Trades

joho75287 · Jun 10, 2015

If Mike Rowe runs for office he has my vote!!!

jayphizzle · Jun 10, 2015

I am liking this topic. Hopefully things will change for the better at some point. It's so bad that all I NEED in an employee is to show up on time and have basic common sense! Not require 5 yrs of field experience as it was when I started in the HVAC field. The most important thing I believe is not necessarily being taught a single trade, but being shown/taught HOW TO WORK. If a person is taught how to work, he/she can apply that skill in any job and be successful. I was lucky enough to have a grandfather in the HVAC business that I worked for since I was 13-14. He not only taught me some about the work, but most importantly how to work. "Get you ass up and go to work, as long as you are on the clock, your ass better be working" . One additional thing, if someone ever offers you free education, always do it. Education is something that cannot ever be taken from you. I am a proud graduate of Universal Technical Institute and also attended Reid State Technical College while I was still in hugh school. I learned so much in the welding class at Reid and the HVAC program at UTI. Wouldn't do it any different if I could. :dblthumb:

Beerj · Jun 10, 2015

I haven't quite been able to put my finger on it but the current generation of 18 - 25 year olds seem to have this strange sense of "someone else will do it". That seems to be their motto. There's no sense of urgency. They think that for whatever reason, a 6 figure job with no real work to be done, will just eventually fall into their lap. Until then, they're just on cruise control. There's gonna be a lot of 30, 40, and 50 year olds still waiting.

onepieceatatime · Jun 10, 2015

These days a CDL can be worth as much as a degree with less work and money involved and people won't even do that. I busted my ass at several jobs for several years doing and learning lots of different things and now I'm making more money than I ever have, working less than I ever have and the work is less strenous than anything I've ever done so I can see me hauling fuel till I retire.

ridefast · Jun 10, 2015

I would have killed to get into a metal shop when I was in grade school. I've always been mechanically inclined and KNOW that if my intelligence hadn't been seen as a more valuable asset, I would have done far more with that kind of education.

We had one in both middle and high school that I petitioned to be allowed access, but was repeatedly told that I was basically "overqualified' for those courses.

Yea, like AP European History really helped me out in the long run

Piece of **** public education system.

ranger11 · Jun 10, 2015

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This may be a whole different topic but am I crazy thinking I should get paid at least half of what my company charges for my labor? I am a skilled worker and an average Joe can't do my job. Hell most collage kids can't do my job?

patooyee · Jun 10, 2015

Re:

ranger11 said:
This may be a whole different topic but am I crazy thinking I should get paid at least half of what my company charges for my labor? I am a skilled worker and an average Joe can't do my job. Hell most collage kids can't do my job?

Yes, you are crazy. It just depends on how many more resources go into the end product and how much that product sells for. If you make widgets that cost the company $10 to make, $1 of which is your labor, and the widgets sell for $11, I do not think the company owes you 50% of their profit. Understanding this is the difference between an employee and a business owner.

But you're right, different subject altogether.

ranger11 · Jun 10, 2015

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Edit. Will start a new thread.

BTW wasn't talking about 50% profit although my labor is where the most profit is.

stuftmunky2k · Jun 10, 2015

My experience people work harder to not work. For what it takes to just get the job done they want to **** around ask 9 people 900 questions besides just doing it. Drives me up a wall. The hard thing about the tech schools you only get out what you put in it. When I was in welding school half the kids would do just the bare minimum to get by. So after busting my ass 600+ hours of overtime a year I now run a shop at the age of 27. the Industry I am in is kind of a niche I work in the food industry working on tanks and equipment if you have ate or drank it I more than likely have had my hands on it. Even the tech schools now days blow me away. I have even went to the local tech school and worked with the welding instructor on stainless and sanitary welding. To put long story short I have no clue how this guy was a welding instructor had no clue what I was talking about or how the proper technic of welding was. That's half the problem the kids are there to just roll threw the punches and the instructors are either way under qualified or just don't give a ****. I have been looking for a good stainless tig welder for 9 months now. haven't ran across one that has either showed up every day or gave me a honest days work. Or if they can weld decent they have no brain on how to fabricate and want to just sit down and weld all day. I had a guy who couldn't read a level and one who couldn't read a tape measure. I gave a few weld test to people right out of tech schools and they cant even weld a T joint. blows my mind and they are after crazy amounts of money. Just my thoughts on the subject

poolman · Jun 10, 2015

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patooyee said:
Yes, you are crazy. It just depends on how many more resources go into the end product and how much that product sells for. If you make widgets that cost the company $10 to make, $1 of which is your labor, and the widgets sell for $11, I do not think the company owes you 50% of their profit. Understanding this is the difference between an employee and a business owner.

But you're right, different subject altogether.

X2, everyone thinks this way until they actually do it and see the numbers, it's not even close.

matth_85 · Jun 10, 2015

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poolman said:
X2, everyone thinks this way until they actually do it and see the numbers, it's not even close.

We have to add 30% to our bid wage rate for just workers comp. insurance.

stump jumper · Jun 10, 2015

Wow you guys have made some good points. I guess it just sadness me when I think of my child's future what is this country going to be? As far as finding a body man eventually there will be some one to fill the spot. Thanks for all the input!!

Gittinit · Jun 10, 2015

matth_85 said:
As far as the trades go... I honestly don't feel like the pay for a welder/machinist has really followed the pay scale it should or at least in these parts. Pay has not really improved since early 2000's and the dollar isn't worth close to as much. And I think the body man is just a dying art unfortunately. We are in the age of, **** it... you can get a new chinaman fender for $100 why fix that one... Then you get it and the bitch don't fit...

Its not just in your parts... I just applied for a job today(die maker) and was put back to find the pay at this company was no where close to what I'm making now. I would have to learn some and I'm willing to take the appropriate pay cut to do it but when top pay for experienced machinist is the same as I could make across town driving a forklift truck... I mean really, why? When they realize they can't find anyone to fill that position for what they are offering, maybe then they will offer competitive wages.

The jobs are out there but it sure would be nice to get a fair wage.

mdo817 · Jun 10, 2015

Being a machinist has made me a pretty damn good living, never made it through trade school, but spent my time learning the trade from real machinist. I was hired by Delta almost 28 years ago, not for schooling I had, but experience and history. It has been a great ride.

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09zkrankin · Jun 10, 2015

Re: Re: Trades

mdo817 said:
Being a machinist has made me a pretty damn good living, never made it through trade school, but spent my time learning the trade from real machinist. I was hired by Delta almost 28 years ago, not for schooling I had, but experience and history. It has been a great ride.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So far being a machinist has done me well also, I'm only 24 but worked nights in a shithole machine shop running cnc's while I was in trade school, was there about a year and was offered my current job with GE about 6 mos. Before graduating, and I've been here right at 4 years now.

I will agree on the pay though. People want experienced machinist, but yet they want to start them out at $10-$12 an hour. Then can't figure out why all they can find is bottom of the barrel people who can't piss clean

grcthird · Jun 12, 2015

Seeing the whole "competitive pay" thing in a job ad, makes me think a company is looking for another average joe and not someone who is skilled and knows what the hell is going on.

TheViking · Jun 21, 2015

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I just took a job in my father's trade, and my trade from mote youthful days. I see the lack of drive a lot in the younger generation, they want it all now. Also alot in my generation and older. Look nobody loves working in this heat but jobs have to be completed and tasks set forth on, it's life I may not make 100K like I want this year but I'm making better than in the past few years now.