Quote:
Originally Posted by Balloon67
I've applied at McDonald's, Walmart, and other such places several times. I've never even been contacted. Will I just be unemployed forever, or is there a job that dropouts can apply for and not be automatically filtered out? Don't suggest getting a GED/HSD, it isn't going to happen for me, and that isn't the question.
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No, you won't be unemployed forever. Think outside the box. Are you male or female (it matters when you're talking trade work. I've done "man" work and it's HARD for a girl, no matter how tough she is).
Three teenaged girls in our town just turned into little entrepreneurs in 3 years and sold their business to the tune of $250k! (And started the same business 2 counties away and are rolling). They have a company called "Yabba Dabba Doo Doo" and they pick up dog poop out of people's yards (I'm not kidding, they went from using an old Toyota pick up to having a brand new F150 each with the company's graphics).
Find a need and fill it. Do you like being outside? Do you like building things? I can tell you from personal experience that there are hundreds, probably thousands of solid craftsmen who are looking for someone they can "pass the torch" to.
Being a laborer is one thing, being an apprentice is another. The old style apprenticeships are starting to make a comeback, but you can still find a carpenter, plumber, mason, arborist, etc who will pay you while you learn.
The biggest problem in finding someone to hand your company to (and yes, people are literally looking for someone to pass along their companies to once they can't do it any more, as long as a stipend is paid)
is finding someone who pays attention and actually cares about the work they produce.
If you live in a rural area, find a farm. There's ALWAYS work on a farm.
We have a business named "The Oddest of Jobs LLC". The name is true to the nature of the business. We hold several different state licenses (building code is ridiculous in FL). We've done everything from frame houses to hang pictures and put up Christmas trees. One day Ed might lay glass block, the next he may lay pavers, the next, he's painting a nursery, next day, hanging signs for a business, etc.
One of the best ideas (I had and finally, Ed listened..yea me) was to be a "rent a husband" so to speak.
There are so many women who need "man stuff" done. Leaky shower faucets, they want new accessories in their bathrooms, they need stuff moved from the house to storage, they need pressure washing done, fences mended, dirt hauled in/away from gardens, play houses for kids need painting, dog houses need moved...all sorts of stuff. We can do these things ourselves, but we'd rather pay someone to handle it for us.
Again, find a need and fill it...and the younger you are when you find your niche, the better equipped you'll be down the road. Muscle and endurance must be built, a solid pace set.
This seems to be forgotten in the general world, but when it comes to a tradesman, one thing still holds true:
Your name means something, as in "Deanna groomed my dog!" instead of "oh, Deanna groomed your dog?"
People don't care if you've never set foot in a school if you're honest, hard working, ethical, you care about the quality of the work you produce and how they can relate to you. They care that you: show up on time, do whatever task you agree upon to the
best of your ability, you're honest, you don't complain, you take the time to listen, that you're courteous and neat in appearance (and that doesn't mean change your appearance, just be well put together).
If you're young, male and single, you'll be able to find a true apprenticeship just about anywhere. A true apprenticeship is where you work for knowledge, hands on skill, room and board. That's a serious undertaking, however. (I did it, so did my husband. We both own our own businesses and neither of us advertise, word of mouth only.)
It takes a certain mindset to be a successful apprentice. Your personal success must outweigh any personal emotion. Will a carpenter yell at you? Absolutely. Will your feelings get hurt and end your chances of becoming a master carpenter or will you just chalk it up to people being people and work around it? There's an "I'm offended" trend going on, and it only hurts the one who's offended.
("She made me mad so I quit". Yeah, so, now you have no job and someone else has taken your place.)
Don't let your emotions come into play when you're at work. Being "offended" takes more time and causes more ridiculous drama that rarely has anything to do with the task at hand. Remember, you're not looking for friends at work, you're looking for a paycheck. You're not looking for praise, you're looking for instruction. (I know this is down the road, but always remember to not be offended when someone doesn't praise you when you get the job done perfectly...it's what is expected in the first place. You'll have your own pride in the job well done anyway. People notice a great job, trust me. We have so much work we're trying to give it away, but the homeowners are refusing and are agreeing to wait at least 6 months until we can get to the job! (There's where "your good name" comes into play)
You can do this. You're off to a good start, I don't see you making excuses and I choose to believe you're sincere.
We have 2 employees. One is at the end of his apprenticeship, the other started with us 13 years ago. They LOVE their jobs. They get to choose what job to do next so they can mix things up and not get bored (or beat up doing several tough jobs in a row). They leave at daylight, they're here by 4:30 and after working all day, the come to the boss's house and...talk about what they did at work all day, lol. (They have me as a captive since I'm usually cooking supper by then and it's someone new to share current events with, lol)
Both of these young men work just like Ed. He trained them, he taught them how to get the most out of each job. Neither is ready to go out on their own, not for lack of knowledge, but they're just getting noticed. They're no longer "labor" so they have more interaction with homeowners, building depts, other trades, permitting officers, inspectors, etc. They know that the longer they all stay together (because of Ed's good name) the more visible they will become. Ed introduces them on purpose. He's starting to leave them on separate jobs so they start to learn that they don't have to depend on each other.
I'm not saying all this to tell a story, it's so that you understand how an apprenticeship goes from learning to use a tape measure to building 10,500 sq houses from infrastructure to trim paint...from being an intern to having one.
As long as people live in houses, carpenters will be needed. As long as their are hurricanes, carpenters will be needed. As long as people use indoor plumbing, plumbers will be needed.
Skilled labor is worth it's weight in gold right now, guess how important it will be in 5 years? This, from Forbes last year:
America's Skilled Trades Dilemma: Shortages Loom As Most-In-Demand Group Of Workers Ages - Forbes
Find one of those aging, rare, skilled craftsmen and learn what they know. Being the only person that knows how to do anything useful is a big deal...cause you're the only one that can do it...
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