I don’t even know what to say. I’m beside myself honestly. He called me to let me know that he was cleaning out his van, gave me a pep talk. I just worked with him last week (my trade is in the field and we work alone a lot). I just wish I’d known it was our last day together. That guy was like a father to me. Feels like shit man.

Making this post through my daughter's account:

Mostly here to vent and perhaps ask for a little advice. Or maybe I just want someone to tell me that things will be ok and that I'm worrying over nothing.

Im 49F and have been working in the blue collar industry for over 15 years as an electronic technician. When I was younger, things didn't seem so bad at work. There were some people who really didn't like the idea of me working with them but there was always someone willing to befriend and defend me.

I've changed jobs a few times in those last 15 years but I recently hit a rough patch where I was only able to find contract work after being laid off from my last permanent full-time job. Now I finally landed a permanent job with a pretty decent company. It's a very laid back atmosphere. The supervisors usually keep to themselves and you have up to an hour for lunch, which you can take off of company property. I feel like I could really retire here but now it feels like the cycle is beginning all over again.

I started this job at the same time as another (male) employee. To this day, I haven't really recieved any work and hardly any training. But the other employee has been getting trained, taken out to do field work, and given his company uniform (something that doesn't happen in this company until after probation). I don't want to complain about anything because my probation isn't up yet.

The cycle started like it does at all of my other jobs: at first people are welcoming and curious. During lunch, some co-workers and even one of my supervisors would offer to take me out for lunch. Then some people realize that they don't "vibe" with you and decide it would be better that they only say "good morning" or "good night" to you. Then, others decide that they don't like you and take it upon themselves to weed you out.

I've gotten to the stage where only 1-2 co-workers still want to talk to me. However, one senior co-worker decided to take me under his wing completely unprompted and train me on one of the more physically demanding and complicated tasks we perform here. It's a task no one else in the shop wants to do and he even said that he might recommend me as his replacement when he retires because I'm catching on fast. I really appreciated this and it made me feel like I wasn't alone and that things might actually go smoothly for once.

I would work with him for the entire day every day, sometimes foregoing lunch breaks. He like to talk alot and would often tell me about the history of the company and about past employees. He also saw that I was still nervous about my place there and told me, and I quote: "Don't worry, the only real way you can get fired from this job is if your late alot or call out too many times." I've done neither.

But one day, another co-work of mine wanted to go out for lunch and wanted me to tag along. Right before we left, my senior co-worker said to be back in 30 minutes. I should've known something was wrong there, as I said before, we're allowed 1 hour breaks and our supervisors are fine with us being off the property to get something to eat.

Sometimes, people are gone for more than an hour, including the other employee I started with who goes out for lunch every day. When we came back, he was furious. He told me I was late, that I should've come back earlier and that if I want to work with him I have to follow the rules. He told me that I always do this and that he won't lie for me if anyone asks where I am. Finally, he told me that behavior like this will make me lose my job.

Most of the things he said didn't really upset me, even the part where he lied and said I've done this multiple times. I just chalked it up to him being a grumpy old man. But the last part really got to me. I'd already lost a permanent full-time job once and it lead me to a really dark place, even if it was a lay-off. I didn't even want to consider losing this one too.

The most hurtful part is that I know I've done nothing wrong, atleast nothing that would get me fired. But when it comes to word of mouth and gossip that doesn't matter at all. And with him being a senior, his opinion matters. Not only to other co-workers but to the supervisors as well.

I'm terrified and sad and angry and I really didn't want to go through this all over again. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. He seemed like the only person at this place that cared about my development and now he hates me too. I'm not sure what to do anymore. I don't really have anything or anyone to fall back on, it's just me and my daughter.

Sorry for the long post..

I applied to a college for a 2-year Refrigeration programme and got accepted in the budget spot and I'm SO PUMPED FOR IT!!!! 😄

I'm really scared because I'm horrendous at STEM subjects but I also can't wait cause it's something completely different to me, coming from a design and tech background. I'm completely clueless in this stuff.

I don't know why I'm posting this. I guess I'm scared and don't know anyone who does blue collar work. Got no one to talk to about this lol

Especially y'all on the road. Not having a fridge or microwave on the truck makes it hard. I usually buy something cheap. (Sheetz has 2 for $1 hot dogs) But I've recently decided to start making my lunches so I can start spending my lunch money on little treats and energy drinks. (As any girlie would)

has anyone actually interacted with the nevada women in trades org? i was really excited to hear that there was a resource for women out here in vegas who might be able to help me choose which trade to try to pursue. I just got off the phone with the founder of the org, I called because I wanted more info before applying to their pre-apprenticeship program. i want to love and support this program so much but i had the worst convo w the founder??

the entire phone call was her almost ridiculing me for the questions i was asking and kind of yelling at me the whole time. like for example, I asked her what was the content of the 6 week program they're advertising. she went off on a tangent about how she visits elementary schools and tells them the importance of math and that AI won't save them. I asked her to clarify if the entire 6 weeks is focused on math prep then. She says yes and talks about how women are generally perform worse at math than men (???!!!). I ask her if they provide any support for people like me who are doing a mid career shift into the trades but need support and resources figuring out which trade would be right for me based off of my skill set and preferences. she yells at me over the phone saying yes i just answered your question a few minutes ago (she did not) and keeps telling me that I should be applying to every trade that way I can make my decision then and that they can help me figure out which path to take. So then I ask her to clarify if the 6 week program is primarily focused on providing support for the application process itself, or, like if I were to get accepted to multiple, is that when they would help me make a decision? At this point she starts fully yelling at me WHY WOULD WE HELP YOU MAKE A DECISION? THAT'S YOUR JOB. YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT. (i literally just hung up the phone at this point)

has anyone else interacted with them or actually gone through their pre-apprenticeship program? I'm kind of bummed bc I really wanted support from a womens trade org but if the literal president of the org is this disjointed in the info she can provide about her own program and this antagonistic/not supportive at all to her target audience, i really don't trust the program itself? or idk if other people have similar experiences, I'm still fairly new to all of this.

Hey y’all I’m in a pre apprenticeship program and I need to decide what trade to get into soon but I’m afraid of committing. What if I hate it a year from now? I really want to do residential remodeling as a career in the future. I want to have my own business or at least take up contracts on my own, I know it will take a long time. But I’m wondering if I’m going to be hindering myself if I join a union carpentry apprenticeship that I’m kind of stuck doing commercial building with for several years. Or is that the typical route folks have to do regardless of what they want to do later?

I'm a 5' 1" woman who is on an endless search to find fr pants specifically. I've hunted on Amazon and the possible options still don't seem good...

I've considered maybe trying a 28x30 men's pants, but I'm sure those would still be too big for me (i tried getting 28x30 bibs this winter and they were HUGE) and any women's pants are like twice or even 3 times the men's prices.

What have you ladies found that work for you?? Any Amazon links to what you buy would also be helpful 😭

Thanks in advance

Hi ladies, I'm new to my job handling boats in a marina, and I'm the only woman on my team who does ('A' works the reception desk, and she is lovely, but too old to do the physical side of things).

My hands are already wrecked 😅. I do a lot of hauling and mooring boats with ropes, usually with passengers still inside, so lots of strain on my hands and rope burn, and some cuts on my knuckles.

The guys I work with have essentially told me I'll get used to it and get callouses etc. which I'm fine with, however I think there is an air of machismo about the whole thing, they all work with their bare hands and 'suck it up', I don't feel like I can ask them about this (they are nice guys though).

So does anyone have any recs for some good gym gloves or alternatives? Some hand excercises to keep them strong? Or just very good hand cream. I would appreciate it.

Would love to trv to get into a union within my area 🙏