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Well I don't want to be too negative. But I just don't think the trades are necessarily a panacea for white collar career ennui.
Negative is fine. I created this thread to get both pro and con opinions from others and I admit, maybe I have a picture of the skilled trades that is too idealistic. Would you mind telling a bit more about your cousins? How long have they been in their respective trades?
So I'm a 30 year old man who has been working as a Business Analyst these past two years in the Dallas area and I have a masters degree. It took a lot of work to get this job after a long bout of unemployment and while I am happy I finally have income, I genuinely dislike what I do. I'm not satisfied working in a BA role and there are long periods of down time where I have nothing to do except sit at my desk and pretend to be productive.
I'm considering shifting careers to a blue collar/skilled trade but I'm afraid to take that plunge and not sure if I should. I am interested in the possibility of becoming an electrician and I've researched a bit about it apprenticeships. I realize it's a long process to become a certified journeyman electrician but I am willing to endure the lower starting pay.
To be honest, I never had the mental aptitude for hard technology and science and wish I had known about alternative career paths when I was younger.
Should I consider this career change? How feasible is it for someone like me to enter into an apprenticeship? How would potential employers or unions look upon my background?
Check out these sites to become a professional journeyman electrician:
So I had a long and fairly casual phone conversation with a IBEW rep about the prospects of an apprenticeships and the skilled trades in general. We even talked about Mike Rowe's push for the skilled trades.
He seemed like a nice fellow but flat out recommend against a career change. He Told me lots of electricians are out of work and the apprenticeship program is a long drawn out commitment with low pay, and felt that given the time I've invested in my education and finally getting a BA job, it would be a very bad trade off.
So I had a long and fairly casual phone conversation with a IBEW rep about the prospects of an apprenticeships and the skilled trades in general. We even talked about Mike Rowe's push for the skilled trades.
He seemed like a nice fellow but flat out recommend against a career change. He Told me lots of electricians are out of work and the apprenticeship program is a long drawn out commitment with low pay, and felt that given the time I've invested in my education and finally getting a BA job, it would be a very bad trade off.
Very discouraging.
At least he was being honest and not coaxing you into something you would have regret for later.
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