Skilled Trades

SON240sx Automotive SON240sx Off Topic
1

After looking at college websites day after day at programs, i realize theres not too many im intersted in actually taking. However skilled trades have always been a consideration for me. I have worked numerous labour jobs involving differint aspects of various trades and am curious about a career in skilled trades.

I have had several people tell me that trades were the way to go and that there is a steady future with the potential for very good annual income. However, i have also had people tell me that certain trades aren’t as promising or high payed as people portray them to be. Or that with the current economic times, it is something to stay away from.

Just wondering how many people on SON are involved in skilled trades and if they have any feedback as to the ups and downs of doing a trade for a living.

2

skilled trades are awesome unless you are really sharp for office work.

electricians, plumbers, auto-body etc…

but you dont start out at like $75k… you start out just like anywhere else in the $30 - $45k range but work your way up.

Do something you sort of like doing though…

3

i started doing plumbing in commercial and industrial buildings, such as food plants and some a apartment buildings and UTM, eventually we started to take a look around and see that most of the machinery that was being used was being improperly serviced for WAYY to much money (these guys were getting 150/hour +) so we offered to take a pot shot at it, and nowa days i spend most of my time building from scratch anything from pneumatic bag lifts to radius conveyors… personally i enjoy building machinery (although it all has to be food grade… bummer) and anything that we build we usually end up being the only ones that can fix it when it goes down…

being a plumber tho there is ALWAYS work, it dosent matter if the economy is down or ppl are out of work, everyone will always need water and air. i like going to different places and doing different things every day… one day im doing copper pie, next stainless welding, next im on the lathe or doing framing, I make my own hours and charge how ever much I feel is necessary.

it all depends how you look at what your doing, most ppl and some plumbers will look at a building and see pipes and ducting… but when it comes down to it a plumber is like a doctor, only difference being is we get a second chance, buildings have to flow water, breath air and think for themselves and they get sick all the time, and they will never stop… thus us always having work!

thats just my .2 cents tho…

4

wow out of all the people on son, the only person in trades with some input is fastback240 eh. hmm, well thanks anyways you two.

5

Ok ok…before I got into the automotive trade and during my apprenticeship, everyone was telling me to become a plumber or an electrician because of all the bullshit. Dealing with customers, having to invest in thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on tools ect ,ect.

That was more than a dozen years ago for me and I’m still doing it! What is keeping me glued to this trade is the flat-rate system, most of the work is easy and pays well, you can make 20+ hours of pay in a 8 hour day or you can make 5, when it’s slow you can leave…most of the time, access to a shop if you’re a gear head like me, cost on parts through work, working on family members cars and saving them money, you get what I mean.

Pretty much if you’re into cars like me, then this trade is for you! If I wasn’t a gear head then I doubt I’d be doing this. I was going to be an accountant before I got into cars:D

Good luck with your career search…I’d say get into IT. Computers, technology and electronics is the way to go IMO!

6

Welding’s pretty cool if you get on with a CWB certified company, and have done your all positions tests. You can get some good scratch with that. Esp with your Red tag. Welding inspectors make a decent amount too.

However CWB test are only valid for 2 year after the test, meaning you may need to take the test over if you’re not with a certified company within that time frame, or maybe you do I can’t remember.

CWB is only for structural stuff anyway but it’s nice to have and does open a few more doors than just standard certificates.

I’m not doing any CWB unless I need to, but I do have school certificates for SMAW and will shortly have my TGAW in about another 6 - 7 months. One of my courses was canceled so I have to wait till fall to finish.

Although its getting harder, there are welding jobs available out there. Not necessarily local tho.

7

An amazing business to be in also is residential/commercial property inspection.
You charge 300 bucks to look over a house for one hour. Two jobs a day and you are laughing.
I would also look into trades that do not involve extreme heavy work , such as computer technician , or even tool and die which is growing rapidly.

8

Varun, what credentials or prerequisites are needed for residential/commercial property inspection and how would one go upon reaching for that career?

9

Here is a good link to get you started Martino.

I am not in a trade but I have 2 friends that are Electricians so I can offer second hand info. One has his Masters License so he can do jobs on his own. He also works for a large corporation and makes a pile of money and is never out of work.

My other friend works for a large company and does not have his Masters License. He made $96k last year but he worked tons of overtime. He also has to go where the work is so he is currently staying in a motel all week and driving 9 hours each way to come home on weekends. He has been an Industrial Electrician for about 10 years.

10

sounds like your a lazy ass. BUT a very smart guy eh!

Anyways. I’m a tech. Always have doubts and upsets. The trade is, what you make it to be really. It is, to me and many other techs I know the worst skilled trade to be in. The beating your body takes. Back, knees, hands, wrists etc etc. Hot cold, hot cold, hot cold. Expensive tools. Pay is no where near what it should be.
For example. People assembling cars are making in excess of 30 dollars an hour (for example) and I am making 15/hour? Yes, there is salary, or flat rate. Each has it’s benefits. Yet. Tax time, you get to right off ONLY $1000 of your tools…as opposed to plumbers or electricians? Hmm, funny huh.

Research research research. If your going to get into a skilled trade…I hope it’s something you enjoy or truly love doing. That is the only reason I am still in this trade. Believe it or not…just shy of 11 years now. Father owns a shop, so I have always been gettin my hands dirty. I love it, but hate it. Then again…who would want it any other way?!?

I work hard for my money. Unlike a lot of other “skilled trades” people.

11

I hope you’re not getting paid $15/hour :eek2:

12

1st year apprentice…working for my father. Yes, sadly. BUT I do not pay rent, food, utilities…yet. May be moving out. Im sticking around so I can take over…shhhh lol

13

must be nice not have to pay food, rent, utilitys, parking ect…

14

It’s a give and take. I make less…but get it back with free basement, food, water, hydro, internet etc etc

15

ok, soooo, i had this big nice response all typed up about the goods and bads about the electrical trade, and why i think it’s good, but it didn’t let me submit it, and all the nice words i wrote, were gone, soooo, electrical FTW!!! lol

16

ok, round 2, so, i’m an electrical apprentice, just like every job, it has its ups and downs, but it all depends on who you’re working with also, i mean, you could be making $50 an hour, but if all your co-workers are jackasses, you wont want to be in the trade anymore. all in all it’s a good trade to be in, i’ve been registered for almost 5 years now, i have all my hours, and i’ve been doing this since i was 16.

electrical is a good trade top get into, because it can branch off into so many other areas, and you can always learn something new, personally, i’ve worked on things from fire alarm systems(both traditional and programmable) to security systems, i’ve wired houses, hotels, and now i’m doing a job where it’s 48 condos. i’ve wired up restaurants, gas stations, and i’ve even done a few service changes on houses. you can go into plants, do control wiring, instrumentation, you can even work in the bruce power plant if you really wanted to. the options are almost endless with electrical.

BUT, as with all trades, and jobs, you will come across those “special” employers, guys who dont give a shit about teaching you the trade. some employers will hire you just for labour. i’ve heard of guys doing nothing other than carry pipe and wire up stairs for their first year, or just pulling wire, mounting boxes, installing plugs, and learning nothing. i have gone to school with people that had never used conduit before, never wired in a 3-way switch, or even used the different kinds of wire.

my advice to anyone thinking about this trade, do it, just make sure you get on with a good employer, who will show you at least a little bit of everything, it will make the schooling that much easier. it’s also a 5 year apprenticeship, with 9,000 hours needed, with 3 terms of schooling, the first is 8 weeks, the second and third are both 10 weeks each. after you get liscenced, you have to wait 5 years before you can try for your masters, and you need your masters to work for yourself, or have a main electrician with their masters.

sorry about this being so long, but i hope it helps anyone interested in making up their mind.

17

True, thanks for the responses. I was more considering plumbing or electrical, but all the responses help. Also I could see that working with the right people would make it alot easier and enjoyable. I’ve worked with a bunch of union guys when i was at the city of toronto and got sick of all the union BS. It was like high school drama all over again.

I figured a plumbing or electrical trade would be good since alot of stuff you learn on job sites you can bring home and apply to your own house. Also with plumbing theres always the potential to do side jobs.

Maybe it was all the claims of steady high paying salaries that attracted me to it. dunno

18

lol…i am quite lazy now you are right …
The reason i advise to stay away from extreme heavy work is cuz by the time you are 40-45, if you are not self employed within that trade and just contracting the work, then your body is worn out and you don’t have the same quality of life.

19

vuran that is VERY un true. i come across guys in there 80s doing heavy work because they want to work insted of retire almost every day…

if you become a plumber, hvac tec, electrition ect… dont do your aprentiship in new homes.

for example you can aprentis for 4 years pipeing in bath tubs and sinks in new homes where you can see everything infront of you, then when your licenced and go to do a repair job you have no idea where to start so the job gets fobard… trust me it happens alot

20

I second that… think of it as a free gym membership… If I’m off work (as I was for 3 months recently with a sports injury), I start getting one of those flabby tummy’s, my belts get really tight and I feel like crap.

I’m a Millwright, and looking at your first post, when you say that you have experience in all different types of work, Millwright would be a great choice. You can specialize in something, but most Millwright jobs would be like a factory maintenance type of thing, which is a great place to serve your apprenticeship, but when you get your ticket, you could choose to get into something more specialized in an area you have found to be something cool for you.

I worked as a maintenance guy at a zinc foundry for 4 years and learned a ton of things (electrical, machining, die and mold repair, piping, welding fabricating, hydraulics, conveying systems, drive systems). Once i wrote my ticket, I found a job with an overhead crane service company. I have been there for almost 8 years and have been a lead hand for 6 yrs. having a company truck and tons of freedom, great benifits (something you pay big bucks for if you’re self employed), and a good wage.

I would definitely check this out as I would have to say it is one of the most versatile trades you can have.