs anyway and that's the nature of the business. Others don't see the profitable light at the end of what is a very short career tunnel.
Everyone who leaves creates upward pressure on compensation and especially reenlistment bonuses. Did 26 years in three AFSCs and am quite familiar. The Air Force is so easy if you snap it really is due to being a weakling.
What about being an aircraft mechanic? It's what I'm going for currently, will go to school for it beginning next year. Any advice?
Forgot unrel pic
I'm not an A&P mechanic and therefore not a true tradie as I sit at a desk all day but I have an Aircraft Dispatch license and it has been a better investment than the 4 years and 80k I spent on college. I'll go over it anyway since it can be a lucrative profession that not many people know about.
>What is your job?
Aircraft Dispatcher, which is someone who plans and releases flight plans for aircraft and monitors them while in flight. Depending on FARs, you share operational control on the ground with the Captain in the air for the duration of the flight. I greatly enjoy it even if it is technically an office job.
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
6 week classroom course outside DFW for about 8 grand, 5 for the course, 3 for the hotel and food during the coursework. Since then, I've lived in Cleveland, Detroit and currently in N. Virginia (Manassas). For the former two, rent was cheap as frick, and Virginia is stupid expensive but beautiful. Much better roads in VA as well.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
All training was a mixture of classroom and OJT for each airline and currently (govt contractor) that I work for. It's mostly knowing how to navigate various programs and where to find stuff. Weather and safety regulations are most of the shit you need to remember and apply to make decisions ("is this airport alternate safe to use?" "Will they avoid the squall line with this route?") and there's a lot of novelty to it than the typical office job because of it, as I still get phone calls that I don't the answer to and have to figure it out.
Part 1/2
Cont.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
1st job in Cleveland was 4 on, 3 off, 10 hour days. 2nd job in Detroit was 4 on, 4 off, also 10 hour days. The free time was VERY good. Current job in Virginny is a schedule that rotates every 2 weeks but is generally 5 on, 2 off, 8 hour days with some 12s thrown in, due to the FAA wanting us to be able to work and have knowledge of all procedures and duties on every shift (even though most work isn't even flight planning, it's data entry and spreadsheet prep). I hate the schedule even though it's piss easy govt contractor work and will probably be looking to move to a final airline where I will remain for the next 30 years by the end of the year (probably FedEx or Spirit b/c they aren't requiring the COVID jab).
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
To me? Not at all. It can be boring as frick at times, but when shit hits the fan, you earn your pay, usually on the rare occasion that a plane in the air has an emergency (engine on fire) and you have to help the crew out.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Cleveland was an office building. Detroit was an office building in a hangar at Willow Run Airport. Virginia is at the ATCSCC in Warrenton, VA.
>Is the salary good?
Starting out in Cleveland working for a regional airline, the pay was shit ($16/hr), but getting the job in Detroit for an int'l cargo airline literally doubled my pay overnight to $60k/year, with OT I cleared 70k last year. Currently at about a base of $67.5k/year with the contractor position, which I'm only at because the Detroit airline wanted me to take the jab and I said no. At the Major airlines (Delta, American, United, UPS, FedEx), six figures is easy money after a few years, with top outs of $130k-$160k after 12-15 years. Most of the majors are unionized too.
Check it out if interested in aviation logistics
Be an industrial mechanic anon. If you have sound mechanical knowledge it pays a lot better
AAAHHHHHH MY EYES I'M BLIND NOW!!
What are the most leftist trades?
Judging from their website, the Laborer's union is extremely left leaning.
https://www.liuna.org/
Of course, Laborers seem to be just people who shouldn't even be able to unionize: their work looks like the shit that you find guys at the bar or the home depot to do.
>What is your job?
Tower Climber Foreman
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
2 years? towers don't have a formal apprenticeship... yet
I got lucky and only pay 950 in a 1500 market before hand
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yeah, have rescue and rigging refreshers every 6 months in a classroom then hands on environment
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
hahaha
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
once you get your tower legs, its not all that demanding. risk is only as big as you allow it.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Travel, travel, travel
>Is the salary good?
30$/hr after two years in my market is good and no union bullshit for an industry thats been for cowboy crack heads, it pays the bills
>t TTT-Foreman
So I'm just a standard issue moron, but what's a 'tower climber foreman'?
Like, do you do water towers or some shit?
Telecommunications towers, which occasionally involves water towers with telecom equipment on it
Cellular, Utility, Radar, Meteorological. Wind Turbines are about the only thing I don't work on
Millwrights do wind turbines, at least some of the time.
>>What is your job?
Commercial/Industrial Electrician in New Zealand.
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
5 years/12000HRS, I had bought a house before I started my adult apprenticeship, I was a Fire-fighter beforehand.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, 5 years of night school every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights as well as Block courses every year.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work an 80 hour week and have done so for the last 4 years, I am about to take on an apprentice, to hopefully lighten the workload.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yes, there is heavy lifting with commercial switchboards within buildings, motors and pumps.
There is always a risk of death injury with any sort of electrical systems.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I build switchboards and control panels out of my workshop and then take them to site.
damn this sounds like my type of deal. anyone in ontario wanna vouch that there's jobs like this here?
Electrical work exists in every country. You should be able to find a union.
https://ibewcco.org/
Electro Mechanical Maintenance in a manufacturing facility.
I went to a 9mo program that taught the basics and got me in the door.
40 hours a week, weekends off, but this is not normal
I sit on my ass most of the day and it's only dangerous if you're an idiot.
No travel
$35/hr + ~~$6k in bonuses per year
I do ductwork for new construction, i set furnaces and ac systems. Venting too like bathroom vents, and range vents.
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I still live with my parents. I was planning on buying a house in august, but shits fricked.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Not required, but i was able to go to a trade school for a year before they required i get vaccinated.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Usually the day goes from 8-4. And write my hours down and email it to my boss so i can lie if I want to. Ill add 15 minutes to the end of the day if i think i earned it.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Most common fatalities from HVAC is falling from ladders. Both my coworkers have passed out after falling from ladders. From the year or so ive been working,the only injuries ive had are small cuts from sheet metal. They make cut proof gloves to prevent them. If it you got a cut and it hurts it means it wasnt that bad. Any cuts you dont notice will be bloody. I actually had a pretty tough cut yesterday. I pulled a pipe and it made me slip off my ladder abd the pipe went right into the fleshy part of my thumb. It bled like a mother fricker but i didnt feel a thing.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
It depends on the company. I drive my personal vehicle and get paid 50¢ a mile. My boss has been planning on getting me a van to be able to get condensers and furnaces.
>Is the salary good?
Im making 16/hr right now because I'm still new. Average hourly wage is about 25-35 depending on you company and whether your instal or service.
Whats nice about sheet metal cuts is that they heal clean. Do you work with a team? Are the people in new construction nice?
>>What is your job?
CMM Programmer/Quality Control Inspector
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
2 Years, NO, I would have not made it if it were not for my significant other (who is now my wife)
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
There was nothing "official", I had to do it on my own for the first part, which involved taking classes at college, it only got serious when the employer paid for my classes which were partially state funded and you had to qualify for it.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I can easily work more than 40 hours, but I choose not to because I actually want to be with my wife and kid
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?Not really, I do feel teh pressure sometimes, I tell others what to do while I mainly program.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I have to physically be here for more reasons than one, but my job can be done remotely.
>>Is the salary good?
It pays the bills, I get to buy whatever I want but I know I have to be making a little more but I'm sacrificing for experience/training. I make around 40K.
>What is your job?
I have a certificate of excellence and journeyman certificate for welding, and am currently in school for my 3rd year of electrical, will be coming out a 4th year, i am an overhead crane technician.
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
3 years for the welding, started as a laborer and worked my way into it, then 4 years for electrical, of which im about to enter year 4.
ive been renting since i started welding.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
yes, 1 8 week period every year for 3 years for welding, and the same with electrical over 4 years. taken at a local recognized university.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
anywhere from 35-55 hours per week, it varies based on ongoing jobs. good work life balance.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
not physically demanding, work at heights up to 130ft in AWP's genie's, JLG's etc. working on live electrical equipment up to 600v, obviously isolating electrical when needed.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
we have a fabrication shop, and a service side, of which im on the service side, the work in the shop is all welding, i was given a company work truck and gas card to travel to and from work and home, use casually outside of work from time to time.
>Is the salary good?
40$/h and i only just started in the industry, less than a year ago, typical "5 year tech's" make anywhere 45$-50$ an hour for in town work, or if you work specifically for a remote company, such as in an industrial facility, you can make anywhere from 60$-70$ an hour
Does anyone know what the most environmentally friendly trades are?
Prostitution. Every load you swallow is carbon producing food you don't need to eat.
Wait, that counts as a trade?
Look into natural building
Kek, subsea engineer on an offshore rig. I used to pick up lefty girls with the line. Do you remember the deep water horizon disaster. My job is to make sure that never happens again.
How do you get into that field?
Got lucky honestly, Texas gives money to veterans to go trade school. Basically went to school for free while I was homeless and landed a good gig. But be warned oil work is really feast or famine. One year will be making 250k/yr and next year laid off. Then they call you back for 4-8 months make bank then get laid off again. Good if you can save/invest wisely and don’t have a family
Most of them would be more popular trades, with some kind of specialization or a quirk.
Build houses with eco materials, isolate them well.
Install and maintain heat pumps exclusively with environmentally friendly coolants.
Become a sparky, install EV charging points, solar panels, or whatever is green nowadays.
Wind turbine technician.
Something that can cause massive disaster if fricked up, and do your job well to prevent that as anon says
>What is your job?
industrial mechanic
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 years. had a decent apartment. started at $16/hr which was a paycut at the time. got healthy yearly raises. bought a house after graduation.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship
yes, had to go to school one day a week with breaks in the summer.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
work has been good in this area recently. you can work 7 days 12 hours for weeks on end and make a killing, but that was never my thing. did it a few times and took off for a month after. generally i am working 40 hours a week.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
we do lots of different kinds of work so it varies. some days are brutally hard and others feel like you are stealing money. there is always inherent risk to your safety when you are doing construction. working with guys who look out for each other is the biggest factor. i have done some sketchy things that could have gone bad.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
i do both.
>Is the salary good?
currently i make $50/hr plus a benefit package.
Did that for a toy company and quite enjoyed it. There's pretty much always demand.
>What is your job?
Residential HVAC service tecb
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I went to a two year trade school while I still lived at home with my parents. New to the trade and learning you'll make OK money but you're not gonna be ballin'.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
After trade school I got hired at a supply house. Worked there for a few years, which worked out great because I learned a lot more about how things work and I made a lot of contacts in the area.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Hours will vary. Most places will tell you something like 8am - 4pm BUT they'll expect you to stay working until all your calls are finished. When it's busy season you'll work 50-60 hours a week sometimes, when it's slow you'll have plenty of free time. Weekends are usually yours unless you're on call.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
You'd probably start as an installer until you learn what you're doing. Install is ball-busting work, so try to learn as much as you can about service so you aren't stuck as a career installer. Is there risk of death? Sure. You'll be handling some line voltage wiring, brazing, and if you do commercial you'll be on ladders and rooftops. If you pay attention and aren't a drooling moron you shoild be OK.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Everything is on-site. Most companies supply a van for you to use. The nice thing is the scenery changes and your boss isn't over your shoulder all day.
>Is the salary good?
If you're smart, yes. Learn as much as you can - the more you can do the more you can make. HVAC is great because you do elements of all the big trades - electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. You can do this job anywhere in the world,
>What is your job?
Union millwright
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 yr, most contractors pay good enough money for a decent place but you start at 60% for your first year.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yep. Easy stuff, Lear a decent amount
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Depends on the job, could be 4/10s, 7/12s, or in worst case scenario 5/8s
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
If you're stupid you could die or get really really fricked. It's really up to you if you leave with your fingers attached... assuming moron plant guys didn't frick up lock out tag out.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Lel, company building. You're lucky to find a decent portashitter on site let alone a company building.
>Is the salary good?
Decent 55+/hr with benefits. You can make 100k a year if you stay busy.
How can I get a job in natural building?
What do you guys do on your days off and how do you make friends date?
Are there any decent careers for people who aren’t good at anything? I’m not coordinated, or too bright, but I am willing to work hard.
Any sparkies, got advice for someone trying to land their first apprencticeship here in Canada? Im 22 and have like 6 years of general labor/warehouse work experience. Joining the union seems like a long shot and everyone who's hiring online is only interested in someone who has already been sponsored by at least one person. Do I actually have to do the boomer meme of going in person and handing a resume or does that not actually work? Any advice is appreciated.
>What is your job?
Trainman, this only applies to my class 2 rr
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Five months of training, about 35 dollars an hour
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
A few weeks of classes, mostly on the job training
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Between 40/week and 80, depending on if you are on call or not. Typically four day weeks. You are laid off 7 months a year for about the first 8 years
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yes and mostly safe unless you or your coworkers are braindead (you will be for your first year)
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Generally start at a certain home terminal and may tie up at other locations overnight or for up to a week. Can also be forced to another terminal due to seniority
>Is the salary good?
45-55 an hour depending on job plus things in the contract that can occasionally double or triple your pay
Does anyone have a career in motorsports?
please. 4 wheel or 2
though my background is all American muscle era
Merchant Mariner 2nd Engineer USA
I went to one of the six "academys" which gives you your coast guard license, but you can just work your way up offshore if you want but you still have to pay for classes
I work 28 days offshore 12 hour days, and have 28 days at home. But you can do any length of time at work and home that you want.
My job is as hard as you want it to be really, you can sit around all day watching movies or pick some projects. I try to stay busy.
I just fly to and from Lousiana
I make 115k a year three years out of school and will top out around 250k when the oil field is in high demand.
sounds pretty sweet.
It's really a nice gig anon if you can get used to the schedule, have to find an independent wife.
I read they do a physical for anything you need a mmc. would high blood pressure disqualify you?
Yes there's a physical, high blood pressure won't disqualify you if you're medicated as far as I know. I work with some fat unhealthy southern morons.
understood thanks, friend.
im a roofer
everything is heavy, it ruins your body and its physically demanding every day
Some people wouldn't call it a 'skilled trade' but I'm a mason and I have mostly done stonework.
I didn't do an apprenticeship, I learnt on the job. No classroom learning for me.
I usually work about 36 hours a week, so Monday to Friday with a half day somewhere in there. I have a decent amount of free time but it really depends on how long my commute is for each particular job. Usually I get home by around 4:30 and only occasionally work weekends.
My job is probably as physically demanding as it gets, only rivalled by maybe roofers or something. I don't know. There is a high risk of injury like fricking my back and that kind of thing but not necessarily a high risk of death.
I travel to a jobsite, it changes sometimes once a week or every few weeks.
The pay is alright. I get paid in cash most of the time and I make about $250 a day.
>>What is your job?
CNC machinist
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
My apprenticeship is 3 years, I can't live alone to rent on my salary. Uk is shit.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, a few days a week for first year, then down to one. Its good to have the practical class, lot of writing up and an annoying amount of H&S
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Its an average amount of time, weekends and evenings. Like others may say, get in early, leave early. Lunches could be longer.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
It can be physically demanding upon how hard you work, its not an every day occurrence.
An example would be taking out a conveyer, that's a whole day job, depends if you get stuck in and help or frick off and waste time.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
On site, industrial area so packed lunches unless you fancy walking to buy over priced stuff.
>>Is the salary good?
Eh, it will get better, I need to ask.
>3 year apprenticeship for CNC machining
wack
I'm steel construction fixer, now doing trainings for wind turbine tech. Working on the heights, on and off shore. Not bad paid for newbie. Physically demanding. Living in hotels all around Europe.
>What is your job?
Theme park ride mechanic
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
No apprenticeship, but it requires previous experience which I had from doing automation maintenance.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
No
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
40 hours per week
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
It can be rarely, 95% of the time you don't even break a sweat. But you can get injured or killed if you don't follow the strict safety guidelines, lots of moving parts and heavy equipment.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Zero traveling
>Is the salary good?
Its decent, but every year you get increased until you top out. Top pay is $40 an hour.
I'm curious, do the carnies screw like mad?
Anyone know what the biggest risks are at being a sheet metal worker?
Depends exactly what you mean by sheetmetal working.
My friends dad was a sheetmetal handler for a shipping company, one day something slipped and it cut off 3 of his fingers right through the gloves.
If you are manufacturing the sheet metal, you are around big guillotine presses, or around giant rollers that roll the shit out.
Or you could be using industrial notching/fluting machines or english wheels or brakes.
Or some people call "sheet metal workers" the duct guys who install HVAC ducting.
But pretty much its the same as all other industrial work.
Machines will kill or maim you if you get unlucky when you are tired or complacent.
>What is your job?
Field machinist
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Not really an apprenticeship. I was a helper for about 6 months til a lead guy got pulled off a job and I had to step in. Lived in hotels traveling the first 3 years, no need for an aparatment.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, through the company that hired me.
>How are the hours
I get hours
>and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Lol
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injurapartment.
Yes, sometimes, and yes, almost always.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Travel. All travel, that's why it's called field machining. You do it in the field.
>Is the salary good?
Salright
Things are different now, one of the only companies that did classroom training is going under and a lot of the jobs out there are filled by guys that worked for that company. You'd probably need some shop machining experience and then get hired into a company that does it and work with other guys for a while before they'll put you on on big machining jobs.
Which trade has the most women barring hairdressing and other cosmetic practices?
If you think working with women is going to be fun since you’ll get to frick a few of them you’re gonna have a bad time.
Not exactly a trade, but it's unusual enough.
>What is your job?
Helicopter pilot for the Military Police in some country
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I did 3 years of Officer Academy, plus 2 years of street experience, plus the Private Pilot License (had to pay from my pocket, that shit is expensive here) plus 5 years of training. I lived near the academy and we get an OK pay the first 3 years, so I didn't have any problems with acomodations.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yeah, tons of it, you take some written and physical tests, if you pass, you go under training for 5 years, ou start at lvl 1 and go up one per year, at the end you're competent enough to fly steady enough to save people from drowning, rescue car crashes in the middle of the highway, transport special units in case of prison riots/bank robberies, and to don't panic if someone starts shooting at you with a .50/.30/.762
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Standard Officer hours, one 12hx36h shift once a week followed by a standard 7h-17h shift if nothing happens, but there's always something happening, I fricking hate sports games days, we had to be on alert because the love killing each other's and burning shit.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yes, yes and yes. Add stupid amounts of mental stress too, but it gets better because as cop you see so much death and misery you become desensitized to anything, I can carry a pregnant woman with a mangled baby inside her belly and sleep with no problems.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
We travel a lot, but since it's a helicopter we can almost be at home everyday
[CONT...]
But on summer and special occasions we stand-by at some specific battalion, but most of the time they have basic accomodations, if it's something very special you can stay at a hotel, sometimes other officers let us stay in their houses
>Is the salary good?
Frick yeah, because if it's not, people won't sign up for this shit. Minimum wage here is 1100 in local currency, average pay is something like 1500-2000 per month before taxes. I made 3000 as a first year student, 7000 for 6 months (evaluation period) after graduating Academy and after that got bumped to 10.000 as a 2nd Lieutenant, I make 12.000 now as a First Lieutenant and when I'm promoted to Captain, I'll be making 16.000, the pay at the career's end is something like 30.000 for a Colonel (highest you can get in the Police) but most stop at Lieutenant Colonel with 29.000. It's not easy getting in, but once you're inside you're done for life, just don't frick up too badly.
Anything health related, nurses are all bawds.
I fly helicopters too
That's cool, would love to fly the real thing but I know as you probably do as well, its a flying casket. But I respect that, it would be awesome. I just would never want to fly a Robinson after watching mast bumping accident videos, screw all similar systems. It''s why I tighten my blades on my rc helicopter, chopping off your tail is no fun. I want a minimum of 3 blades anyways.
I'm gonna be graduating with an associates in industrial maintenance this coming fall but I feel woefully unprepared for any actual job. My hope is to get on with a major international car company but I'm worried about actually getting the job. How hard are assessments for these kinds of jobs? I have a 3.9gpa but my hands on experience is minimal and that's the shit that actually matters.
A degree in trades is kinda just a rubber stamp showing youre not completely moronic, interested in the work, and could swing it for 2 years. Figure out your schools network for getting graduates jobs, and the companies will know what to expect since they've likely hired graduates before.
In Michigan and started a maintenance job at an injection molding plant with zero experience (worked at restaurants for 6 years before)
Making a piddly 22$/hr but im 2.5 years into a state journeyman card. Wish I made more money and hopefully i will after i have my card.
Injection molding places in Ohio right now hiring experienced maint mechanics for around 30$/hr and Ohio doesn’t require some bullshit cert
>What is your job?
Electrician, Fire Alarm Tech
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I didn't, but I probably could have.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, by choice.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work 8 hours M-F and everything beyond that is optional.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yes
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I travel directly to job sites.
>Is the salary good?
Pretty good, yes.
Machinst
No, I used savings.
Did not apprentice hired off the street
Salary is not good
Work on site only.
Physically demanding yes, risk of death yes.
I almost died today. Sliting saw on a Bridgeport shattered shrapnel and half a saw blade came towards my face sucked out of the day and dented the enclosure of a Haas vf-4 behind me
Boss just said ..."try not to do that again" sent me back out there
Why are you screwing around with slitting saws on an old bridgeport? What year is it?
We still use bridgeports on one offs.
But the Bridgeport with the slitting saw is literally a relic from before we had the HAAS machines.
We wanted a band saw but someone suggested just turning the Bridgeport into a saw.....so....we have a Bridgeport for manual milling then one next to it setup as a saw only.
Tucked behind the CNC machines
I run a small job shop for some guy (cnc). I'm the only machinist and I clear $30 an hour cash under table. Money goes a lot further when you can claim you make $20,000 and scam Obama care
Is there a specific time of the year where apprenticeships start in Ontario?
How much does being a hairdresser pay?
If you’re good you can make over 200k a year. I have a degenerate friend from high school who went to hair dresser school and he does very well. That is, if he can stay sober enough to show up to work on time. Women wear your product literally on their head. If it looks good their friends will ask who did it and seek you out.
Is that legit? $200k a year? How long is hairdresser school?
not at all a typical salary. An average hairdresser is gunna make closer to 30k from their wages, depends where you live. I'm sure its a skill you can make quite a bit more from off the clock and you could open your own shop but for sure 200k isn't a typical wage.
Hairdresser school is like 2 to 4 semesters at a local community college. If you're poor the pell grant might pay for it.
Prepare to be paid to be a massive homosexual though.
I believe hairdresser school is 12-24 months. The guy I referenced in my post went to Tony and Guy in Dallas. https://toniguy.edu/
A color and cut can cost as much as $300. If you build up your clientele over time you can knock 3 of those out per day. Do the math.
Hell, one of those per day and you’re making 80k per year. You have to be good and you have to work at a high end shop but it’s very doable over time. My buddy is awaiting trial for his 4th DWI and he showed up almost an hour late to work every day hungover and he was so skilled that women would wait on him to get there so he could do their hair. He was obsessive about getting their hair just right. The general sentiment among his customers was “yeah he’s always late but damn does my hair look good when he’s finished.” He cut my hair a few times and it was always one of the best cuts I’ve ever had. I stopped going because I’m not keen on paying $40 for a haircut - and he was giving me a deal. He drove a $100k corvette until he wrecked it while driving drunk.
Side note: he didn’t get a DWI for that crash because by the time the cops got there everyone was out of the car and he denied being the one in the drivers seat. He’s looking at 10 years in jail for this current charge. He got his first one when we were 16.
>If you’re good you can make over 200k a year.
i remember my gf was like "yeah, this famous hair dresser makes 200k a year, ill be a hair dresser!"
and its like ...welll what about all the other hair dressers that make $20/hr with shitty inconsistant schedules minus the cost of renting the chair....
she is very optimistic but very unrealistic 😐
Any Bricklayers or painters here?
I got rejected for Mill Cabinet and have to wait six months to apply again. So I'm working out hard and I'll apply as a Commercial Carpenter next time since that's the biggest field.
I don't know shit about painting.
Bricklaying I kind of understand (and I know it can suck, but then so can all jobs), and their union actually called me back and seemed like it was interested in getting me on board rather than dicking me around.
I'm the guy from the natural stone general thread. I repair stone in luxury residences, no commerical.
The pay for a worker in a company is pretty meager, but if you live in a really wealthy area and can manage to run your own gig it is pretty lucrative.
>Charge 800-1000$ daily
>Low overhead
>Startup equipment is 10-20k plus a truck
>Steady return clients over time
>Not too hard on the body
>Work in clean luxury homes with nice people usually (sometimes mob guys, but rare)
Skills needed
>stong people skills
>Extremely detailed
>Ability to execute repairs in a timely fashion
>Color theory
Training to be a master will always come down to the company you work for, if they only polish lobbies you will only learn that skill. If they do high end repairs you will learn color, hand sanding etc. If you are an aggressive learner youd be set in 2 years.
I apprenticed under an old italian man and learned pre 70s old techniques. Then I managed a big job in another company and learned modern techniques on their dime (health and safety reasons). I then went on my own. There is no school for this locally or formal apprenticeship.
refrigeration technican
2 years, meh not really but apprenticeship counts as student here so you recive gibs to help out rent
2 years of relevant tradie school first (part of public school system) without it you must have 5 years apprenticeship
insane if you want to, no free time unless you pack your shit and leave at 1500 every day which is your legal right and no one can give you a hard time for it, you just miss that sweet extra overtime pay
yes no no
yes no work is done at the office and its many hours driving (paid both time, fuel snd car) and often weeks at hotels or lodges with all expences paid. best part of the job.
yeah its fine i get between 70 to 85 usd in europoorland, could peak into 100k if i wanted to. biggest monthly paychecks i recieved was 13k after tax but then i bssicly lived on site for 3 weeks. some nutheads manage to do this much of the year but they dont have a life.
Yeah man, i used to do new development and the hours were nuts, no matter how far ahead you get somehow they press you harder. I finally left, work for myself and make the same in 2-3 days. Im willing to bet you can make good pay running your own repair business too
not a realistic option the way things are done here. i would have to work twice as much, be available on short notice 24/7/365 and have absolutely no rights or legal protection. not worth it.
most based trade
which euro country ? I wish i could move to poland (from usa) but im too stupid to learn the language
How do I get an electrician apprenticeship in Ontario?
Union?
https://ibewcco.org/find-your-local/
How long does the application process take before being accepted as a pre-apprentice? Can I take a minimum-wage job in the meantime while waiting? It says a pre-apprenticeship is 1800 hours, how long is that spread out in days?
Judging by this process, you'd take at least a couple of weeks. I'm guessing a month, since they'd have to schedule the formal interview.
Yes you can work leading up to your apprenticeship. It's not illegal to have a job just in case you fail the apprenticeship process.
In fact, it's not even illegal to try to apply to multiple apprenticeships at once though it can be a headache.
I hope someone with experience answers your question.
>What is your job?
Electrician
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
4 years of night school. Solar paid better so I do that now almost exclusively
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Had to get certified in battery stuff, continuing education idk.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work like 45 hours a week. I fix everything though if you were on a install slave ship youd probably be working 70hrs. 5 days 2 days
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yea I mean electricity is dangerous just turn it off. Solar in particular used to be dangerous not so much now that there's rapid shutdown shit everywhere but it's on always in the day. Heights never bothered me and I am on the roof maybe an hour or two a day at most. It's not too physically demanding but again service
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I have a company vehicle I go off a list
>Is the salary good?
I mean for what it is yeah. It's interesting, not too intensive and while I could be making much more money doing my own business It's stable and less headaches.45/hr
>>CWI, sort of. I work for a geotechnical firm that also offers welding inspection. Got my CWI, but they won't give me CWI work, they put me on other stuff or just have me shadow some old CWI guy who's prolly gonna retire within the next 10 years, and I learn nothing with him.
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
My company paid for the training and the exam, had to study while doing shit that had nothing to do with CWI stuff
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I got an associates in welding science, so...eh...sort of but not really. We covered some CWI sepcific things but it was 95% about general welding. I mean they're the same but you know what I mean
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Not really doing CWI work, but I'm essentially an on call inspector for construction materials. Random schedule, random hours. I'm currently working out of town pulling 6 12's inspecting asphalt. It's stupid fricking easy, but I'm in west texas and there's not much to do out here.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Not really unless you're a dumbass who's not tied off
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I'm a field guy
>>Is the salary good?
I make 28/hr because I got the CWI cert, but I'm not doing CWI work. I looked around and there isn't anyone hiring CWI's in my large city that offer higher pay than that.
Honestly I don't even know if CWI is considered skilled trade compared to being a welder.
Any other trade unions in Ontario that offer apprenticeships?
https://www.ontario.ca/page/start-apprenticeship
UBC - carpenters
UA - plumbers, pipe/steamfitters, sprinkler fitters, HVAC/R, welders, instrumentation techs
IBEW - electricians, linemen
IUPAT - Glaziers, painters
IW - ironworkers
and a whole bunch more, most of these unions are hard as frick to get into in ontario so best of luck
>Locksmith
>Ongoing. Technically all journeyman locksmiths serve apprenticeships to a master Locksmith until they get their certs.
>Now and then we attend classes on the company’s dime. Mostly 1-3 day expos on new tech and products, but there are also specific classes for learning tricks to hone your skills in safecracking, low voltage, etc.
>8 hour days, 5 days a week
>The only serious risk is in lifting or ladder-climbing to install high shit like cameras. Basically just be careful on ladders.
>Travel is occasional. When we go out of state it’s per-diem on the company card, so you get an allowance for lodging, food, smokes, whatever.
>Starts at $20/hr with regular raises of a dollar a year plus large raises for certifications. Company will either pay for the classes or for your time while learning, whichever is higher, and certs like Low Voltage Technician can earn you another $10/hr because of electronic mag locks, security cameras, electrified safes and other such tech being a big money maker.
Hope it helps. AMA if you want.
What is a low voltage technician?
Installing cameras/security systems?
Not just that, but also running wire, installing power boxes, mag locks, breaker boxes, and even occasionally DVR systems for a security camera setup. Most of it is bonehead-simple to install, pretty much just bolt it in place, run your wires and practice good cable management so that it looks professional. Low Voltage is required by the state for any of this though because there is always some small risk of electrocution when you work with electricity. Smart locksmiths will of course ground themselves first and ensure that everything is not powered during installation, of course, eliminating most of the risk.
>Smart locksmiths will
The rules, unfortunately, will always be made for absolute morons.
Like guys who will see a breaker box turned off and turn it back on without asking anyone why it was off, killing electricians.
I've seen that MSHA video about a hundred times.
Worth noting as an aside - my boss often says that untrained people make better locksmiths than trained people, since you have to ‘un-teach’ people bad habits from other firms. No prior experience required to be a Locksmith, simply know how to use basic power tools (esp. cordless drill) and be willing to work. Everything else will be trained on the job, and you’re not expected to muddle through installations. You always have a master Locksmith or other Journeymen you can hit up for tips or a walkthrough, too. There’s a support structure there.
Neat.
I got fricking filtered from a Carpentry apprenticeship because of having non-Trade work history, I'm pretty sure.
If you’re still here, do most locksmiths want to work for themselves? I’ve been considering a change and the stuff that I’ve seen online seems to indicate being self employed is the end goal for locksmiths.
What are the pros of going through an apprenticeship or working for a shop?
So I think I would present my question to this group because i think I would find it better than eternal machinist thread, but lets just say I know someone who works in quality and has been working there for almost 4 years now and up until 2 years ago it was bought out by a larger corpration so pretty much management head was replaced, many people left, a ton of people got fired and i have made it, but i have seen how the new general manager has been running this company to the ground, he brought in all his friends with these no show jobs and ran this company to the ground and now its where they just fired another 14 workers and now im left to handle everything, programming the dcc cmm for parts, as9102 fai, deburring of parts, I think its time for me to leave, but here is my question, i will be leaving anyways permanently to another state over 2000 miles away, would u bounce right now and look for another job or take punishment for the 6 to 8 months that are left?
Is the worksite unsafe in a way different than what you would have expected when the job was being ran by a non-idiot?
That's the main thing.
Who cares if the job sucks as long as your life isn't at undue risk?
Also, are your savings sufficient to get you through those six to eight months?
its reaching that point, calibrations are starting to go past due which i cant believe is happening. yeah its that bad. i already saw two past due dates on stuff, like a week past exp lol and no one gonna do anything about it.
no way i could never make it, we have almost 14,000 dollars saved up but thats for the move itself i dont want to touch it. a blessing would be if the company went under and got unemployment but i still wouldnt want that gap going into a new place. im fricked i guess with this place till the end of the year.
The job's gonna dry up anyway: work as safe and slow as possible.
Suck it up and apply face to grinder. It's the better of two shitty solutions.
>>What is your job?
Quality Control Inspector/Programmer
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
There is no official apprenticeship but it usually takes a minimum of 2 years to hands on skill and Id say about 5 years to to have formed a strong foundation. Also no way I could not afford it without my significant other.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, I took Blueprint Reading I and II, Machining Theory, Machine Practice A, Basic Algebra and Trig, Basic Cam mills, Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, then I learned how to operate a CMM and finally took state funded classes to learn how to program using a niche and very expensive program called PC-DMIS. I use a probe to measure and spit out a report, it sounds easier than it is and it almost seems like they made it hard on purpose but I know it now and can build. if you pass the catch all phase of the training and learn the biggest hurdle, alignment utilities, then you can literally make money at home just programming.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Very flexible, I don't work on weekends although I can if I wanted to but they're cool with me not having to cause they know they cant find someone like me for the price, again this is because its been a learning experience.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Not for an inspector, we get to stay inside a temp controlled room, but yea its a factory and people do get hurt, safety first.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
unfortunately I have to be there but I do program sometimes offline and can work from home especially for contract work on the side.
>>Is the salary good?
A little over 80 with everything combined. One day maybe I'll be quality manager.
ontario industrial electricians, how does someone get a sponsor for 442a apprenticeship, i can't apply to a union and there aren't many job postings. Do I have to go to college? Is there anything I can study in my spare time to make my resume more appealing?
Find an employer who will sponsor you. I believe you can start the wiring pulling and pipe bending apprenticeship as a 309A and if you find a 442A your employer can transfer/credit you hours worked as a 309A.
I suppose you could take an electrical program at a college, lots of apprentices just take the 1 year “Electrical Techniques” course.
How good is a one year community college program on "Electrical Techniques" in getting a IBEW apprenticeship?
Just start putting in IBEW applications now and ask them what they really want.
Apply to IBEW personally: They care more about you not being autistic and being able to pass their tests than they do whether you waste money on a course.
You go to college courses to just work for a company. If you want to work for a union and get your shit paid for, you gotta go to the union first.
>What is your job?
I'm a fricking Automotive Mechanic
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Longer than it fricking should have been, and no, bastards didn't pay me my worth.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
We go to college 3 times for a few months.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Standard 8-5 no weekends. But holy frick do I hurt through the weekend.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Oh yeah, and on some days I long for injury, some days I wouldn't argue with death either.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I work in my fricking cage / bay. They don't like me outside of my bay... customers ask questions when I tell them to frick off.
>Is the salary good?
Frick no. Not for what I fricking put up with.
Fixing cars is generally a good skill to have, but it's a shitty trade now.
Back when cars were simpler it was a better job. Had family who did it back through the 30s to 80s.
Fixing cars sucks if you never move forward but can be highly profitable (used car lots with their own storage for organ donors they trade and scrap but do not sell parts to public so they don't have to register as salvage yards etc).
Fixing aircraft is infinitely more comfy and easier plus no dealing with moronic bubbas.
Fixing autos is a wonderfully useful skill though and every DIYer should acquire it.
I was in the same boat. There was an overpass within view of my bay and I frequently fantasized about jumping off it, timing it just right to get splattered by a semi on the way down.
I got into forklift repair and it's so much better. I get paid hourly, everyone there is a disgruntled former auto worker so they all know the struggle. It's a bastard child of heavy duty and automotive, try giving it a shot and stop the torment you're going through. There is other options, good luck brother.
Motor winder. Apprenticeship? Lmao no. All training hands on, thrown into it day one trained by a geriatric with one foot out the door. 40 hrs guaranteed with okay pay for my flyover area. Overtime is sporadic in the motor repair field, can be either really intense or nonexistant depending on the time of the year. Work can be very physically demanding and mentally stressful sometimes. Drive to the same shop everyday but do occasional service calls or deliveries/pickups when needed.
Overall pretty chill and consistent but the money isn't that great. To me it's an art tho and I enjoy doing it. Job security is great as it's kind of a niche trade.
>>What is your job?
Fine Furniture Maker/Cabinet Maker
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
2 years professional training paid for with personal savings, at about $16k/year back in 2011
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Structured 9-4 tuition with some set graduation requirements.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Current job is 8-4 m-f
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Depends on what you have to make, but generally it's not too harsh on your body, depends on the shop and the pace of work and the scale of the job.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Site installations every so often, but in most cases it's fee standing furniture so it just gets crated and shipped.
>>Is the salary good?
$30/hour. Not good enough for my ability, but circumstances don't allow for an alternative at present.
Any nuclear or radiation technicians here?
I'm at a crossroads where I'm 36 and don't really have a career, spent the last 10 years in sales but need a change of scenery as my brain cells are rotting away. Have some university but short a few credits, and did a few semesters of training in tool & die so have some experience with machine shop work and measuring instruments.
Looking to get into an actual career but a little bummed out at how things turned out. Any advice would be welcome.
Are there any jobs for someone who’s dumb as all frick AND bad with their hands? I really need to find something I can actually do.
Twitch streamer
How are you with your mouth?
Everybody needs a blowjob guy
Garbage man and ports potty pumpers make decent money cause no one wants those jobs
Thanks anon
Can somebody tell me what it is like to be a surveyor?
I am considering either surveying or becoming a millwright since one neighbor is a surveyor and seems to make enough money to support 3 kids.
Home Appliance Repair.
3 month apprentice, with prior experience doing IT and electronics. Yes it was paid.
It was mostly in the field training. Started off learning basics on old rebuilt machines, once I passed muster we started doing service calls.
Hours are 30-50, depending on the season.
Its physically active, but not risky unless youre moronic. Its about the same as doing a few exercises at the gym.
Its dispatch work, company van.
Salary is good. In this field its usually commission, which means it depends on skill and work load.
But whats more important than any of that, are the psych aspects of the work:
Not stuck in an office
Meet new people every day, usually you can avoid engaging beyond professionalism if they suck.
Get to drive around and crank music all day. Jazz and falling snow, anime soundtracks with the windows down.
Work hard/fast enough, you have time for a nice lunch, 1 beer even.
Get around with enough free time between calls to keep up on things. Every gun store, surplus store, and secondhand store in town knows me. Shitpost on /misc/ and PrepHole in between dishwashers.
Its a pretty comfy gig, but you have to be a good fit for it. Some people do not have the IQ for it, or the willingness to do a dirty job. Just work for a small business instead of a conglomerate or a franchise, those guys suck.
Hey anon, can you take a look at the stupid questions thread. Got a question about a piece of shit 2019 Samsung top load washer
>What is your job?
Mechatronics Technologist
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I studied at a technical institution for 3 years and got my associate's degree
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
See above
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work 8 hours a day at a food factory, we have lounges and benefits at the work place so its pretty good.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Not really, just dont be moronic
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
My job is alwaya on site
>Is the salary good?
$110k CAD before taxes is good for where I live, but I want to leave after a year so I could get that 150k petrochemical job I want but i dont have the required experience according to the job application.
I'm 37 years old and thinking about entering a trade (coming from IT) using my GI bill for an apprenticeship. In Southern Oregon but would move anywhere in the PNW. Anyone have any advice? Some kind of woodworking seems nice. No trade experience.
Going into a trade as an old man who can't recover from stuff very quickly anymore away from something easy like IT sounds exceptionally moronic.
You honestly think 37 is too old?
Office politics, morons, diversity, the lethargy induced by office work, the desire to learn something new, etc
what about just starting your own it business?
I could always do that after if I wanted, but my GI Bill is expiring (got out in 2009 so I didn't get the forever option) and I wanted to take advantage of it. College is too pozzed and I already have a degree so I figured my next best option is using it for OJT.
Pell grants and lottery money put plenty of students through tech programs for free or even a modest profit.
>Pell grants and lottery money put plenty of students through tech programs for free or even a modest profit.
I didn't qualify for any Pell grants,what do?
What sayeth Financial Aid? Wat was specific reason for rejection? What state (other Anons may be from there and know options)?
Also look for local apprenticeship deals where ya work and company covers school. Study the system because money is good.
Guard and Reserve can also be comfy deals (don't ask on /k/ because it's all insane contrarian trolls or frothers who insist everyone should go Army because memes).
>What sayeth Financial Aid? Wat was specific reason for rejection? What state (other Anons may be from there and know options)?
I got approved for a student loan, waiting to find out how much I'll be getting.
t. AS in instrumentation/robotics
What about IT makes you want to leave? I am in the opposite position as you. Currently working in the trades want to move on to something less physically demanding.
Easiest money and easiest on your body would be instrumentation and controls technician. Working with little wires usually milliamperes and dc voltage controls. In high demand at the moment
I was a surveying tech at an engineering firm for my practicum, currently I'm a draftsperson for a homebuilder. I haven't been in the industry a year yet so do with that info what you will.
Practicum was about 6 months, I lived at home during it and still do
No in-class learning with practicum
During my practicum hours were not great because I was often on a construction site and despite not being part of the crew I still had to operate on their hours . At my current job, everyone leaves at the same time, so that makes having plans infinitely easier.
Practicum: kinda
Current: not at all
Practicum: for 5 months I was always at various sites, I didn't see any office time until my last month their where they had me drafting
Current: work in building
Made $20/hr at the practicum, salary didn't change between jobs which is honestly a blessing, most postings I saw for a similar position were $18 at the highest.
>What is your job?
Rebuilding components of heavy equipment for a heavy equipment dealer
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
My apprenticeship was only a few weeks, just drove 90 minutes to it and got an apartment once I started
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I did one year of school at the local tech college
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Straight 8s with rare mandatory OT, though I usually end up with 45-50 hours anyways
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
I am on my feet most of they day, but its a lot less intense than pulling tracks off of a bulldozer of something like that, and everything I work on is accessible because it's taken off the machine before I work on it.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I used to do field service, but now I can always work in a heated shop.
>Is the salary good?
Not really, I make 23$/h but hope to switch to another dealer soon and make around 30$/h, but I think I'm doing fine for my age.
How long should one stay at a tradesmen job during their apprenticeship? The one shop I work at has me being trained by another apprentice who gets high during work. The foreman is cheap as shit and won't buy me a ladder to do my job.
A ladder is like $100 you cheap frick
High earning mechanics, have you guys found it to be better to change jobs seeking raises or to stay at one job for a long time?
>>What is your job?
forklift operator
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
lmao 3 days
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
see above
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
40hrs a week, normal here in germany
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
not really demanding at all, about 10 or so deaths anually in germany, but quite a few missing feet on bystanders, rarely the operator himself. all preventable
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
always in warehouse or on yard
>>Is the salary good?
livable. 1600€/month after taxes, health insurance already paid
not a bad gig at all, forklift driving is fun as frick and literally moron proof
i noticed a lot of geo-techs are cute, white females.
anyone ever hook up with them? i never notice the laptop/notepad workers hanging out with the laborers much, do you guys stand a chance with geo-tech girl? im a notepad/laptop guy and i got to hang out with the geotech girl today, she was super nice and supportive :3
what job is this, and how do I get it?
Stunt actor, camera man, or special effects guy, depends on which part you mean.
Congrats on your transition.
I've been a near-NEET wagecucking in retail since graduating highschool. Like no social life and just working a dead end night shift that barely even had me interacting with my own boss. I'm 26 now and while I still live at home and my parents are supportive of whatever I'm doing, I've finally hit the point where I realized I've wasted nearly a decade on nothing and need a real damn job, so I'm thinking about trade work and found this thread.
My question is what sort of requirements are there for becoming an apprentice in a skilled trade in the first place? Do you literally just apply with some agency or company and they set you up for the field you're interested in or what? Or do they expect a work history and references and such before being considered (I suppose mine isn't impressive but I at least have one)
A lot of the advice in this thread seems pretty Canada-centric with all the questions and answers about Ontario, I'm in Nova Scotia myself but hell if I know how my own damn province works.
>Thought I may as well ask here since I suspect most of you have blue collar careers in the skilled careers. I'm thinking of getting into the trades and I have some questions:
>>What is your job?
Commercial aircraft mechanic
>>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
5 years as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy, and a year in commercial aircraft heavy maintenance. No problem affording housing.
>>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Basically a year's worth of formal classroom training and four from OJT from the navy allowed me to be eligible to test for the FAA mechanic licenses. Most people just go to two years of trade school, get their licenses, and go to heavy maintenance as their first job.
>>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
I work four tens. Newbies in this field start of on grave shift with middle of the week off. It’s all based off your seniority.
>>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Yes and yes. Many ways to die from the planes.
>>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
Sometime fly to other airports to fix the planes.
>>Is the salary good?
62/hr. With overtime I’m up to 90k on the year so far.
>What is your job?
I flip houses and try to do as much of the work myself as possible
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I worked for a remodeler back in college for about two years. I learned the basics of painting, Sheetrock, plumbing, framing, etc. If I don’t know something I learn it on YouTube now.
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
I watch YouTube videos regularly on how to do things. Last night I watched a 30 min video on wiring outlets with a pig tail.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Today my son is having his wisdom teeth removed so I’m taking the day off. I make my own schedule so that means I need to work as much as possible. But if I need free time I take it at my leisure.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
I sub that Shit out. The most dangerous thing I have done is tear a 50 year old barn/shed down. That was pretty scary tbh.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I have to travel wherever my house is
>Is the salary good?
I’m on track to make over 300k this year.
>What is your job?
Bicycle mechanic.
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
Didn't have one. I literally just walked into my local shop asking for a job to fix bikes and they gave it to me.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Consistently 9-6 on the weekdays. I currently get 18.5 per hour with 1.5x OT.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
Upper body strength and good manual dexterity help big time. Haven't seen/heard of people dying in a bike shop but scrapes and minor bruises are pretty much a given regardless of experience.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
I bike a couple of miles to go to the company.
skilled?
Posting this from my sparkie course lmao
should one pursue this?
Dunno I literally only just had my induction
Watchmaker here. I'm a burger so I did school in the U.S. and then in Switzerland, then moved to Switzerland and became primarily a prototyper.
School in the U.S. was full time, and I managed with part time work living with roomates. School here also full time, no chance of work so it was a b***h financially.
Outside of Switzerland you'd work at a service center or for a store usually. Here it's factory work, or if you're clever and invest 100K in equipment you can do it solo (my situation).
Salary depends on how good you are, but regular jobs pay average wage and above here (5-6000/month), in the U.S. similar. With prototype work I usually hit 50% more to double that.
How do you get into a trade? I'm stuck in a dead end office position and I'm ready for a change. I was thinking becoming an Electrician but don't really know much about the job beyond googling it. Not really dead set on it as I have no experience and am kinda lost
The typical advice is: Apply to unions. Apply to companies for positions as a helper or apprentice. Learn some basic stuff on your own. Consider trade school.
Dunno if this stuff actually works though, i assume it does.
don't you need a sponsor to get into a union? my dad had a buddy who used to do a lot of electrician work and he said he was willing to sponsor me but he was also the kind of guy to steal power and frick with his meter lol
>The typical advice is: Apply to unions. Apply to companies for positions as a helper or apprentice. Learn some basic stuff on your own. Consider trade school.
You can even just do your apprenticeship through a non union shop and get your Journeyman's license, my local said they'd accept me as a level 3 at $25/hr, if I wanted to become a Union Journeyman I'd have to pass their 2 hr 'hands on' exam or open book and get $30/hr, this is in Floriduh mind you.
SKILLS
>What is your job?
Elevator Mechanic. Don't think I've ever seen one of us post on 4chins
>How long was your apprenticeship and were you able to rent a decent apartment or house during it?
I'm non-union. Union boys do four years to get an international mechanic's license. I did the NAEC (National Association of Elevator Contractors) CET (Certified Elevator Technician) program, Four year course, did it in 6 months, then got my CET-S (Supervisor edition)
>Did you have to do any in-class learning as part of your training/apprenticeship?
Yes, Four years of one night a week classwork for either.
>How are the hours and how much free time do you have outside of work?
Construction is 6am - 3pm. Service usually runs 7:30am to 4:30pm. Some guys do other shifts, but most of us work 8 hours with a lunch break. Some companies give unlimited overtime to troubleshooters who just live to work. Its up to the individual mechanic just how much time they want to invest.
>Is your job physically demanding and is there any high risk of injury or death?
7th most dangerous job in the world. Electrocution, falling, confined spaces, crushing, dismemberment, etc. Service is glorified janitor work, construction is dangerous as hell. Nothing we do is OSHA approved.
>Do you have to travel on-site to location or do you generally work in your company's building?
You go where the work is for construction and maintenance jobs, unless you're on a residence contract. some places have full time elevator mechanics on standby. those guys have cushy, boring jobs akin to overpaid, extremely specific janitor work.
>Is the salary good?
Frick yeah. $19/hr start. $40/hr by the time you get your mechanic's license. Union benefits are fully paid, equal to an additional $22.50ish/hr pay scales by how far you travel from the center of your region, go 30 miles out and you're making over $150/hr.
How do I into trade?
I really need to get the frick out of my parents house
My mom has no respect for trades and equates it to being a janitor. She says that if I don't have a college degree then I'm a loser and that everyone will laugh at her for her son being a big loser.
Who cares what she thinks.
Look at your local community college’s programs. Even the college doesn’t offer classes, they sometimes handle admin stuff for apprenticeship programs.
She's my mom and raised me, I barely know anything beyond what she tells me.
I will look at the local community college's website
Fire sprinklerfitter
4 years, yes
Yes, but NFPA/NICET certs mean you can transfer your license to any state. Also you do get paid half wages for school
40-60 hours, though late in the year you will work nights because of testing before winter
Fairly physically demanding, but not like ironworkers or masonry. But there are shitty, shitty days in every trade. Know of two guys that got killed, one by a 8” cap blowing off into his face and another who was working in a mental hospital and got beaten to death with his own pipe wrench
On-site every day slinging pipe baby. Have a company gas card though
Yeah. The people that talk about how trades plateau in pay compared to professionals don’t understand you can go into consulting/etc. Some guys just want a paycheck and some want more. My boss owns two office buildings and a brand new corvette, and his younger foreman brother is 45 and lives in a shithole apartment by himself.
Whenever I'm looking for pipe welding jobs, fire sprinklerfitter jobs come up as well, entry positions for over $30 an hour. What do you guys even do?
That is the dumbest stock image I've ever seen
>No workpiece loaded in the chuck
>No tooling in the tool holder
>Compound rest looks like it's set up for boring
>For some reason there's a default Joe lens flare that he's staring at?