Looking for help... Skilled trades...

[PlymCrazy]

More and more I'm seeing kids come out of college and not finding work in their area of focus and they are left with a heap of debt equal to or greater than buying a home. Our two oldest(both girls) didn't know what they wanted to do after HS so we encouraged them both to do community college for a couple of years until they figured it out. Figured it wouldn't hurt their ability to be employed and they wouldn't have a heap of debt once done. And trying to go to college after taking time off post HS has proven to be quite a challenge for a lot of kids I have known. Both of our girls finished two years and got a degree. One found her passion and went further in college focusing on the medical field. She has prospects lined up when she graduates next Spring so it's looking like that will pay off for her. And she has been wise about her decisions on accumulating college debt. She has some, but it's reasonable and not overwhelming. Our other daughter was happy finding an administrative job after 2 years of Community College.

And being in the trades 23 years (and counting) myself I always told the girls I'd help them get in the door if that was something that appealed to them.

 

[PlymCrazy]

My son however...

He knew in HS he wanted to get in the trades. He enrolled in vocational building trades in 11th and 12th grade. He knew by graduation he wanted a career in the trades and is now going into his 4th year in the Carpenter's local here in town.

And both of my SIL's are in the trades too. One of which I just recently brought aboard, beginning of this year. That's proving to be a good decision...thus far lol.

But to respond to your original inquiry @Madmopars, we too in this area are struggling to get folks in the door with the right attitude towards the working world. Too often the applicants don't even show up for the scheduled interview, let alone stick around once they realize serious physical labor is involved. We are in desperate need of guys who actually want to work for a living. So we try to take the best care of the guys that do work for us. It keeps us from having what could easily otherwise be a revolving door of employees.

A close friend of mine always breaks my chops with this line..."Nick, I have a job but you work for a living."

 

[Hey-O]

More and more I'm seeing kids come out of college and not finding work in their area of focus and they are left with a heap of debt equal to or greater than buying a home. Our two oldest(both girls) didn't know what they wanted to do after HS so we encouraged them both to do community college for a couple of years until they figured it out. Figured it wouldn't hurt their ability to be employed and they wouldn't have a heap of debt once done. And trying to go to college after taking time off post HS has proven to be quite a challenge for a lot of kids I have known. Both of our girls finished two years and got a degree. One found her passion and went further in college focusing on the medical field. She has prospects lined up when she graduates next Spring so it's looking like that will pay off for her. And she has been wise about her decisions on accumulating college debt. She has some, but it's reasonable and not overwhelming. Our other daughter was happy finding an administrative job after 2 years of Community College.

And being in the trades 23 years (and counting) myself I always told the girls I'd help them get in the door if that was something that appealed to them.

Both of your daughters are very smart, but good parenting is also the key to a life time of happiness for them. Well done!! Be proud. Ask me if money is the key to happiness, not really. Tears of a clown, when no ones around.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have no regrets about my career choices.
Right out of high school, I tried the Army....That didn't take so I came back home and tried selling new cars. That didn't take either. Construction was never something that I seriously considered but once I started, I really started to find my way. 1986 to 2022, I framed houses, schools, commercial buildings and just about anything built out of wood. I loved the work but grew to hate the long distances to some of the projects. Putting 35,000 to 40,000 miles a year on my own trucks was a piss poor way to live. It is one of the leading reasons for me to retire along with the fact that housing, my true passion, paid way too low for the Carpenters Union to be able to compete and get awarded projects. The Union just priced themselves out of the market. When the jobs we got were limited to schools, shopping centers and other huge commercial buildings, the fun of it all was gone.

 

[451Mopar]

Speaking of skilled trades, I found an app called "skillcat" that does free online HVAC training and EPA certification.
It is actually pretty good app.
I think they have a few other courses too?

 

[#41]

As a former tradesman and subsequently a career construction manager, I can look back with an insiders view and say this issue has been building for decades. It's now at an significantly impactful level, and the outlook is dim. The upcoming generations get softer and softer and are taught not to respect trade work... so young people take on a load of student debt, work low wage desk jobs, and then complain about income inequality, high cost of living, blah, blah, blah.

Our local high school was touting how they had 100% of the graduating class going to college. Instead we should be proud to say that X% are going to trade schools, apprenticeships, or straight to work. We need a fundamental societal shift.

For all the negativity about immigration, we actually need immigrants that are motivated and willing to do physical work. I am convinced that our governing bodies over the last 30+ years fully understand this, and that is why so much undocumented immigration is actually allowed to happen. The construction industry has been leaning on this for years.

 

[1967coronet]

We are closing out our family ran body shop this summer.
Same location since 72. We have nobody in our family to follow us.
My son is a plumber, my grandson is 9yrs into the air force, all the rest are girls and have no interest.
My brother's son is a union pipe welder apprentice.
We have had high school kids come in and work through their shop class.
Some were really talented they can run their phone and sand at the same time.
I'm going to work part time for a chain grocery store nearby.
Stock shelves at night 3 or 4 nights per week $17 hr.
The 30 some manager I spoke with said the only requirement was to show up.lmao.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Honestly I'm a little surprised to hear other areas still have some level of vocational ed in their school programs... Around here it's all been gone for a long time, 25+ years & prior to that it had been cut to the bone...

So the next place to get vocational training was in prisons, after all most people who work with their hands are probably criminals anyway....

Well, they closed all those programs too, wouldn't want to damage the murders & rapists frail ego's by suggesting they lower themselves to becoming trades people...

As far as suggesting apprenticeship programs? I've offered to train a few young adults, it's always the same attitude, hands on work is below them, they've been brain washing into thinking votech is the lowest life form on the planet... Guess they should all be doctors & lawyers & such.... Better yet maybe politicians... We all know how much integrity politicians & lawyers have...

 

[hemi71x]

Honestly I'm a little surprised to hear other areas still have some level of vocational ed in their school programs... Around here it's all been gone for a long time, 25+ years & prior to that it had been cut to the bone...

So the next place to get vocational training was in prisons, after all most people who work with their hands are probably criminals anyway....

Well, they closed all those programs too, wouldn't want to damage the murders & rapists frail ego's by suggesting they lower themselves to becoming trades people...

As far as suggesting apprenticeship programs? I've offered to train a few young adults, it's always the same attitude, hands on work is below them, they've been brain washing into thinking votech is the lowest life form on the planet... Guess they should all be doctors & lawyers & such.... Better yet maybe politicians... We all know how much integrity politicians & lawyers have...

Just out of my curiosity, i googled technical high schools in the state of Connecticut, where i grew up.
Shows there are 17 of them in cities throughout the state.
For such a small state that Connecticut is, i think that's quite a lot of them.
Wonder if anyone out here in Commiefornia can recruit a graduate to come out here?

 

[Jesse6869]

We are closing out our family ran body shop this summer.
Same location since 72. We have nobody in our family to follow us.
My son is a plumber, my grandson is 9yrs into the air force, all the rest are girls and have no interest.
My brother's son is a union pipe welder apprentice.
We have had high school kids come in and work through their shop class.
Some were really talented they can run their phone and sand at the same time.
I'm going to work part time for a chain grocery store nearby.
Stock shelves at night 3 or 4 nights per week $17 hr.
The 30 some manager I spoke with said the only requirement was to show up.lmao.

I give my son **** just for having his hands in his pockets when im around, i tell him at least put your hands on something. And the phone **** kills me. No one wants to work hard anymore. Those are some good jobs your family is getting to.

 

[blue69runner]

Even through the years as an electrical supper it was hard to find good help. I had to wear my tools and work also if I was to get the project done. I was with two different firms back then and left the last one and started my own well drilling business. Only hired local guy's part time when needing them. Could not find any one to train in the field. So at last hung up my tools and shut down my business and retired. It is sad that all they want to do is be on a cell phone or stare at a computer screen.

 

[blue69runner]

Even through the years as an electrical supper it was hard to find good help. I had to wear my tools and work also if I was to get the project done. I was with two different firms back then and left the last one and started my own well drilling business. Only hired local guy's part time when needing them. Could not find any one to train in the field. So at last hung up my tools and shut down my business and retired. It is sad that all they want to do is be on a cell phone or stare at a computer screen.

 

[Ron H]

Interesting how tech-ed schools tuition costs went UP…more like sky-rocketed since I attended one. Consider the per/credit cost was 3 bucks. Laughable as I think on it. Books were the bigger bite and the new-fangled Texas calc I had to buy. Adjusting for inflation since then, the cost ‘should be’ around $20/credit. Hmm, nope – my old tech school’s per/credit cost in $150 now. Even so, comparing to university’s tuition, a 2-year degree (minus texts, etc.) there is a bit over 10 grand. And the school I attended credit transfer, to a 4-year college, was 100% transferable. Have read more about tech-ed graduates finding work sooner than from 4-year colleges.

Still keeping an occasional look at what my old career field requires today for education, been seeing more positions no longer mandating a 4-year degree, finding more saying a two-year and job experience.

 

[moparedtn]

I came back home and tried selling new cars. That didn't take either.

Oh man, car salesman?!?
I can see it now....

 

[Kern Dog]

I was 19 and dealing with every customer being older than I was. It was difficult to low ball people on their trade in cars. I was great at product knowledge but lacked sales skills.

 

[moparedtn]

I was 19 and dealing with every customer being older than I was. It was difficult to low ball people on their trade in cars. I was great at product knowledge but lacked sales skills.

I bet I'm not alone when I say in all my decades, I've known one (ok, maybe two on a good day) actual honest
car salesmen. What they make them do in that job is maddening....

 

[Kern Dog]

Even nowadays as a buyer....
I have a hard time bringing myself to low ball someone on their stuff. To me, if it is priced fairly, I pay them what they are asking. If it is priced way too high, I rarely even make an effort to buy it. I've had people hit me with half price offers before and it instantly pisses me off. My goal in selling something is not to get rich from it but to sell at a fair price. The practice of rock bottom offers just seems to reduce the seller's likelihood of negotiating.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I bet I'm not alone when I say in all my decades, I've known one (ok, maybe two on a good day) actual honest
car salesmen. What they make them do in that job is maddening....

Back in the day, Bill Clark was honest with my dad, and then with me. That was a big factor in me cherishing his GTX.

 

[MarPar]

Even nowadays as a buyer....
I have a hard time bringing myself to low ball someone on their stuff. To me, if it is priced fairly, I pay them what they are asking. If it is priced way too high, I rarely even make an effort to buy it. I've had people hit me with half price offers before and it instantly pisses me off. My goal in selling something is not to get rich from it but to sell at a fair price. The practice of rock bottom offers just seems to reduce the seller's likelihood of negotiating.

I love grinding car salesmen into dog meat. I lease a new truck every 3 years. I do my due diligence, walk in with my best offer and when they start the song and dance, I walk out. Walking out is the thing all car salesmen fear the worst. That's why they want your keys right away to "appraise your trade-in."

 

[Ron H]

I bet I'm not alone when I say in all my decades, I've known one (ok, maybe two on a good day) actual honest
car salesmen. What they make them do in that job is maddening....

Permit me to jump off the track for a minute thinking of car sales guys. In my town there was a huge dealer Mr. VS. Had a couple encounters with him; my brother worked for him for a short time in parts. Known as the ultimate sales king, tighter than a turnip. Wife and I, in our late 20’s then, spent about 45 minutes negotiating with one of his salesmen, young guy, on a new Lemans with our trade.

We were close to buying; but in walks da king behind his sales guy’s desk grabbing the paperwork from his hands yelling “What ya trying to do, give the car away!” He crumpled the papers dropping them on the desk and walked out. Old bastard never even looked at us or said a word. More? Sales guy started crying saying he’s going to quit. He said he’d find another sales position at another dealer and asked if he could call us about buying a car when he did. Have a few other rather comical stories about that old grump. Hugely successful for decades, long dead now. How he did it, considering our experience, I’ll never know, lol.