It really looks like a lot of fun, the work you guys do, and I'm truly interested in this career, but how much do you guys love the work that you do? I know it looking fun doesn't mean it is fun, but it's really impressive to see you guys get work done.

I make 20 / hr no benefits or anything. They mostly send me on jobs by myself and I rarely need help. I think the service rate is 60 or 70 an hour and pretty much all of my time is billable lol. I feel like I could easily make 35/hr and they would still have tons of room for profit. Thoughts?

As someone looking at trades for my first career, I was curious as to how different people in this sub have had their authentic lives impacted by their profession. This being most importantly, time, for things such as Hobbies, traveling, relationships and dating, kids if you have them, working out, and so on.

I know that its 2024 but I imagine there is some great places to work in the skilled trades field that aren't "online," as much as a tech company and so I'm wondering how you landed your job in the field? If it was just through indeed and pretty much everyone uses internet to find their job I guess I'm over thinking things. The company that I work for has really only had luck with word of mouth from friends and especially from new hires that had friends in the same program in college. Unfortunately, now the work has really started up and we need to hire 2-3 people so they tried going the indeed route and we just haven't had nearly the quality and even numbers that they were expecting. Just curious what your experiences have been like. Thanks!

I was wondering if going to private welding school a good way to get a welding

I started my electrical business, I have been struggling with sourcing materials, writing proposals, doing paper work and all that computer crap. Where do you guys usually source your materials from, also if you pay someone to do this stuff how much do you pay them I want to know a fair price. Thanks ahead of time!

Post your pictures of the inside of your box. Looking for storage organizer ideas.

Just graduated high school this year and thought I was too good for college so I missed the application deadlines. Now i need a real job before I get kicked out of the house.

I want to get a skilled job but I have zero hand skills, am a slow learner, and I am mechanically challenged.

Is trade school idiot proof? Can I still learn a trade and get a good job/apprenticeship even if I'm functionally retarded?

What would you recommend I do?

Is it just me or is setting up large laundry rooms with multiple connections a real pita. Between the water , hot water return , DWV , trap primers and the dryer vents, these are terrible to try and squeeze all that into a small space.

Was a fitter and now imma bm what some half decent dirty talk

So I am a month apprentice and I love being an electrician, I love the work and how physical it can be. However my “journeymen” has lately been rude I guess. (I’ll call him J) So J is a 8 year apprentice which is why I say “journeyman” because he knows a good amount of stuff just hasn’t gotten his license but anyways he likes to fuck around a lot which can be ranging from throwing water at you, dumping your tools out of your tool bag and expecting you to clean it up. I receive most of these things and never really do anything back because I just don’t really find it funny? I don’t see the fun in it considering we’re in a hot building and stressed from the work. I’m pretty respectful of him and I’ll jump in on a joke whenever I see the chance but no matter what he still does the same thing of throwing water, or not letting me use his tools because I should’ve had some type of bandsaw or bring my dads sawzall, like rn he wants me to cut althread with my little hand hacksaw because I don’t got a saw, and since I’m a first month I’ve had plently of time.I just don’t know what to really do. I don’t wanna quit because I love the work but it’s hard to do my job and learn when I have someone constantly doing this to me and slowing me down. I can’t look for another company because I start school on September 11 and already finalized everything. I don’t wanna tell anyone because I don’t wanna be seen as that guy that couldn’t hang or just doesn’t like to fuck around. With my other apprentice co worker they get along good and fuck around with each other and he lets him use his tools even though he doesn’t have a saw or even a reamer. I just want some thoughts about this, thanks.

So I’m moving states. More specifically back to my hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. Currently welding and while I love it, it seems I’m just going from one shitty job to a somehow shittier one next. I love what I do but I’m tired of being thrown around and treated like trash with this trade. Just recently we got laid off as our management refuses to take any responsibility for the lack of parts, manpower, communication, etc…

With this move my girlfriend found an absolutely amazing IT job out there and I’m looking for work myself. I started talking with an old family friend and he was talking about his company he has in the area. He has multiple different companies working for him all under one goal. And he doesn’t just run the place, he works in it too. He does the deck building and hvac side of things. He has electricians working for him, welders, etc.

I asked if he had any spots for me that he’d be willing to show me and he basically just asked what I wanted to do. I asked about electrical work and he said “Done, let me talk to Jon. But while I have you here what do you think of HVAC? With rising temperatures and the fact that homeowners refuse to DIY their hvac, I’ve been seeing it rise quite a lot recently. I have a perfect spot for you, I need someone to specialize in mini splits and I can show you everything you need to do.”

He pushed me towards electrical as well. Said his electricians are expanding fast and bought a ton of new trucks and vans. Telling me I could go quite far with it. If I wanted to, him and his company are willing to put me through the schooling for it too. However, if I feel on-the-job work is what’s best for me, that’s fine too.

I seem to have two really great opportunities in front of me and quite honestly I’m willing to diversify in any way. HVAC seems like a really handy skill to have as well as being an electrician.

So how many of us regret this after a decade plus in the trade?

Personally I wish I had done something different. I'm a plumber/gasfitter with 15 years of experience.

I'm self employed. Pretty good at what I do. Do everything from swapping faucets to hydronic design and boiler installation. Seen it from both sides of the fence and frankly. Wish I had angled into tech. Some form of white collar work. Profit margins are substantially better. The work isn't as awful. Don't have to deliver a physical product in some cases.

Added Aug 22

Had some invaluable replies to this that's given me a lot to think about. One thing that's for sure is I'm looking at this the wrong way.

I work alone everyday so I don't always have a sound board or someone to smack me back into the real world. Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

Let me start off by saying this is my first Reddit post and this subject is causing me some pretty harsh anxiety, so please go easy on me.

So i’m a cook in BC. i just got laid off from my job and I just applied to go on EI, because i’ve been told that due to me being laid off from my job i can go to school funded and get an educational EI?

I’m still trying to figure everything out, I’m a 19 year old dude living on my own in a 2 bedroom apartment, my girlfriend is planning on moving in in september but her parents don’t want her to move in with me if i don’t have a job.

is there any way i can assure her and her family that i won’t end up depending on her and still have her best interest at heart while i try and take this opportunity to go to school funded and not have to worry about making enough money while i’m in school to pay rent?

Any advice would be appreciated, like i said i’m 19 so all of this is pretty new to me, i just want to be a good cook and also make sure my girlfriend doesn’t end up feeling like i’m a leech depending on her while she’s working and i’m not.

Please help me guys:(

Long time lurker on this Sub. Learned a lot of pretty interesting stuff about trades I've never rubbed elbows with on site.

I'll try and keep this brief as this is mostly an inquiry into what rate(s) seem reasonable for someone/anyone in my position. I'm specifically a carpenter but I'm sure there are plenty of other folks in similar roles in a wide variety of trades. I'd also like to state that I'm painfully aware that everyone's feeling the sting of inflation and costs skyrocketing with basic day to day stuff as the topic dominates many conversations with other coworkers/tradesmen on jobs. I figure it is worth asking the greater community on what pay rates are (or should be). I also figure if we can't talk about it in a forum like this it leaves people in the dark and we don't know what our time is actually worth so we all eat a shit sandwich.

Is the glass ceiling for a Lead carpenter (or for that matter any similar trade) $35/hr?

I (30y/o) work for a relatively small carpentry subcontractor in Nashville, TN. We do a whole lot of everything including building custom cabinetry, trim outs, deck building, framing, siding, stairs etc. We almost exclusively work in incredibly affluent parts of town on high end custom stuff. I'll preface by saying 35 seemed like top shelf rate almost a decade ago but it seems to have totally stalled there. All the old heads I'm around are probably feeling great with that as most of them have paid off houses and most are driving new trucks as their only really major expense. I'm not saying it's bad money but obviously with inflation, this city exploding and housing skyrocketing around me it doesn't go nearly as far as it used to for us younger guys.

As a lead for this company I'm expected to run jobs and deal with contractors and/or clients regularly, manage 1-3 others depending on job, material management (takeoffs, ordering, picking up etc), coordinate with other subs and also somehow get a bunch of carpentry done. I DO NOT have a company vehicle and actually had to buy a new truck last year to pull a new company trailer that was absolutely gonna dust my 22yr old “thrifty” truck I had. I am compensated for mileage only. An incredible amount of the tools in that trailer are my own purchases and they get used like company tools. I'm more in the business of getting shit done than being petty and not letting people use my stuff, but it does get aggravating after awhile when there is one item being shared by 2-3 people or I can't find something I need because someone else has commandeered it. Also, my shop/garage is used for working on company projects regularly.

Am I discovering the joys of middle management and should just shut the fuck up? I like what I do and actually like my boss but it just doesn't seem like the financials shake out to be a good deal anymore when you consider how much of your own $ goes into it vs. what you walk away with and can afford outside of work. Feels like it would be comparable to working somewhere for mid to high $20's and having to just show up and be there. Again, I could be stoned but I figured I'd ask y'all and if anyone else is in or has been in a position like this. Feeling more and more inclined to just risk it and start working for myself.

I always think about how 21 yr Olds make over 150k right out of college. And being in the trades. It will take u decades to get his starting salary.

Even then you would need to work overtime to get near it. Getting paid 50 an hr as a foreman is pathetic honestly.

Id leave the trades but I can't because I got a criminal record and even if im smart no one would hire me cuz of my history.

Ita hard for me to cope with honestly. I'm based in alberta and don't know anyone who genuinely enjoys this work. I wish I could go back in time and take school seriously and see the bigger picture. But honestly the wages are ass. Unless I'm out of the loop the only way to make money is to do OT.

Going 10 hours to 20 hours of OT. that means u make 100 an hour instead of 50. I measly extra 1k a week. Which gets eaten up by taxes.

The trades don't respect us. They would give u s silicon valley salaries if we were actually worth something. They just pay us enough to cope and nothing else since we're so easy to replace.

I'm just feeling depressed knowing that since I'm to much of a pussy to give up on life that I'm id rather work hard at my job and try to appreciate every good meal I buy for myself. That's how I cope. The satisfaction of working hard and food. Since I'm sober too the only high I get is after fasting and eating a good meal. That's what I live for

I’m considering a change from aircraft maintenance to electors, I was wondering if any elevator boys can give me some info on what the pay looks like?

Hi. I've been in residential new construction plumbing for a few years. Close to be able to test for journeyman in my state (WA). (although I don't know how to run waste yet) I've been looking at the union lately or maybe just a switch to commercial. The union specifically has an apprenticeship program 5 years with training.

My question is, I'm recovering from a serious psychiatric disability (schizophrenia specifically). I'm good no shenanigans such as believing ones life is a tv show or the radio is talking to oneself or the FBI is following one etc. I don't require accomodations. My question is what anyone thinks about whether disclosing this personal history would help or hinder my hiring prospects. The apprenticeship is highly competitive.

Edit: while in active psychosis i.e. lucidly hallucinating I worked at a factory for five years similar to the plot of the movie Eraserhead. Ask me anything

What questions should someone interested in trades ask when shadowing a professional?

My kid shadowed today and he said the man he shadowed wasn’t much of a talker. Which my son was fine with because he isn’t much of a talker either, he’s a “keep your head down and work” kind of guy.

But it got me thinking. What advice would you give to a kid who is shadowing professionals from various trades?

My kid did ask union vs. non union, schooling questions, etc.

So I start college in January. I'm taking a 2 year electromechanical Engineering Technician course at Fanshawe college. I was thinking about taking an Engineering apprenticeship after this for some experience bc I know most wages in trades are based on your experience. Just wondering would there be any point in doing this, would it make any significant impact in my future career or would college be enough

This is probably gonna sound like a stupid question, but why do employers ask me what year I am in my apprenticeship. To have an apprenticeship in the first place, wouldn’t you already have an employer sponsoring you? If I’m inquiring about starting an apprenticeship, wouldn’t that imply that I’m new to the trade? Do people hop between employers during their apprenticeship?

Thanks for the responses in advance. I’m typing this at 9:30- my brain is foggy.

I’ve already been told Low Voltage. What else?

I'm in the southwestern US, looking into a large city's local for Heat and Frost Insulators. Anyone know what this field is like? Is there a strong work outlook? I just took the UA pipefitters aptitude and waiting to hear back. I am 34 and have a wife and two kids, I hate accounting now, need to do something that gets me out of the house and earn a pension. Tired of dicking around with office politics. Any input would be appreciated, recommendations on trades, etc. Thanks.

AZ, MN or NV info would be great, willing to relocate to one of these states

I'm starting a job as a laborer, with hopes of moving into a plumbing apprenticeship. I currently do CrossFit but don't think I can manage it with the new job. What was your workout regimen outside of work? Besides daily stretching, do you do strength training, yoga, cardio, or any other forms of exercise?

I recently finished my first year of law school and work in a law firm and recently got promoted to a law clerk but I am unsatisfied with what I do and I find it really boring and hate writing for work on top of reading and writing in school. Before I worked in a law firm and was attending law school I was in the military and I miss it a lot and I haven’t found another workplace like it since I have been out. As a result I am very unhappy at work and I am considering dropping out of law school to go be an electrician because I have heard the work environment is similar there and I think I would be happier. Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you!

I’ve been looking to relocate my wife and I to anywhere in the country. I’m a residential service plumber. I’ve got buddies at every company in town, everyone is losing hours due to lack of work, companies laying people off. People are getting worried.

I’ve been wanting to leave Memphis for a long time. I want to move somewhere I don’t have to constantly worry about my wife’s safety. Possibly interested in trying to join the union.

Like if you're a good plumber can you just move to the Philippines or Japan and start unclogging pipes?

The school is 40-50 weeks long and is mostly done online with a in person lab on Wednesday and an optional lab for extra tutoring on Thursday. It costs $22,500 and they give you all the tools you need and job placement when you're done. Is this worth doing or should I find another route to become an electrician?