If the trades are such great jobs, then why isn’t trade school more heavily promoted ? (public schools, psychology)
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Or... Work the trades while young and able, then progressing to owner of trades company. That is a very typical path for trades. Of course, not all can do that, so they filter out to other sustainable careers in old age. Or.... They continue on and hack it (physical work) very well into retirement age.
Really important to carry worker / wage disability insurance while your hands and body are necessary for income. Skilled workers might miss that critical insurance offering.
Pleased that I could always do both, led to enjoyable career and technical contributions and pretty decent pay. (Starting at age 16). 100% of my skilled trades coworkers were single earner households (non-earning spouse). Worked well for families, but only 3/4 the pay when Social Security finally kicks in (retirement). Definitely worth it to stay at home when kids are in the home. YMMV.
I find trades persons very capable of managing their personal finances, and not chasing the 'never-enough' that often plaques double income families. Skilled workers can be a happy, fun, content bunch to hang out with. I know many who were able to FIRE long before retirement age.
That too. A guy who I've played golf with many times grew an HVAC+plumbing company from nothing into a business he sold to a big corp. for $114MM IIRC. Six or seven years later after the bean counters ruined the business he bought the remnants for less than $10MM. He then re-grew the business later selling it to his employees for around $50MM. That kind of thing does happen. It's also important to point out this guy has both undergrad and MBA degrees that he earned while growing the business the first time around. Super nice guy too.
With a nod to tnff's post which brings up several excellent points.......................you are projecting way too hard.
1. Broadly the corporate world does a fine job identifying and developing talent and skills based on merit. IMO it's much easier for naysayers, especially male naysayers*, to blame the system/culture/butt-kissing over merit instead of understanding that you or your friend or whomever told you a story didn't get the promotion because the person who did was simply better qualified or ready.
*Per all sorts of studies men tend to grossly overvalue their position/rank and relative value within various organized cadres. With yields like 40% of men within a group believe they are top 10% performers and 80% of men believe they are top 20% performers. Interestingly enough - women tend to undervalue their relativistic positioning.
2. Legions of trades people are forced out every year do to injuries and physical decline.
3. The trades impose much, much higher risks of death and permanent impairment than the overwhelming majority of degreed corporate work.
Recap - I'm very much pro-trades. The trades offer great paths for many. That said college + the corporate world pays way better and is much, much safer.
*Per all sorts of studies men tend to grossly overvalue their position/rank and relative value within various organized cadres. With yields like 40% of men within a group believe they are top 10% performers and 80% of men believe they are top 20% performers.
Not surprising. The douche factor is pretty high with corporate types. I always chuckled because in my hospital years if the weather was bad they would say only "critical" personnel needed to report. Funny thing was that meant the nurses and everybody else who dealt with the patients had to show up. And the administration got to stay home. I suppose these days they can work from home, but back then they weren't considered "critical" on those days. They got the big bucks but weren't "critical".
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by eddie gein
Not surprising. The douche factor is pretty high with corporate types. ... the administration got to stay home. I suppose these days they can work from home, but back then they weren't considered "critical" on those days. They got the big bucks but weren't "critical".
Yes, the weasel factor is a high bar in corporate management.
That's fine, we (workers) are better off without them. Just sign your annual performance evaluation..."I successfully completed my tasks, in spite of how difficult my manager made my assignments, environment, schedule".
Worked for me, and I FIREd long before my weasel bosses. (Pre-age 50). For all I know, or care... They're still preaching rubbish at staff meetings.
Get in, get out. ASAP (with your personal integrity preserved)
Yes, the weasel factor is a high bar in corporate management.
That's fine, we (workers) are better off without them. Just sign your annual performance evaluation..."I successfully completed my tasks, in spite of how difficult my manager made my assignments, environment, schedule".
Worked for me, and I FIREd long before my weasel bosses. (Pre-age 50). For all I know, or care... They're still preaching rubbish at staff meetings.
Get in, get out. ASAP (with your personal integrity preserved)
That is not my experience at all. Too bad you had a really bad boss.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by EDS_
That not my experience at all. Too bad you had a really bad boss.
I had 27 out of 34 really bad bosses, but they're history by now.
An international volunteer assignment I'm currently on illustrates how real it still is.(bad bosses, and worthless staff meetings that bring down productivity and success.). You'll find a lot of bad bosses running and ruining HOAs and volunteer agencies during retirement. Many hang around academic institutions to bring those down.
Fortunately, I worked in one of the best managed F-50s, and we had flex hours and lots of autonomy. Just get the job done, products invented and brought to market and customers happy. Bosses had little impact, except to slow worker bees down. There were no offices or doors, and you could escalate to any level you deemed necessary.
To keep the worker bees productive, an intuitive boss will ask daily.. "what can I do or equip workers to make them successful today.". Not... How difficult can I make it for you.
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