The notion that working in the Trades is so great. Coming from a guy did a lot of construction work, trust me it can really suck… also most of the guys in that line of work are assholes.
I started an IBEW apprenticeship and was so put off by the vibe/attitude of everyone I quit in the first week. Fuck that, I don’t care how much you pay me I’m not working outside in the heat getting literally and metaphorically roasted all day. If I wanted to work with toxic immature assholes I would get a fast food job.
We’re doing some renovation at the moment. We have a lead contractor who’s managing all the trades 'cos I know nothing about construction.
Every trade we’ve had - electricians, bricklayers, drainage guy, plumber, carpenter, etc - come as a duo. There’s a guy in his late 30s or older who does the thinking, and a kid in the late teens / early 20s who are effectively labourers and lift, push, carry, drill, dig, etc. The life of the senior guy in the pair seems to be pretty good and you know they’re well paid. The kids are learning, and in 10 years time will have their own labourer.
I grew up and have put my fair share of time in the trades. They do pay well but if you don’t get out of the field, you trade your functioning body for money.
The one thing I can’t wrap my head around is why everyone wants to work so much overtime. Even unions are rocking 50-60 hour work weeks and then claiming they treat you well. It’s looked down upon if you only want to work 40.
I’m a software developer, but I spent three months chucking boxes in the back of a truck for General Motors one summer. Some days, my brain is fried after six hours at my job, but the physical labor work I could do for 12 hours and walk out feeling almost refreshed.
I sometimes wish I could go through a day of work just… doing. Not wracked with indecision or trying to figure out which tradeoff I won’t regret in three weeks. The idea of going into a framed house and wiring up electric all day and then going home — without ever having done it or experiencing the downsides of course— it sounds really nice.
Of course my back and joints couldn’t keep up at fifty like they did at twenty-two, and I met a bunch of functional addicts working that job and I wouldn’t have wanted to get swept up in that.
That sounds nice because you’ve never done it. The horrors you encounter in people’s homes and the creativity you have to come up with when doing the wiring are real.
So the most fun I ever had at a job was the after I graduated college and worked as chef, the work was so much fun, the waitresses were hot as hell, I was young in great shape and we all got off work at 1030 went out and partied. I had sex with really sexy women. All I did for about a year and a half was work out, work and hang out.
It really was an amazing year, but there was no future in it. I often think back nostalgically to that time.
I hear you man, one of the greatest aspects was I left work at work…
it destroys the body, and i only ever seen white people work in trades, so i suspect as to something to do with how they are only hiring those people too.
The notion that working in the Trades is so great. Coming from a guy did a lot of construction work, trust me it can really suck… also most of the guys in that line of work are assholes.
I started an IBEW apprenticeship and was so put off by the vibe/attitude of everyone I quit in the first week. Fuck that, I don’t care how much you pay me I’m not working outside in the heat getting literally and metaphorically roasted all day. If I wanted to work with toxic immature assholes I would get a fast food job.
Most of my time in construction was during high school and early college and even then I recognized how many immature assholes I worked with!
We’re doing some renovation at the moment. We have a lead contractor who’s managing all the trades 'cos I know nothing about construction.
Every trade we’ve had - electricians, bricklayers, drainage guy, plumber, carpenter, etc - come as a duo. There’s a guy in his late 30s or older who does the thinking, and a kid in the late teens / early 20s who are effectively labourers and lift, push, carry, drill, dig, etc. The life of the senior guy in the pair seems to be pretty good and you know they’re well paid. The kids are learning, and in 10 years time will have their own labourer.
Listen to the seniors… They will all say the same thing.
The last guy did it all wrong.
Hey, how did you know that’s what they said?
Lol
I grew up and have put my fair share of time in the trades. They do pay well but if you don’t get out of the field, you trade your functioning body for money.
The one thing I can’t wrap my head around is why everyone wants to work so much overtime. Even unions are rocking 50-60 hour work weeks and then claiming they treat you well. It’s looked down upon if you only want to work 40.
That is the key, “getting off the tools” aka getting a white collar/office job….
I moved up to project manager and started working 55 to 60 hour weeks as the norm and of course it’s salary.
and its also mostly to a specific demographic too, and not the one people want to associate with,hint hint.
I’m a software developer, but I spent three months chucking boxes in the back of a truck for General Motors one summer. Some days, my brain is fried after six hours at my job, but the physical labor work I could do for 12 hours and walk out feeling almost refreshed.
I sometimes wish I could go through a day of work just… doing. Not wracked with indecision or trying to figure out which tradeoff I won’t regret in three weeks. The idea of going into a framed house and wiring up electric all day and then going home — without ever having done it or experiencing the downsides of course— it sounds really nice.
Of course my back and joints couldn’t keep up at fifty like they did at twenty-two, and I met a bunch of functional addicts working that job and I wouldn’t have wanted to get swept up in that.
That sounds nice because you’ve never done it. The horrors you encounter in people’s homes and the creativity you have to come up with when doing the wiring are real.
So the most fun I ever had at a job was the after I graduated college and worked as chef, the work was so much fun, the waitresses were hot as hell, I was young in great shape and we all got off work at 1030 went out and partied. I had sex with really sexy women. All I did for about a year and a half was work out, work and hang out.
It really was an amazing year, but there was no future in it. I often think back nostalgically to that time.
I hear you man, one of the greatest aspects was I left work at work…
Can confirm
I think it’s just some people have realised it pays well.
it destroys the body, and i only ever seen white people work in trades, so i suspect as to something to do with how they are only hiring those people too.