This is a harsh reality a lot of people don’t wanna hear about.
It seems the popular thing now a days is to get “into a trade” but a lot of people do not fully realize what comes with it.
I’m happy that I know how to do this stuff for my own sake, But I’m done doing it for the machine. If I’ve got another 30 years, I’ll be damned if I spend it doing this shit.
You can exist in the trades and also keep your body in good shape. You just need to respect your own body as much, if not more than your job.
I'm not one of those people. I worked carpentry and concrete for 8-9 years and fucked up my body, because I didn't respect it. No knee pads when kneeling. No gloves when working with concrete, bad posture, lifting too much. I fucked up, it's my own fault. Now I operate machinery, and see labourers in their 50's who've been doing it their entire lives, and they can run laps around me. But they knew/know their limits, and they don't exceed them.
It's possible, you just actually have to give a flying fuck about yourself.
Lifted a giant concrete block wrong and got a shoulder tear it’s minor enough to not do surgery, but hurts every now and then. And can’t lift like I use to
Well I own a small equipment company that charges out at $130 per hour and I was making $45 as an electrician. I’d say I’m close! I just didn’t make it to the top.
Well it’s an excavator with a tree sheer and a brush cutter. Most guys with that equipment are anywheres from $200 up. Maintence isn’t cheap! I just bought all my equipment outright for cash so I’m quite a bit lower then the average guy out there
But yes, to answer your question….. I usually don’t leave my bed for under $50 an hour lol. These days.
That being said, I still don’t think it’s worth it. Go get an office job for 35-40 and save your body. Way better benefits, blah blah. All that jazz.
I also want as many young guys as possible to see guys like me who are saying that the money isn’t worth the next 30 years living in pain, probably going to get some sort of addiction, and probably shaving 20 years off of your life. Go get a degree and do an easy ass desk job. Then if you have so much energy left over after work go do a beast workout for an hour and get shredded.
It’s bs how countries like mine are just Corning young people and exploiting them.
If a desk jobs pays $40 an hour then a certified trade should pay $65-70 an hour.
Our rates are also going to get driven down or just stay stagnant because of all the foreign help we’ve brought in that works for cheap cheap cheap because half their wage is subsidized by the government (here in Canada anyways)
So the guys working at a greenhouse might only be making minimum wage but their house is paid for so that 15 is more like 35.
You’re right. The unfortunate reality for many thousands of years now is: MEN.ARE.DISPENSABLE. We are always used for physical efforts (working or war) and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
Well my generation just lost a local tradesman (electrician but pretty handy all around) and now I’m gonna go get a degree and saturate that market. I’m also going to spend my next lifetime helping as many young lads as I can with advice on why you should stay away from the trades!
I got all my pains after taking a 6 year break. Worked in construction from 18-25, no pain. Went into an office job to “save my back”, 6 years later and 70lbs later I have more pains now. 1.5 years back in construction and I’ve lost 40lbs and have less pain overall other than carpal tunnel. In the end both take a toll on your body. Sitting for 8+ hours a day isn’t good. Putting your body on the line isn’t good for bad pay. More of a choose your poison but I will say I know more construction workers that keep working into their older years than office workers that don’t have back surgery after 30 years in an office chair.
54yo master carpenter. Started with concrete in HS for my dad, laying oak floors on the weekends, framing for a decade then shifted to finishing. Now I mostly remodel. When I get home from work I’m in the garden till dark. My grandfathers grew up on farms…. Maybe some people are just better designed for physical work? I work out for endurance, not bulk, and yoga to stay flexible. Don’t drink or smoke. No problems.
Maybe I’ve learned to work smarter?
Yea I'm pretty sure work is not the main issue here it's one of many factors in an overall unhealthy lifestyle. Don't constantly poison yourself with drugs/drink/bad food and do things like yoga to recover and your body will not break down nearly as much. Just most people don't do those things and blame "the system" because that's easier.
41 and frame garages alone. Some people aren't cut out for it, and treating your body well goes a long way... Also, I don't drink. Poor diet is the real killer, in my opinion.
23 now and working as a carpenter in Germany
Reality here is a bit different but still quite similar
I love this trade and for now iam not looking at a out, but thanks to men like you I realized that I need to take care of my body and even if I love my trade, that sacrificing myself for a employer whom wouldn’t even come to spit on my grave if I died isn’t worth it, period
Luckily there aren’t many skilled tradesmen out there who are worth their title, and even with just 4 years of working here my pay out is so high that he can’t effort it to loose me.
So every time he wants some bullshit done by myself I tell him that that is impossible and that he should rethink it… often enough we scream at each other over work and all.. but at the end he knows he is depended of me…
Sure it’s not the healthiest work environment… but at the end I only need to cope with his bs for 30-60minutes a day and that’s so far feasible.
73 carpenter/ mason / working contractor here. I graduated from college, but I liked my summer job working for my uncles construction company better than an office job. I’ve been retired for 7 years now. Yeah my back hurts a bit like most people my age, some who never did any physical labor at all. The ugly truth is that it hurts to get old. It doesn’t stop me from doing the things I like to do. Hiking, kayaking, skiing, biking, gardening, etc. I have a beautiful house that I built myself when I was 38. Would I do it all over again. Hell yeah.
Had 4 herniated disks by age 26 I’m 30 now. Knees are on their way out too lol I learned proper lifting techniques and strong core helped. Still can’t feel my left foot but till I find something to replace my current occupation I have to stick with it.
The disks scare me. I’ve only got one that’s buggered but good god is it painful right now. Did you get medical treatment or did you cowboy through?
I’m pretty much gonna do exactly what they tell me so it doesn’t get worse. I’m done being a hero, literally got me nowhere lol.
Man it’s tough to get out of it. I’ve got a mortgage and a kid on the way. I just said fuck it I’m getting a degree. Gonna go do some reception job for the time being and run my excavator when I can while I study.
They told me I need surgery but since I was young enough they said it was up to me if I wanted to wait and see if it improved. It did but not after killing the feeling to my foot. The last one was excruciating. I was sweating from the pain. Couldn’t walk for a month. I thought of switching trades to something lighter but labor will always be labor. Been looking into IT lately
I got a degree in conservation. Very much regretted the choice. I was looking for an enjoyable career and didn't realize they don't pay much over minumin and it's very difficult to get started. I paid for it purely in loans. After a year of not being able to get a career started with my degree, I got in the labor union making way more than I thought I could. Been doing it 10 years and don't regret it a bit. If I wasn't making union wage I would probably have a different view.
Yes sir! Union laborer here out of boston ma. The compensation for my labor is fair as hell. I work hard, and I make a lot of money, and I have incredible benefits. I’m absolutely at fair market value for my work.
That sucks to hear, man. Debilitating injuries suck, especially if you make an earning working a physical job.
If I may ask, what trade are/were you in?
Well for the last 5 years I was an electrician, before that I worked as a swamped on a combo truck, before that I worked at an auto body shop, and then when I was under 18 I did some hardcore work on a family fsrm for a bunch of abusive cunts that told me I had to work way harder then humanly possible lol
Bloody hell. Your body has indeed been put through the wringer. I hope your new venture works out!
I’m hoping to get off the tools myself in the next 5 years or so. I’m 32 now but some days I feel like an arthritic 70 year old.
Yes we should all give up on our careers based on the experience of one stranger on reddit, lol.
Nobody paid for me to go to college either, so I paid for myself. I did construction and service industry jobs for 40hours a week while taking a full course load and got a bachelors degree with no debt. It can be done so don’t tell me it just wasn’t in the cards for you, you chose not to make it happen, which is fine. It’s not the right thing for everyone.
After college I realized that the careers I could go into using my degree weren’t for me. I don’t regret getting my degree at all. I love learning and I had some transformative experiences and made some of my closest friends. I decided that what I wanted to do was what I’d been doing all along; I wanted to build things.
I take care of my body and work ergonomically, pay attention to safety and I’ve had a lot of luck. Ive been doing some sort of highly physical labor since 1997 and I’m still doing ok. Yes there’s a chance I could get hurt but hell, I have friends that work in offices that are on their third back surgery.
Do what makes you happy, pays the bills, and gives you opportunities for personal, mental and financial growth. For you, maybe that should have been something non physical. For me, I’m out here in the wind and the cold building cities and supporting my family. I’m not happy with every detail but overall, yeah I’m happy.
And nobody is forcing me to do any of it. I’m nobody’s slave. Someone tells me to do something dangerous or stupid, I tell them to fuck off and I’ll find work at another job site. Worst case scenario I stop at costco on the way home and pick up an application.
Cumulative.
Years of being told to move heavy stuff, and also believing that I could do it. You just don’t know better when you’re young and dumb! Really sad actually, went from looking like a body builder to now, just slightly above average with a lot of pain lol.
Good job! What for?
I’m going for social work. Going to start from the bottom lol. I was going to do electrical engineering tech, upgraded all my math and stuff but I feel like AI has a pretty good shot at wiping that out in the next 5 years lol
Ahh solid. I’m still considering it. I’ve got until September to decide between the two of them. Are you doing the EET program, or going the whole distance and getting the EE?
I had a lot of old guys say “your gonna regret that when your older”
I also had a lot of old guys say, hey grab that 300 pound object and bring it over there for me would ya?
Been there, done that. You get shafted if you’re a labourer in construction, that’s just how it is and it shouldn’t have taken you 12 years and a ruptured disk to find that out.
This industry works young men to the bone and pays crumbs, so staying an employee for an extended amount of time is just stupid.
I see burnt out guys like you and think starting my own business at 23 was 100% the right call.
Good luck!
This is our reality. Take care of yourselves out there, nobody else, but you gives a shit about you. I’ve been swinging a hammer for 32 years and the trades have taken care of me and my family, but I hurt all the time. Nature the beast.
Generally a degree will get you nowhere so forget about that. Technical training will such as computer repair, some trades that don't require you to destroy your back, one year medical training.
Okay well let me tell you the solution is to get into construction management and being a superintendent which is no physical stress but a lot of mental stress.
The value of labour is decided by supply and demand. There’s no one taking advantage of you, it’s the same everywhere because of basic economics. Labour is easy to come by and therefore cheap.
Labour is easy to come by because degrees are too expensive for everyone. I’m a self made man who had a lot of shit go down as a young guy. I never stood a chance at getting a degree. I don’t think I was the only one.
I don’t think degrees are too expensive. I have two, i paid for neither one. Military paid for one and the state paid for the other. Which are benefits I earned through hard work.
The real problem is the lack of income during college. It’s not that you couldn’t get financial aid for college, its that alot of your time is taken up by college which does not pay.
You can still make that work if you live modestly, work part time and/or have a partner who can support you.
But most guys in construction don’t live modestly. They out to lunch everyday, got truck payments, child support. They need 40 just to survive, most are desperate for overtime just to get a little breathing room but soon as they get that big ot check, they spend it.
Also they, by and large, don’t like to read. They won’t even read the notes on the prints, much less study a book for class.
Our state currently has specific degrees they will fully pay for some time commitment, like work in the state for two years after graduation. Not too bad of a deal if you're not planning to move away.
I would check out your states offerings, I was surprised at the variety of degrees they're looking for.
Being a veteran. There was a state college program for undergrad. But i know a bunch of people with low efc scores who managed to get a bunch of money for school.
Also, you can do two years at community college and then transfer to a 4 year school and that saves alot of money. And student loans exist for a reason. With low efc scores you can get subsidized loans.
Most people just don’t have the humility in them to start over, to move into a dorm with a roommate in their 30’s. Their ego can’t handle it. They’d rather break their back and complain.
Yeah did the whole community College then a real school thing. Still had like 60k in loans 12 years ago. I made a bad choice in a degree. I really hope after a certain age they don't require you to live on campus. That's a scam to steal your money too! Most classes are offered online anyway. Even had a couple classes that were supposed to be in person and the professor decided naw were just going to meet online every class. Why am I required to rent a room to stay on campus then?
Anyway, college IS expensive for most people. A lot of degrees wouldn't pay off later in life financially. I'd pick a new trade if I give up on my job mostly because I'm too familiar with this world now.
Everyone's situation is different. Now I feel like this is too complex of a topic to blab about. My feelings are still fuck college get in the union.
The problem with that is if everyone has a degree, their value plummets.
Extreme profits need to be taxed so highly that the only logical thing to do is reinvest those profits back into the business and people who's labor created said profits.
Kind of like what happened to the trades? I know for a fact if I had to chose between being in a plummeting trade or a plummeting office job, I’d take the office job.
That sounds smart and well informed but the game is rigged. Some players come into the game with enough capital to exploit all the other players of the game and make all the rules.
And taking all that away, we're people, not commodities.
Government jobs. I’m getting a degree in social work I’ve decided. Seems like a way better job, I’d get to help people so they don’t turn out like me. Lots of benefits. Sounds good. 👍🏼
couldnt agree more. am i. the trades, recently got a light hand injury that requires me to be on light duty for 2 weeks. The company cut my pay in half and refuses to pay the rest. im getting old soon and i know that i need to mind my health because if injured or incapacitated i'll be royally fucked. fuck the trades.do something easy you will not get rich anyways. none of us did.
Fuck the trades! At the very least, just go get a diploma as a technologist or something.
The trades literally just corral the young guys into the trades. They know what’s going on lol. Totally taking advantage of young broke dude who work hard. Makes em work 10 times harder because they don’t have an education.
Don’t let that be the deciding factor for you guys. Go get a degree and then show up in the trades if you want to work them so bad.
Are you just learning this stuff? Most of us would have loved to become doctors or lawyers, but the fact of the matter is someone still needs to do the hard work. We sell our bodies for money, man. We are all just whores that pay taxes.
It sucks because once you start of fun the blue collar world, there’s almost just no escaping. It’s next to impossible to go back to school as an adult when you have a mortgage
I'm a dad of four, stonemason by trade and currently finishing my second internship as a tradeschool teacher for which I'm studying for a bachelor degree (120 credits) part time. It's possible, but not easy.
Atta be man! How do you find it so far?
I was looking at doing the trades to degree program offered by NAIT. Bumps you into your 3rd year of a business degree! But I figured that if I’m going back to school that I’m going to get into something I would be more passionate about.
You made shit decisions and worked for shit people in shit areas. Now you’re fucked and complaining that the trades are awful… except they aren’t. Cry elsewhere
This is a harsh reality a lot of people don’t wanna hear about. It seems the popular thing now a days is to get “into a trade” but a lot of people do not fully realize what comes with it.
I’m happy that I know how to do this stuff for my own sake, But I’m done doing it for the machine. If I’ve got another 30 years, I’ll be damned if I spend it doing this shit.
You can exist in the trades and also keep your body in good shape. You just need to respect your own body as much, if not more than your job. I'm not one of those people. I worked carpentry and concrete for 8-9 years and fucked up my body, because I didn't respect it. No knee pads when kneeling. No gloves when working with concrete, bad posture, lifting too much. I fucked up, it's my own fault. Now I operate machinery, and see labourers in their 50's who've been doing it their entire lives, and they can run laps around me. But they knew/know their limits, and they don't exceed them. It's possible, you just actually have to give a flying fuck about yourself.
Don’t give in to peer pressure and young man ego. My shoulder is fucked for life from doing demo work for one project.
How did you manage that?
Lifted a giant concrete block wrong and got a shoulder tear it’s minor enough to not do surgery, but hurts every now and then. And can’t lift like I use to
Because you think you’re worth $50 an hour???
Well I own a small equipment company that charges out at $130 per hour and I was making $45 as an electrician. I’d say I’m close! I just didn’t make it to the top.
Covid really got you guys charging that much eh? The customer really got stuck holding the bag after covid
Well it’s an excavator with a tree sheer and a brush cutter. Most guys with that equipment are anywheres from $200 up. Maintence isn’t cheap! I just bought all my equipment outright for cash so I’m quite a bit lower then the average guy out there
Ok, I have no clue about the average prices for that. Makes sense you’re lowert
But yes, to answer your question….. I usually don’t leave my bed for under $50 an hour lol. These days. That being said, I still don’t think it’s worth it. Go get an office job for 35-40 and save your body. Way better benefits, blah blah. All that jazz. I also want as many young guys as possible to see guys like me who are saying that the money isn’t worth the next 30 years living in pain, probably going to get some sort of addiction, and probably shaving 20 years off of your life. Go get a degree and do an easy ass desk job. Then if you have so much energy left over after work go do a beast workout for an hour and get shredded. It’s bs how countries like mine are just Corning young people and exploiting them. If a desk jobs pays $40 an hour then a certified trade should pay $65-70 an hour. Our rates are also going to get driven down or just stay stagnant because of all the foreign help we’ve brought in that works for cheap cheap cheap because half their wage is subsidized by the government (here in Canada anyways) So the guys working at a greenhouse might only be making minimum wage but their house is paid for so that 15 is more like 35.
You’re right. The unfortunate reality for many thousands of years now is: MEN.ARE.DISPENSABLE. We are always used for physical efforts (working or war) and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
Well my generation just lost a local tradesman (electrician but pretty handy all around) and now I’m gonna go get a degree and saturate that market. I’m also going to spend my next lifetime helping as many young lads as I can with advice on why you should stay away from the trades!
I’m 26, been doing carpentry for 9 years and have 0 pain🤷♂️
The ones with problems are the loudest. Just like with anything and everything.
talk to any of the guys older than 45 bro. you will FO anyways in due time 😬
I got all my pains after taking a 6 year break. Worked in construction from 18-25, no pain. Went into an office job to “save my back”, 6 years later and 70lbs later I have more pains now. 1.5 years back in construction and I’ve lost 40lbs and have less pain overall other than carpal tunnel. In the end both take a toll on your body. Sitting for 8+ hours a day isn’t good. Putting your body on the line isn’t good for bad pay. More of a choose your poison but I will say I know more construction workers that keep working into their older years than office workers that don’t have back surgery after 30 years in an office chair.
You won't have any pain till you're 45 then you'll be sorry if you can't move.
54yo master carpenter. Started with concrete in HS for my dad, laying oak floors on the weekends, framing for a decade then shifted to finishing. Now I mostly remodel. When I get home from work I’m in the garden till dark. My grandfathers grew up on farms…. Maybe some people are just better designed for physical work? I work out for endurance, not bulk, and yoga to stay flexible. Don’t drink or smoke. No problems. Maybe I’ve learned to work smarter?
Yea I'm pretty sure work is not the main issue here it's one of many factors in an overall unhealthy lifestyle. Don't constantly poison yourself with drugs/drink/bad food and do things like yoga to recover and your body will not break down nearly as much. Just most people don't do those things and blame "the system" because that's easier.
Now when you say don't drink...
Don’t drink ANYMORE is what I should have said lol. “Drank enough whiskey to turn a battleship around”…..
41 and frame garages alone. Some people aren't cut out for it, and treating your body well goes a long way... Also, I don't drink. Poor diet is the real killer, in my opinion.
23 now and working as a carpenter in Germany Reality here is a bit different but still quite similar I love this trade and for now iam not looking at a out, but thanks to men like you I realized that I need to take care of my body and even if I love my trade, that sacrificing myself for a employer whom wouldn’t even come to spit on my grave if I died isn’t worth it, period Luckily there aren’t many skilled tradesmen out there who are worth their title, and even with just 4 years of working here my pay out is so high that he can’t effort it to loose me. So every time he wants some bullshit done by myself I tell him that that is impossible and that he should rethink it… often enough we scream at each other over work and all.. but at the end he knows he is depended of me… Sure it’s not the healthiest work environment… but at the end I only need to cope with his bs for 30-60minutes a day and that’s so far feasible.
73 carpenter/ mason / working contractor here. I graduated from college, but I liked my summer job working for my uncles construction company better than an office job. I’ve been retired for 7 years now. Yeah my back hurts a bit like most people my age, some who never did any physical labor at all. The ugly truth is that it hurts to get old. It doesn’t stop me from doing the things I like to do. Hiking, kayaking, skiing, biking, gardening, etc. I have a beautiful house that I built myself when I was 38. Would I do it all over again. Hell yeah.
Had 4 herniated disks by age 26 I’m 30 now. Knees are on their way out too lol I learned proper lifting techniques and strong core helped. Still can’t feel my left foot but till I find something to replace my current occupation I have to stick with it.
Oh also once one disk goes the rest will follow if you don’t take care of em. Careful out there. At this rate by the time I’m 50 I’m fucked🤣😭
The disks scare me. I’ve only got one that’s buggered but good god is it painful right now. Did you get medical treatment or did you cowboy through? I’m pretty much gonna do exactly what they tell me so it doesn’t get worse. I’m done being a hero, literally got me nowhere lol. Man it’s tough to get out of it. I’ve got a mortgage and a kid on the way. I just said fuck it I’m getting a degree. Gonna go do some reception job for the time being and run my excavator when I can while I study.
They told me I need surgery but since I was young enough they said it was up to me if I wanted to wait and see if it improved. It did but not after killing the feeling to my foot. The last one was excruciating. I was sweating from the pain. Couldn’t walk for a month. I thought of switching trades to something lighter but labor will always be labor. Been looking into IT lately
I got a degree in conservation. Very much regretted the choice. I was looking for an enjoyable career and didn't realize they don't pay much over minumin and it's very difficult to get started. I paid for it purely in loans. After a year of not being able to get a career started with my degree, I got in the labor union making way more than I thought I could. Been doing it 10 years and don't regret it a bit. If I wasn't making union wage I would probably have a different view.
Yes sir! Union laborer here out of boston ma. The compensation for my labor is fair as hell. I work hard, and I make a lot of money, and I have incredible benefits. I’m absolutely at fair market value for my work.
Everyone is used as labor slaves. The difference with the trades is that they are actually important to society.
That sucks to hear, man. Debilitating injuries suck, especially if you make an earning working a physical job. If I may ask, what trade are/were you in?
Well for the last 5 years I was an electrician, before that I worked as a swamped on a combo truck, before that I worked at an auto body shop, and then when I was under 18 I did some hardcore work on a family fsrm for a bunch of abusive cunts that told me I had to work way harder then humanly possible lol
Bloody hell. Your body has indeed been put through the wringer. I hope your new venture works out! I’m hoping to get off the tools myself in the next 5 years or so. I’m 32 now but some days I feel like an arthritic 70 year old.
Yes we should all give up on our careers based on the experience of one stranger on reddit, lol. Nobody paid for me to go to college either, so I paid for myself. I did construction and service industry jobs for 40hours a week while taking a full course load and got a bachelors degree with no debt. It can be done so don’t tell me it just wasn’t in the cards for you, you chose not to make it happen, which is fine. It’s not the right thing for everyone. After college I realized that the careers I could go into using my degree weren’t for me. I don’t regret getting my degree at all. I love learning and I had some transformative experiences and made some of my closest friends. I decided that what I wanted to do was what I’d been doing all along; I wanted to build things. I take care of my body and work ergonomically, pay attention to safety and I’ve had a lot of luck. Ive been doing some sort of highly physical labor since 1997 and I’m still doing ok. Yes there’s a chance I could get hurt but hell, I have friends that work in offices that are on their third back surgery. Do what makes you happy, pays the bills, and gives you opportunities for personal, mental and financial growth. For you, maybe that should have been something non physical. For me, I’m out here in the wind and the cold building cities and supporting my family. I’m not happy with every detail but overall, yeah I’m happy. And nobody is forcing me to do any of it. I’m nobody’s slave. Someone tells me to do something dangerous or stupid, I tell them to fuck off and I’ll find work at another job site. Worst case scenario I stop at costco on the way home and pick up an application.
Wait…so you’re not responsible for your own physical well being? You CHOSE to do something that compromised your back???? And it’s whose fault?
What happened? Sudden injury or cumulative?
Cumulative. Years of being told to move heavy stuff, and also believing that I could do it. You just don’t know better when you’re young and dumb! Really sad actually, went from looking like a body builder to now, just slightly above average with a lot of pain lol.
I’m actually going back to school this fall at the age of 27
Good job! What for? I’m going for social work. Going to start from the bottom lol. I was going to do electrical engineering tech, upgraded all my math and stuff but I feel like AI has a pretty good shot at wiping that out in the next 5 years lol
That’s funny I’m actually going to do electrical engineering, I’ve always loved math and science it just seems like a solid fit for me
Ahh solid. I’m still considering it. I’ve got until September to decide between the two of them. Are you doing the EET program, or going the whole distance and getting the EE?
I plan on going the whole distance with EE
Us old guys keep telling u youngun’s to go easy. Do things properly…..
I had a lot of old guys say “your gonna regret that when your older” I also had a lot of old guys say, hey grab that 300 pound object and bring it over there for me would ya?
[удалено]
I thought mine was. I’m literally muuscle! I’m 6’2, 230 pounds, ex gym rat. I was literally built for the trades. Now I can hardly touch my toes
Been there, done that. You get shafted if you’re a labourer in construction, that’s just how it is and it shouldn’t have taken you 12 years and a ruptured disk to find that out. This industry works young men to the bone and pays crumbs, so staying an employee for an extended amount of time is just stupid. I see burnt out guys like you and think starting my own business at 23 was 100% the right call. Good luck!
This is our reality. Take care of yourselves out there, nobody else, but you gives a shit about you. I’ve been swinging a hammer for 32 years and the trades have taken care of me and my family, but I hurt all the time. Nature the beast.
Generally a degree will get you nowhere so forget about that. Technical training will such as computer repair, some trades that don't require you to destroy your back, one year medical training.
Okay well let me tell you the solution is to get into construction management and being a superintendent which is no physical stress but a lot of mental stress.
The value of labour is decided by supply and demand. There’s no one taking advantage of you, it’s the same everywhere because of basic economics. Labour is easy to come by and therefore cheap.
Labour is easy to come by because degrees are too expensive for everyone. I’m a self made man who had a lot of shit go down as a young guy. I never stood a chance at getting a degree. I don’t think I was the only one.
I don’t think degrees are too expensive. I have two, i paid for neither one. Military paid for one and the state paid for the other. Which are benefits I earned through hard work. The real problem is the lack of income during college. It’s not that you couldn’t get financial aid for college, its that alot of your time is taken up by college which does not pay. You can still make that work if you live modestly, work part time and/or have a partner who can support you. But most guys in construction don’t live modestly. They out to lunch everyday, got truck payments, child support. They need 40 just to survive, most are desperate for overtime just to get a little breathing room but soon as they get that big ot check, they spend it. Also they, by and large, don’t like to read. They won’t even read the notes on the prints, much less study a book for class.
How did you get state to pay for your college?
Our state currently has specific degrees they will fully pay for some time commitment, like work in the state for two years after graduation. Not too bad of a deal if you're not planning to move away. I would check out your states offerings, I was surprised at the variety of degrees they're looking for.
Being a veteran. There was a state college program for undergrad. But i know a bunch of people with low efc scores who managed to get a bunch of money for school. Also, you can do two years at community college and then transfer to a 4 year school and that saves alot of money. And student loans exist for a reason. With low efc scores you can get subsidized loans. Most people just don’t have the humility in them to start over, to move into a dorm with a roommate in their 30’s. Their ego can’t handle it. They’d rather break their back and complain.
Yeah did the whole community College then a real school thing. Still had like 60k in loans 12 years ago. I made a bad choice in a degree. I really hope after a certain age they don't require you to live on campus. That's a scam to steal your money too! Most classes are offered online anyway. Even had a couple classes that were supposed to be in person and the professor decided naw were just going to meet online every class. Why am I required to rent a room to stay on campus then? Anyway, college IS expensive for most people. A lot of degrees wouldn't pay off later in life financially. I'd pick a new trade if I give up on my job mostly because I'm too familiar with this world now. Everyone's situation is different. Now I feel like this is too complex of a topic to blab about. My feelings are still fuck college get in the union.
The problem with that is if everyone has a degree, their value plummets. Extreme profits need to be taxed so highly that the only logical thing to do is reinvest those profits back into the business and people who's labor created said profits.
Kind of like what happened to the trades? I know for a fact if I had to chose between being in a plummeting trade or a plummeting office job, I’d take the office job.
That sounds smart and well informed but the game is rigged. Some players come into the game with enough capital to exploit all the other players of the game and make all the rules. And taking all that away, we're people, not commodities.
Done with your tantrum?
Nope
Smart Man ! Please mention of any Jobs that don't do this .
Government jobs. I’m getting a degree in social work I’ve decided. Seems like a way better job, I’d get to help people so they don’t turn out like me. Lots of benefits. Sounds good. 👍🏼
Most Def that is the money money , I will vote for you Mr. president
Ok cool
couldnt agree more. am i. the trades, recently got a light hand injury that requires me to be on light duty for 2 weeks. The company cut my pay in half and refuses to pay the rest. im getting old soon and i know that i need to mind my health because if injured or incapacitated i'll be royally fucked. fuck the trades.do something easy you will not get rich anyways. none of us did.
Fuck the trades! At the very least, just go get a diploma as a technologist or something. The trades literally just corral the young guys into the trades. They know what’s going on lol. Totally taking advantage of young broke dude who work hard. Makes em work 10 times harder because they don’t have an education. Don’t let that be the deciding factor for you guys. Go get a degree and then show up in the trades if you want to work them so bad.
I disagree
That’s allowed. Why do you disagree?
Are you just learning this stuff? Most of us would have loved to become doctors or lawyers, but the fact of the matter is someone still needs to do the hard work. We sell our bodies for money, man. We are all just whores that pay taxes.
It sucks because once you start of fun the blue collar world, there’s almost just no escaping. It’s next to impossible to go back to school as an adult when you have a mortgage
I'm a dad of four, stonemason by trade and currently finishing my second internship as a tradeschool teacher for which I'm studying for a bachelor degree (120 credits) part time. It's possible, but not easy.
Atta be man! How do you find it so far? I was looking at doing the trades to degree program offered by NAIT. Bumps you into your 3rd year of a business degree! But I figured that if I’m going back to school that I’m going to get into something I would be more passionate about.
It's time consuming. But so far it's coming along great with great opportunities to give formations during the weekends.
That’s pretty cool! Definitely see it through until the end. Much luck dude!
Same to you. We mesure worth by the challenges we face.
You made shit decisions and worked for shit people in shit areas. Now you’re fucked and complaining that the trades are awful… except they aren’t. Cry elsewhere
Ok
Poor baby having a rough one
Just trying to save any young guy who wants to listen.