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Old 01-22-2014, 08:14 PM
 
634 posts, read 894,640 times
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One of the best trades (and I'm still kicking myself for not taking the apprenticeship when it was offered to me some years back) is elevator/escalator mechanics. They don't advertise heavily and they usually fall under the machine trades as opposed to construction, so you won't have to deal with the JATC politics/baloney; but it also means they won't be easy to find.

However, the pay is outstanding, few choose it as a trade because it IS dangerous with the risk of death/injury somewhat higher than that of other trades.
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Old 01-22-2014, 08:17 PM
 
634 posts, read 894,640 times
Reputation: 852
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderlust76 View Post
I think there is some truth to this although I'm not totally done researching it yet. In my area it's extremely clicky and to get into one of the union jobs it seems like you pretty much have to be related to someone...just knowing someone isn't enough.
Longshoremen here in Seattle are known to be like that, supposedly they hold a yearly lottery for a handful of openings, outside of that you need to be somebody's son or brother, most unions are good ol boy networks.
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Old 01-22-2014, 10:20 PM
 
Location: NC
144 posts, read 263,778 times
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A bit late to the trades, but I've landed some free welding training. I've heard mixed things about the trade but I'm just ready to buckle down and learn a skill-set of my own. MIG was the only class still open, and while it's the easiest for a newbie like me, as a consequence it seems to be the least paid. Though I've even seen plenty of (local) job ads for experienced ARC/TIG welders averaging $10-$13/hr, so that's a little discouraging. Looks like most of the money is in traveling, whether it's on railways, the Keystone Pipeline in Canada, or living dangerously offshore at $100/hr. I think you have to be really good at this though to make some decent money. I'm not sure you can say the same thing about other trades. I figure a mediocre plumber or electrician (more commercially in demand, I guess) could still pull in a good profit.
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Old 01-23-2014, 01:22 PM
 
Location: Sunnyside
2,008 posts, read 4,714,334 times
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Move to Texas and get into the oil business.
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Old 01-23-2014, 02:09 PM
 
5,722 posts, read 5,786,399 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Garethe View Post
One of the best trades (and I'm still kicking myself for not taking the apprenticeship when it was offered to me some years back) is elevator/escalator mechanics. They don't advertise heavily and they usually fall under the machine trades as opposed to construction, so you won't have to deal with the JATC politics/baloney; but it also means they won't be easy to find.

However, the pay is outstanding, few choose it as a trade because it IS dangerous with the risk of death/injury somewhat higher than that of other trades.
You're right I know someone that retired from doing that they are absolutely loaded. I don't think I could do it though it's take some sort of unique combo of mechanical, electrical, and engineering skills all rolled into one.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Garethe View Post
Longshoremen here in Seattle are known to be like that, supposedly they hold a yearly lottery for a handful of openings, outside of that you need to be somebody's son or brother, most unions are good ol boy networks.
That's exactly how most blue collar work and the coal mine industry is in my part of the country. Great paying jobs but you better be married to the right person to even have a shot. It's all who you know anymore in this day and age.
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Old 01-23-2014, 04:28 PM
 
Location: NC
144 posts, read 263,778 times
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Hey wanderlust76, did you ever learn a trade? Just wondering since this thread was created in 2010.
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Old 01-23-2014, 04:29 PM
 
Location: Berkeley Neighborhood, Denver, CO USA
17,692 posts, read 29,696,842 times
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Default Factory work

Machinist.
It almost requires a technical degree.
CNC machines are complicated.
Places that make one or a few of an item are always seeking good machinists.
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Old 01-23-2014, 04:37 PM
 
5,722 posts, read 5,786,399 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SunsetMission View Post
Hey wanderlust76, did you ever learn a trade? Just wondering since this thread was created in 2010.
Hey no I actually got back into finance/accounting office work you know the whole desk jockey thing ah well...there's a lot of opportunity at least. I still kind of think about it sometimes though or jumping into the IT field. The big thing around me now is the gas drilling and pipelines as far as blue collar work goes. I'm probably one of those people that will start a new career at 45 and work till I'm 75 it's ok though work hard play hard right?
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Old 01-23-2014, 08:26 PM
 
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
29,702 posts, read 24,784,687 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davebarnes View Post
Machinist.
It almost requires a technical degree.
CNC machines are complicated.
Places that make one or a few of an item are always seeking good machinists.
There is enough material knowledge in the machining trade to cover a typical bachelors degree program... Possibly a masters. Thing is though, most machinists are pigeonholed into specific areas. They do one type of work, or even run one type of machine. In the old days, machinists were trained on every machine and every operation, until they mastered every area of the trade.

Today, companies want the workers dumb, so they can pay them less. The less they know, the less the chances are of the worker running off to their competition. They want these machinists mastering one specific machine, possibly one operation. It's pretty depressing what some of these guys are working for today. What's worse... Some of these guys get so used to their little area of expertise that when the job is no more, they struggle to move on. They literally can't learn because they have not learned in so long.

When I started out, I worked in a union shop where we covered every area. 8000 hours here, there and everywhere. That's the best way to do it. I would have never gotten that chance in a non union shop. Today, the youngins start out as part poking operators for damn near minimum wage. Companies don't teach because they already have the skilled guys needed. Why teach your operator to set up a machine when you already have a set up operator? After all, the kid will simply go apply for a set up operator job for a nice pay raise.

I like this trade, and you can make decent money if your smart and willing to take chances, but there are many pit falls. If someone doesn't like the work, there is absolutely no reason to pursue this trade though. As the babyboomers retire, there will likely be a deficit of skilled workers. Many of us can work nearly unlimited OT if we want it. Can't imagine what it will look like in 10 years.

FWIW... I work in a shop where we're always making "one offs". 75% of the new hires are gone in 2 weeks. Too many production guys who are used to 10,000 part orders. When it comes to receiving one piece of steel to make one part, it's a whole other ball game. Pencils have erasers. Machinists don't have that luxury. How many folks routinely scored 100% on their tests in school? And the young kids we get supplied from the trade schools? Druggies don't make for good machinists.
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Old 01-23-2014, 08:29 PM
 
3,118 posts, read 5,343,892 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmking View Post
Plumbing, can't outsource and you can't wing it either. There would always be a demand for a good plumber.
The good plumbing jobs are new construction, which there is very little of. Construction companies also insource cheap labor from Mexico. Aka Mexicans hopping the borders.
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