Would you recommend a trade job? And which?

My two suggestions:

HVAC- I have a lot of family who have made very comfortable livings in this field. If you work hard, you can wind up being recruited by better companies and move your way up quick.

Linesman- It may be a bit harder to get into, but this is a solid trade that you can make a TON of money in, especially working for local government power departments etc.

Either one, you'll be doing much more physical work than a desk job. At least at the beginning until you work your way up. The money is good though.

 

I

if you can find something better DO IT! Before it tears you apart

 

Not all that hard to break into working on a line crew. Need a CDL class A preferred or a permit.. and willing to relocate or travel. And you can have an entry level position pretty quick.

If your interested look up some of the lineman job groups on facebook. Always people looking for work, and work looking for people.

 

It has its ups and downs

Edit: I’m a dad. Testing out my dad jokes here before I go mainstream

 

I'm kind of in a similar boat. I worked random trades after high school (electricial, carpentry) for a few years before enrolling in college, and now I have to commit to a major. I like the idea of construction science or project management, but it's hard to know if it even helps work my way up the ladder once I get back into the field.

 

Sorry everyone! Been a little busy and wanted to reply to everyone but there are way too many responses now lol.

I appreciate all the advice!

I’ve been doing some research and electrician or engineering are the two I take the most interest in. A few people asked what I like to do, and aside from hobbies, I love building things. I love seeing things start as nothing and turn into something. Which is why I think I take an interest in electrician or engineering. Although one seems more physical and the other more desk type of work.

I honestly don’t know though. I get a lot of people saying being an electrician is hard on your body as you get old, and I’ve spoken to some engineers that say they’re bored.

 

You just have to decide if design and sitting behind a computer is something you’d like to do.

For me, I love being an electrician for the same reasons you said. I like to build stuff, I like to go into a gutted building and a few months later not being able to recognize it because of the work everyone does. Gives me satisfaction. While trades may be hard on your body electrical is one of the lesser that really hurts you.

I also like that it keeps me in shape. I wouldn’t do well behind a desk, I’d be bored and eat too much

 

Having done both the desk job, and the field work, I much prefer field work.

 

I think the biggest draw to me not getting bored of it is doing totally different things every day. There’s so much to learn and do I always stay busy and the day flys by

 

So that’s the thing, I take an interest in both, Including design and being behind a computer but I can’t sit for more than an hour before i have to stand up and do something else lol.

I think at the moment electrician is what I’m leaning towards.. would you say going to a community college is a good/bad idea to learn how to be an electrician?

What did you do in terms of desk work?

 

I believe desk work meaning CAD work. Design.

I don’t want to put down community college or people that went there but Im glad I didn’t. I would suggest going to your local IBEW hall or at the very least call them and ask about their apprenticeship. Right now construction is booming and it’s easy to get in.

I would suggest an apprenticeship over college because you learn the same stuff but in the college you have to find your own job, or go to school full time.

Apprenticeships vary, in mine I go to school one day a week for 3 months and work at a local contractor the rest of the week. After my school “quarter” is over I work full time at the same contractor. (or a different one if you want to, one of the many benefits of joining the union). Then the cycle repeats until the apprenticeship is over and you’re a journeyman.

When I first started most of it wouldn’t have made sense to me if I wasn’t also on a jobsite learning at the same time. So for me, I wanted work and get paid while I was in school. Plus the apprenticeship schooling is typically much cheaper than the college option and the union prefers it


Edit: also I don’t know what “pays well” means to you, but trade jobs are In demand and pay well in my books. If you’re curious on wages it’s public information for what the local union wages are. Right now San Francisco I think has the highest wages, don’t know where you’re at in Cali.

 

Yea that was burnt me out on my previous career. It became routine..

Broadcast engineering, which include a healthy dose of IT and telecomm

 

Go elevators. Start with a pile of steel and wire ,the you make something that basically flys... lol. Benifits are real good and so is retirement. And your your kinda elite on a job site. Lol..

 

I keep seeing this recommended a lot lol. I’ll look into it. So as a mechanic? And do you have to go to school or apprenticeship?

 

I make 33/hr as a Union Machinist with a 2 year tech school degree. I enjoy it!

 

Thank you for the detailed response! I would’ve never known what IBEW was. I would basically start at minimum wage though correct? And then work my way up?
I live in Los Angeles and I know “pays well” is subjective. I think I’m over wiping poop, so I wouldn’t mind a pay cut for a change of pace and do something I at least take an interest in lol. I do like that you mentioned it being different all the time. I get bored easily so having a different situation and continually learning is a huge incentive for me.

 

You'll be a probie. Your gonna hump rails. 15lbs a foot x10. But, you'll learn all about electrical and welding. And general construction. Theres a electrical class you will have to take, a few times a month. But you can weld,electrical, iron work, etc. Its hard heavy,sweaty work. But I can look at pac bell/Oracle park and know I put those elevators and escalators in. My names on the rails. You will work hard, but you will be paid for it.

 

Again look up the union closest to you but I commute to Seattle and journeymen make over $53 an hour on the check. That’s not including retirement and medical. Elevator is hard because when the high rises stop the installers stop. Mechanics are the only ones that still work

 

Definitely was not expecting $53 an hour, I figured journeymen made around $30. Our nurses make $45 in the ER and it can be a rough gig at times, even our ER doc wishes he had his own lawn mowing business so he can leave his job lol. so $53 is far more than enough for me.

 

Your still in engineering?