HVAC or Electrician- Which is More Viable in Coastal NC? (co-op, construction jobs)

[mkat321]

Hoping to settle a discussion with my husband with input from real people living in the area.

Husband is currently enrolled/attending our local community college taking some refresher classes and pre-reqs, and is currently scheduled to start on HVAC classes in the spring term. We have gone back and forth on a lot of options since decided against the IT track due to time/financial reasons, and I thought we had settled on HVAC after alot of helpful input from various people both here in Indiana as well as on the Coast.

As life happens, he spent some time with his extended family recently and one of his cousins who is an electrical line worker for the power co-op was talking up the electrical workers union apprenticeship program and the fact that they pay $$ while in school and even if there are no jobs when he gets out of training, he will still get 'unlimited' unemployment so long as he signs the book at the union hall showing he's available for work. I did some digging and the union hall's construction jobs page shows that they have over 1200 people currently out of work and almost no prospects. I checked the page for the local for coastal NC and it says no information available but the other locals for NC all show slow to no work

He said "go ask on the forums" since he knows I get alot of good advice here. So here I am, looking for local opinion/experience:

Which is the more viable active career in NC, now and historically, since historical data is a decent predictor in most cases of how the future will go.

[seashellbelle]

Originally Posted by mkat321

Hoping to settle a discussion with my husband with input from real people living in the area.

Husband is currently enrolled/attending our local community college taking some refresher classes and pre-reqs, and is currently scheduled to start on HVAC classes in the spring term. We have gone back and forth on a lot of options since decided against the IT track due to time/financial reasons, and I thought we had settled on HVAC after alot of helpful input from various people both here in Indiana as well as on the Coast.

As life happens, he spent some time with his extended family recently and one of his cousins who is an electrical line worker for the power co-op was talking up the electrical workers union apprenticeship program and the fact that they pay $$ while in school and even if there are no jobs when he gets out of training, he will still get 'unlimited' unemployment so long as he signs the book at the union hall showing he's available for work. I did some digging and the union hall's construction jobs page shows that they have over 1200 people currently out of work and almost no prospects. I checked the page for the local for coastal NC and it says no information available but the other locals for NC all show slow to no work

He said "go ask on the forums" since he knows I get alot of good advice here. So here I am, looking for local opinion/experience:

Which is the more viable active career in NC, now and historically, since historical data is a decent predictor in most cases of how the future will go.

Why not keep BOTH options open, no one can predict which field will produce more income. I say go for both.

[Steven McCurdy]

Go HVAC....you will make more money, and that trade is needed more in this area...Job security....

[NCGT]

^I agree.

HVAC > Electrician. It's hot in NC and we like our AC and when it breaks, someone has to fix it.

[LLN]

Go HVAC. I have calls in to three a/c shops for over three weeks with no response. One can ass/u/me they are busy.

[Nativechief]

I would do the HVAC but I dont think unions are alowed down here. The guys that make the real money have built up a solid customer base or work for one that has.

[mkat321]

Thank you so much for the responses We are continuing to look/talk and are definitely feeling HVAC is the way to go. We looked through the IBEW 'book' for both Indiana and NC and both show over 500 plus people out of work and the prospects are termed 'slim' or 'possible'

If anyone knows the names of the more reliable companies off the tip of their tongue, I would appreciate them. We plan to visit for a week or two between the end of summer term and the start of fall term and would like to perhaps visit the offices so hubby can talk to the guys who are 'boots on the ground' {once a military wife...} in the industry.