I’m San Diegan interested in electrical and plumbing trades as a new career path and noticed that many apprenticeships are working during the day and then classes at night. I value my home life and my relationship and I know that doing that for an extended period would likely put strain that I’d like to avoid on my relationship. Would it be possible to do classes first, finish them. And then start the apprenticeship working full time? I have the funds to support myself during the period of class work but I’m looking for advice if anyone’s done this. Thanks!

CANADIAN skilled trades people only: Which Red Seal skilled trade (work environment, conditions, coworkers) do you think would be welcoming to WOMEN entering as apprentices, and even might be good careers for a woman to reture from? Totally hypothetical

I’m just curious how is the job market for skilled trades/construction right now.. on the tech/white collar side I’ve been hearing that it’s quiet a shit show and everyone is getting laid off left and right.. I’m assuming it’s the complete opposite for here? I feel like everything here is in demand ?

Doing the low volt thing. It's okay. Learning a lot but I don't see a future. No union support here. No Red Seal either.

Feels like I'm going to be making $25/hour for the rest of my life. I'm thinking about jumping ship. Joining my local IBEW and move on to High Volt. Or another trade all together.

The biggest issue is the pay, and the lack of career path going forward. I like the trade itself. It's a simple but complex trade. I COULD do it forever, but I'd hate to keep working without a future.

Advice is welcome.

Crossposting here as this sub has some other eyes and may be a bit more active.

I'm in residential remodeling (carpenter). Unfortunately pays less generally than commercial work, sometimes new construction too, from my general perspective. But with that cost comes the benefit of shorter commutes from work, arguably more enjoyable work, and generally more flexibility with time off and other scheduling constraints, like needing to pick up/ drop off kids.

Around here, union journeyman carpenters are making somewhere around $46 an hour with all those benefits.

My foreman, who is the one essentially running and doing these jobs, EVERYTHING from start to finish except the electrical and some plumbing on a wide variety of remodel jobs, is only making $35 an hour, no benefits.

I currently make $25 hourly. I still have some things to learn, but I'm proficient with any tool you give me, even if I haven't used it before, I have enough general knowledge where I can figure it out. I can do most things with little to no supervision. I don't make expensive mistakes.

Given a first year apprentice should be making around 27-28 hourly plus benefits, I feel that I'm worth at least 30, but now I just don't see that happening seeing my superior's wage... which is kind of ironic to me because the owner of the company was longtime union and doesn't seem to be paying competitive wages.

This is tough, because I'm genuinely learning a lot at this job and is great for learning. But I need to make more money and I'm not sure what has higher opportunity costs. Not gaining as much relevant experience at another job, or not making as much money over the next 3-5 years and having less for investments, and other life upgrades which lead to other opportunities?

I don't want to go too deep onto this point, but go illustrate how broadly I mean opportunity costs, let's be real here... when you're on the market for a wife, your income matters. A girl I'm seeing is buying her first house. Sometimes, it can pay off to be a little bit further ahead early on, if it comes at a slight deficit to advancement in the medium term, as long as it affords you opportunities that otherwise wouldn't be there.

Another example is people I'm meeting having the extra income to live where I do and do the things I do in my free time is providing wonderful networking opportunities I wouldn't be having if I were poorer. I also can't really afford to take trips and travel the world, which I should really try to do before I have commitments like a wife and kids and house.

I think for the lifestyle I want, I have to work towards the goal of being self employed doing sub work and my own jobs in residential remodeling. I'm not sure if big commercial jobs and union work provide the best experience to translate to that, or if staying union long term supports my life goals which include a strong focus on work/life balance.

Any insight, tips, advice would be appreciated, and I'm open to questions if you want more info to provide advice.

Im a registered 442A apprentice. I’ve completed my 9000 hours of onsite training and am booked and paid for my 3rd term of school in the spring. However I was let go from my job after booking school. Does anyone know if I’m able to attend schooling still without currently having a sponsor with a valid training agreement. Once I have my book signed by my now previous sponsor all I should need is that third term to be able to submit my completion of apprenticeship for and be able to go write. Do I need a current sponsor to hand in my apprentice completion form once I’m done school? Anyone have thoughts?

Lost my tech job 18 months ago and been struggling to find a new path. Growing up in a construction family, the trade route was always an interesting alternative.

Wondering if there are any trades that would allow me to utilize my programming skills in combination with the more hands on work. I know people always suggest electric, hvac, and plumbing, but I’m wondering if there are certain niches within the trades that require more technical programming knowledge

Hi everyone,

I’m new to Canada and interested in starting a career in heat and frost insulation. Could anyone guide me on the best steps to take? Are there specific certifications, training programs, or unions I should look into? I’m planning to move to Ontario (maybe Ottawa) in April 2025. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi in a couple weeks I’m going to be taking a Construction & Maintenance Mechanic hands-on test. The position entails Assist in maintenance of the fleet and grounds by operating specialized equipment and performing minor repairs on the fleet to ensure the integrity of the bridge infrastructure.

When HR called me to set this up and I asked they didn’t know. They said I need to wear work boots.

Anyone have any idea what this test could entail. Thanks!

I'm currently a selector/ shipper...etc at a warehouse. It's really only my first job with no experience In anything else. I'm 20 and am living with my parents so I have a decent amount for any schooling I need. I want to start getting into a career path. I don't exactly know what trade would be right for me I have a interest in welding but still I don't know much about it.

Hi sorry for reposting! I had a post here awhile ago but I deleted it. Someone mentioned a pair of redwings that they wore for 6 years. If you are the one who mentioned it, can you comment it again please? Haha I’ll delete the post right after!

I am about to get started in the trades. I have been wondering if you join a union and turn out to not like it. How easy is it to leave that union? Are the skills transferable between trades?

Title says it all. Been at a computer for too long!

Update: i replied in a comment way down below. Thanks everyone!

As I've scrolled down and take a look at all the post and comments on this subreddit, I was wondering what should I be expecting before going in trade? Do I expect like shouting? Asshole employers or something?

I'm 18 and I am interested in learning in the automotive trade or just work in cars in general, although I don't have any experience with cars.

24m not really sure what I want to do in life but I’m tried of not having at least a career path that has room for growth.

I’m from South Carolina about an hour north of Columbia. How do I get in contact or start an apprenticeship. Are they easy to get into?

So I got laid off frommy job. Times are slow. Anyway, the person who laid me off was my Forman and then outside Super came and gave me my check. We all spoke for about 20 minutes and I grabbed my tools put them in the car and went on my way. Now, 2 days later, I noticed Iforgot my table at the job. I use it to prep and splice fiber. I called the foreman on both his numbers about the table and left messages. No response. Waited 2 weeks and left text message. Nothing. 2 months go by now and I gave up on table. Pissed off I got no response and this I thought was a good person. Professionally and personally. Nope. Out of no where, I get a text message from this foreman stating he has my table. After asking how things are going and making some comments. Ones more personal then normal. Not bad comments either. Nice ones. Hmm I say. So he says we can meet up and I can grab my table. Great I said. Now I don't have to spend the money to get another one.

Make a plan and it doesn't happen. So zi said, ok......I can j6st come to job where you are working and grab t. I am the one who left the table. Then he does not respond. Waits a week and said he was sick. And that we can get together soon to get the table and hopes that I just don't grab the table and leave. Process to compliment me and now I know this person likes me.

Ok, well let's get the table back to me and we can speak about that. Nothing Nothing nothing. This isn't a date. This is a tool. I do not care if I am not working....I want my shit back. I have not been rude. I have not sent excessive messages.

I have been all kinds of harassed as a woman in the trades, but cmon now. Wtf is this bs and please chime in. I am thinking about my next step. I am at a l8ss for words.

I have another foreman friend that said he would grab it from him. And he does not know anything about this. I just said he has the table and he offered because it would be easier for me to get from co worker who offered.

So GUYGUYS especially What's the creepy deal. Please do tell

I'm 23 and I have polymorphic light eruption, I've been seeing dermatologists and allergists for years and they've been able to help manage it but im still extremely likely to break out in hives covering my body if in the heat or direct sunlight for extended periods of time, is there a way forward for me in trades?

So I’m 33, mostly a carpenter- I’ve worked my way through about 4 houses and had plenty of other odd jobs to fill the cracks. My specific skills seem to be more along fine carpentry, though still fairly self taught.

I do tile well, ok at drywall, some resi electrical, least amount of plumbing, small amounts of exterior, etc…

houses.

then I work as a low voltage electrician with a friend in between house work- those skills are fine but not my favorite… (ie: i hate it…lol)

so I used to be a massage therapist before covid, Im a musician and artist, thats more where I want to be at the end of the day.

Im feeling burned out for a while now, I never really got trained properly- the first guy I worked with was really intense/unstable/abusive- though he taught me a lot in 9 months- I really would've benefitted from more hands on training because Im at a strange level of skill now where I do good work, but I am still learning so much every new situation I go into.

I also have a lot of need for flexibility, Im dependable but not the most stable or consistent- I hit 30ish hours a week but seriously struggle putting in more than that consistently. I have a serious music career building, I don’t want to give up on my other skills, and although I do love certain aspects of carpentry, overall construction is wearing me down so much trying to maintain all these things but no other jobs pay as much consistently (i’m right around a $30/hr guy which is high skill but not boss in my area)

Im wondering if any of you more experienced people have insight as to how to best utilize my skills in the trades in a better way to make more without burnout or completely sacrificing some of my other skills- music is sort of the non negotiable to me, as hard as that makes this equation…

my current plan is to little by little start to take my own jobs to get more comfortable doing that and then making the actual job price- but there’s still some hills to climb before I get there.

We’ve all heard the bs cliche recently being pushed “oh just pick up a trade you’ll make 100k”. Well, not everyone is cut out for that type of work. We’ve all got different backgrounds and some people are just naturally more mechanically inclined than others. So what qualities of a person do you think make them not a good fit for a career in the trades?

I ask this question because I’ve been becoming interested in a trade career and have dabbled in mechanics, carpentry, and some plumbing. It is clear that I don’t have natural aptitude for this sort of work, but I do enjoy doing it and learning. Plus, I’m way more competent than I was a year ago when I began getting interested in working with my hands. Will a good attitude and willingness to learn take me far and lead me to a successful career, or will my lack of aptitude hurt me too much?

Planning on attending trade school in BC come January. Wondering if one is better than others or if it doesn’t really matter. My location is flexible. I was looking at BCIT but they have a long waitlist for every trade so I’m thinking maybe something on the island or southern interior.

Appreciate the help!

Do you really wish to spend the rest of your life staring at a screen and answering phone calls? I’m in IT and I’m looking to get out or ima go nuts if one more person calls me screaming cause their computer isnt working.

I am so jealous of tradesmen who get to build cool stuff all day and are always in demand and i’m always subject to layoffs, offshoring, and tough job market.

Oh and most IT people have to be on-call too. Not all office jobs are standard 9-5.

I'm looking to start to go to Europe for family stuff and I'm still an apprentice. Would it be reckless to go to Europe with my family or should I keep working? Would my boss let me go without any consequences? Never really done this before so just looking for some insight in case any of you have been here before.

[If you want to skip all the exposition, my question is at the end of paragraph 2]

I'm 19 and graduating from community college with an Associate's of Engineering in Spring '25 - I live in coastal Virginia (not only willing, but likely, to move to Minnesota later next year) and I want to become financially self-sufficient as soon as possible after graduation. Before starting college, I was set on transferring to a 4-year school after community and getting my bachelor's in mechanical engineering, but I've discovered I hate academia as I don't feel fulfilled depending on my parents and racking up student debt. The military is a no-go for me, so, with what knowledge I have of the job market, I've concluded that the skilled trades are my next best opportunity at the level of education I'll soon have.

My top priority for the career(s) I eventually decide upon is job stability. I want to remain roughly in the same line of work for 30-40+ years, and, as such, I want to enter a field wherein the skills and knowledge I attain will give me the highest continued chances of employment in the future. I don't mind physical labor, and I'll study my trade(s) of choice into the ground on principle. Which trades will remain in demand the longest?

P.S, as I could not find a fitting placement above: Pay is not of exceptional importance to me beyond covering necessary expenses like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, and development of an emergency fund. If I had to name a base pay I'm aiming for, I'd probably go with $40k.

Edit 1: I forgot to mention in the post that I would highly value a job where I'd be able to live in one place indefinitely. I realize this is a big ask concerning the constant travel of some trades, but I'd love to know about trades that would facilitate this.

I’m 38 now and I’ve been doing trade work since I was 16, with some breaks in between for college and to try and climb the corporate ladder but that shit ain’t for me! So here I am, I’ve done heavy equipment mechanic(8 years), UAV engine mechanic(3 years) and now elevator mechanic (going on 5 years.) I say all this to say that working in the trades (any trade really) is not easy or quick BUT I wouldn’t doing anything else. I see posts on here almost everyday from people in their 30’s asking if the trades are right for them and to be honest, no one can answer that question for you but you. All I can do is offer you my perspective of things. Here’s the long and short of it, working a trade is HARD, full stop. The work is hard and the people can be hard but I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. Not everyday is perfect, hell, a lot of days really fuckin suck lol but it beats staring at a screen and answering emails and phones all day. I went on that long winded diatribe just to say that, no matter your age, if you are willing to put in the work and dedication then working a union trade can be the most fulfilling and well playing career you’ll find!

Hey Everyone,

Been thinking about both electrician or Plumbing apprenticeship at either local UA 502 or Local 369 in Louisville. I’ve been thinking about this career field for a while and have applied to both. I’m trying to gather more information about what people have done to earn more money or advance their position after getting their Journeyman Ticket.

I understand that there’s master licenses, foreman and general foreman positions but are there niche specialties for both fields that would substantially increase income especially when I’m decades into the field?

Appreciate it y’all

Unique position. 29 years old, I have a background in medical nonprofits and hospitals. Currently I’m coordinating international organ transplants. I make about $75k/year working from home and I’m the sole provider.

I hate it. I hate working from home, I hate not being around people, I hate sitting at a desk all day. Writing emails makes me want to suck start a shotgun.

I feel like I’m caught in a catch-22. If I jump to an entry level role in most skilled trades, my income is going to be cut in half.

I’ve been told to try unions. Pay cut would still be severe at entry level, but defined growth I can deal with. I’ve applied at three different IBEWs, tested/interviewed with scores 90%+ and still end up like 300 people down the waitlist. Afterwards I was told by people in the union that unless you have a connection it’s kind of a losing game. OR I’m told that nobody is going to hire someone with my background, since I’ve never really done anything that wasn’t behind a desk.

I’m hoping to find a skilled trade, in demand, that I can get a certification for. Something that I may have to put some advance work in on, but will put me in a better paying position starting out.

I would go into my interests in specific fields, but I’m not sure I have the privilege of being picky at this point.

I am a freshman in college and in the spring i am going to start school to become a stationary engineer, which is mainly because my dads good friend is one and introduced me to it and how fast i can become one. I still want to finish college but not if theres no reason to. I called him today and asked him if there are any degrees i can get in college to pair with my license to maybe get a better higher paying job after a few years of working as a stationary engineer. He doesnt know much about college and degrees because hes an immigrant and didnt go to school so i thought id ask on here. So to any stationary engineers, is there a degree that would be useful later on, or should i just leave college once im able to get a job. Thanks in advance (i am also located in central jersey right by new york incase it matters)

Hello all, I am a 23 year old Computer Information Systems major (senior) and I have always had an interest in getting into the trades. Prior to enrolling in college, I did a basic electrical 1 & OSHA 30 class when I lived in NYC right out of high school but couldn't get any work. I pursued college after months of trying to get into some electrical helper/apprentice position here in Northwestern Pennsylvania and even tested for my local IBEW but was told I was "on the waiting list." I never wanted to go to college truth be told, but I figured it was a last resort sort of thing seeing as how I couldn't land any electrical position. I pursued CIS as I heard the job market was booming for it but now, as a senior, I can't even land an entry level help desk job. I'm also personally so drained with CS to the point where I've been thinking of just finishing my degree over time and getting into the trades in some capacity.

So, with that lengthy overview out of the way, I am curious as to what trades are the easiest to get into/in the most desperate need of laborers. Previously I only considered electrical roles, but I am far more open-minded at this point. I have a reliable vehicle, my NCCER Construction Core & Electrical 1 as well as my OSHA 30. Thank you all in advance, I look forward to reading your replies.

I have question related to all the single folks, in their 30s, currently working in the trades, 10-12 hours a day, 5-6 days a week.

Are you enjoying life? Do you have children, animals? How's your social life, do you find yourself missing major events, like birthdays, weddings, even thinking about trying to date someone just sounds impossible. I would love to hear some of your thoughts on this subject of work life balance, what's been your experience with it so far?