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Old 03-07-2017, 01:00 PM
 
69 posts, read 39,190 times
Reputation: 65

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I am thinking the Bricklayers apprenticeship training program is a responsible decision, considering i have nothing else going for me at the moment. If i am a union member upon completion, and they give me close to full tone work, I'm in the money compared to the 6 grand a year I've made the past 5 years of my life....

But a little (BIG) part of me says go to work as a dockworker and work on that CDL line your life depends on it. (because if that's the choice i make, it WILL) and she up money for a new life to live!!!

Do i responsibly take a good union labor opportunity that i have to invest an unpaid 3months of myself into to get, (and i may want to leave for a trucking job surely after completing)or do i leave everything up to my drive to get this CDL while i grind out a 13-14/night shift job and a 12/hr part-time morning job?

There's also the fact that I've already paid 2 grand into trucking.... Do i hedge my bets and try to continue trucking school during this bricklaying pre-training? Is the training responsible, or just a waste of my potential to earn in the next 3 months?

Last edited by JohnnyIsReady; 03-07-2017 at 01:30 PM..
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Old 03-07-2017, 01:48 PM
 
1,299 posts, read 816,643 times
Reputation: 5459
One thing you might consider about truck driving is the high rate of substance abuse in the profession. Driving long distances requires long periods of focus. And the temptation to get a bit of help with that.

My husband drove commercially for a few years, and it was really hard on his body. Just as hard as when he became a tradesman later, just in a different way.

I can see this is a tough decision for you. If you were my 26 year old son, I'd tell you to take the apprenticeship. It gives you something you're qualified to do, it can lead to other careers. If you really hate it, you can drive later. Driving is mostly dead end.
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Old 03-07-2017, 02:11 PM
 
1,195 posts, read 1,616,515 times
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Hi Johnny,

I can only offer you this, if I were your dad, here's what I'd tell you:

First, I'd let you know that I'm proud of you for all that you have overcome

Second, I would tell you not to limit your options to two choices, one of which will destroy your body and the other which will probably destroy your soul. I'm more weary about the truck driving than the brick laying. I'd suggest that you do some serious introspection and consider the life that you want, get a good mental picture of it, and then take steps to build it. That means not eliminating the possibility of being a father and a husband. It's much harder to be either if you are away from home all the time. It sounds great to travel the country and treat it as an adventure all the time when you're 26. It's a hell of a lot different when you're 46 and you've got a wife and kids at home and you have to leave again. I can't imagine that it would be any better if you were 46 and had no wife and kids at home because you never settled in one place long enough to get to know anyone. You've overcome a lot and have some serious character strength, I can read that in your posts. I think that you'd probably be a good dad, husband, friend, partner, whatever and I'd hate to think of you living your life on the run, and then retiring and spending the last of your years alone. Sit down and think hard about it, think about other options, and if you really believe that you're 100% cut out for either career then I would get the ball rolling but I would come up with a 5-year plan to build a backup into your life, just in case.
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Old 03-07-2017, 03:44 PM
 
Location: NW Oregon
497 posts, read 480,434 times
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I still say do what your heart longs for, you'll regret it if you don't.
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Old 03-07-2017, 04:24 PM
 
11,025 posts, read 7,772,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyIsReady View Post
I went to school with children of parents whom own two successful excavation companies here in my state. They might consider hiring me once I've got my CDL considering we grew up together. If i can swing that, i may be able to become a heavy equipment operating engineer.

I am just not all that excited about construction estimation or management. I'd be more excited about training new brickies, but I've never been excited about climbing hierarchical ladders or any of that. If i go with the brick layers union I'd have to think about starting my own small business, i suppose. Which is something I've always been interested in.

Which is another reason why truck driving speaks to me. In 6 years time i can invest in my own truck and become an owner/operator, with a gross income of over 150K a year. That would be neat!
You can't eat gross income and you can't pay your landlord gross income. How much do you think the payment and insurance on a cross country truck are going to cost you? Are you going to shower in rest stops the rest of your life and are you going to continue to live in a truck cab even on those few days a month you're not pushing to keep that gross pay up?

Go look in the mirror. Can you see that guy laying bricks for a couple of decades? He's going to have a hell of a lot more take home money than the truckdriver. And vacation time to see the country and world.
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Old 03-07-2017, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Northern California
128,324 posts, read 11,845,016 times
Reputation: 38596
With all due respect, you seem to have a very romantic idea of long distance driving. You can't get too much into the music or audio books,while driving, as you need to keep your eyes on the road. You also mention going to a bar to meet women while on the road, getting a cab back & forth to a bar & the truck stop will add up. Plus you don't see much of the beautiful parts of the country, from the freeway or warehouses/ports.
I would recommend the Union job, if you make enough money you can travel on paid vacation time.
Congrats on the sobriety.
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Old 03-07-2017, 07:34 PM
 
69 posts, read 39,190 times
Reputation: 65
Can anyone think of any questions i should be asking the union apprentice representative?

I just want to thank you all so much for your input. Especially those of you whom really took the time to search your heart to give me the best advice you could. I'm very excited. This is a necessary new beginning. Even if i should fail, this is my first ever step toward following a career path after over a year of research and after a lot of contemplation, and analysis.

I'm going to give this my best shot and if i fail, i will have experience failing, after making a break for a better life. Thank you all for your help. Please let me know if you can think of anything i should be asking the union rep?
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Old 03-07-2017, 08:07 PM
 
11,025 posts, read 7,772,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyIsReady View Post
Can anyone think of any questions i should be asking the union apprentice representative?

I just want to thank you all so much for your input. Especially those of you whom really took the time to search your heart to give me the best advice you could. I'm very excited. This is a necessary new beginning. Even if i should fail, this is my first ever step toward following a career path after over a year of research and after a lot of contemplation, and analysis.

I'm going to give this my best shot and if i fail, i will have experience failing, after making a break for a better life. Thank you all for your help. Please let me know if you can think of anything i should be asking the union rep?
Probably the most important question anyone in any kind of training situation can determine is what has been the most common problem or two that caused their predecessors to have a difficult time and what can be done to avoid having the same trouble. Finding a way to ask while putting on the appropriate confident attitude may be the hardest thing you'll have to do. Good luck!
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Old 03-08-2017, 12:06 AM
 
81 posts, read 99,290 times
Reputation: 176
You said you're 5'4" and worried about lifting bricks over your shoulder all day. This sounds like a valid concern that you might want to ask someone about. Maybe an orthopedic MD. I don't know. Not every person is cut out for every type of physical work.

You are a good, solid writer and sound very smart. I'm not sure why you assume you must choose between bricklayer and truck driver.
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Old 03-08-2017, 05:57 AM
 
Location: South Florida
5,016 posts, read 7,401,899 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellabella2 View Post
You are a good, solid writer and sound very smart. I'm not sure why you assume you must choose between bricklayer and truck driver.


This
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