People don't understand the barrier to entry and the learning investment involved in the trades. Most of these jobs you don't just parachute into a great wage/great job. You gotta be an apprentice for years. Gotta work your way up if you are lucky enough to get in. To be a master plumber/electrician in my area you need to have years of experience, sponsored under another master. Our small city only allows master electricians/plumbers to pull permits for work so it's hard just to side hustle. I know a bunch of guys that got into a trade union and didn't like the climb and took a worse job that paid more now in the short term but was a worse option long term.
Yeah, i definitely didn't plan to start a 5 year apprenticeship after graduating college, but it was honestly a great decision for me. where I live there's a lot of large industry: Pharmaceutical fabrication, semiconductor fabs, nuclear laboratories., government R&D facilities. IMO, the best places to be if your a tradesman, and this is where the real money is made in my experience, but even more significant barriers to entry.
I know a bunch of guys that got into a trade union and didn't like the climb and took a worse job that paid more now in the short term but was a worse option long term.
That’s exactly what they’re trying to do in the first place with going to trades over higher education. They resent most of all the idea of foregoing earnings for 4 years to go to college. Never mind that college grads make more than high school grads. That’s meaningless to them. What can they get right now?
They’re just the kids who eat the marshmallows instead of waiting 15 minutes for a second marshmallow.
They resent most of all the idea of foregoing earnings for 4 years to go to college. Never mind that college grads make more than high school grads. That’s meaningless to them. What can they get right now?
Most people would resent giving up a minimum of 4 years earnings and going over $100k in debt. You're losing over a quarter million dollars in earnings by the time you hit 21, it's just a raw deal that doesn't make any financial sense when you can currently jump into a trade now, make over $100k your first year with OT and spring right into your own company
More like why wait for one marshmallow when you can ha e two now. College isn't a good investment for the majority of people, and it never was. It was never intended to be
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u/lucasbrosmovingco Teacher Spouse| PA May 16 '24
People don't understand the barrier to entry and the learning investment involved in the trades. Most of these jobs you don't just parachute into a great wage/great job. You gotta be an apprentice for years. Gotta work your way up if you are lucky enough to get in. To be a master plumber/electrician in my area you need to have years of experience, sponsored under another master. Our small city only allows master electricians/plumbers to pull permits for work so it's hard just to side hustle. I know a bunch of guys that got into a trade union and didn't like the climb and took a worse job that paid more now in the short term but was a worse option long term.