Tradespeople?

[Kupu2]

Hi all. Just wondering if any of you are tradies? If so, what trade? How do you find it?

I am doing an apprenticeship in heavy vehicle diesel; basically, a truck mechanic. I find I learn differently, much more academic. Once I know what I'm doing, I'm all over the job.

Nice to be here. Self diagnosed and in a few months, I'll be seeing someone for an official diagnosis.

 

[wanderer03]

I guess you could say I'm a tradesperson. Right now I drive a bus for a living. I have my Class A CDL

 

[Judge]

If I had to do it all over again I would have gravitated straight towards a trade.

Any trade.

 

[Mia]

Lots of people in the trades here; construction, plumbing and electrical.

 

[Astroganga]

I'm not, but could be, I'm really good at plumbing, and also minor electrical work; and the electrical work I really enjoy. The thing that put me off studying either at college (and that is the route you have to take here, either part time as part of an apprenticeship, or full time), was that the courses are always dominated by young, rather domineering men and I just didn't feel comfortable. I do sew and had a dressmaking business a few years back, that is classed as skilled manual labour/a trade even though it isn't as physically hard as traditional trades.

 

[Rayner]

I work as a framer in construction. I also can/do electrical work,plumbing,welding,auto repair. I've also Been a ranch hand/cowboy before. I can't see myself doing anything other than working in the trades. Being a blue collar man, I've pretty good at barely at getting by. My parents think it's kind of a down grade for our family since my dad is a lawyer, my uncle is a doctor my mom is a teacher and school principal. I don't think it's a down grade, it's what I'm good at and it's more natural for me than any white collar work.

 

[wanderer03]

I work as a framer in construction. I also can/do electrical work,plumbing,welding,auto repair. I've also Been a ranch hand/cowboy before. I can't see myself doing anything other than working in the trades. Being a blue collar man, I've pretty good at barely at getting by. My parents think it's kind of a down grade for our family since my dad is a lawyer, my uncle is a doctor my mom is a teacher and school principal. I don't think it's a down grade, it's what I'm good at and it's more natural for me than any white collar work.

Rayner, I get that all of the time from my parents. They see me working as a professional driver as a downgrade. Like you, I don't see it like that at all. I like driving and it just so happens that I can provide a good service. My dad and mom both have two masters degrees and my brother is working on his. Whatever, it doesn't matter what you do so long as it is an honest day's living.

 

[clg114]

When I was in the service, I was trained as a turret & artillery repairman. I worked on the recoil and traversing systems on tanks, artillery pieces, mortars and rocket launchers. When I got out of the service, I could not find a job working at what I was trained in (imagine that). So I went to work at a Cat dealership as a forklift mechanic. I almost immediately was given a service truck and worked at the customers site. This really suited me because I got to work alone. Over the years I slowly did less and less mechanical work and more electronic work. I went to a lot of service schools on electric forklifts, batteries and battery chargers. A little over eight years ago I retired and to keep busy, I started a small repair business working on some of my old customers machinery. I have been very lucky in my working career because I worked alone most of the time and worked with my special interest.

 

[wanderer03]

When I was in the service, I was trained as a turret & artillery repairman. I worked on the recoil and traversing systems on tanks, artillery pieces, mortars and rocket launchers. When I got out of the service, I could not find a job working at what I was trained in (imagine that). So I went to work at a Cat dealership as a forklift mechanic. I almost immediately was given a service truck and worked at the customers site. This really suited me because I got to work alone. Over the years I slowly did less and less mechanical work and more electronic work. I went to a lot of service schools on electric forklifts, batteries and battery chargers. A little over eight years ago I retired and to keep busy, I started a small repair business working on some of my old customers machinery. I have been very lucky in my working career because I worked alone most of the time and worked with my special interest.

I'd say you made out very well career-wise!

 

[nowwhat]

Fiber and resin guy here. Polyesters, epoxies, carbon, fiberglass and kevlar. My friends and I started mucking around making our own surfboards in high school, and it turned into an accidental career. I work on boats now, but mostly the same thing on a larger, more complicated scale.

 

[nowwhat]

Rayner, I get that all of the time from my parents. They see me working as a professional driver as a downgrade. Like you, I don't see it like that at all. I like driving and it just so happens that I can provide a good service. My dad and mom both have two masters degrees and my brother is working on his. Whatever, it doesn't matter what you do so long as it is an honest day's living.

The point of being paid to do something, is that you have found a way to participate in and be of use to society by doing something that needs doing. Any job that fulfills this requirement is noble and worthwhile, IMO.

 

[wanderer03]

The point of being paid to do something, is that you have found a way to participate in and be of use to society by doing something that needs doing. Any job that fulfills this requirement is noble and worthwhile, IMO.

Most definitely! I dislike people who judge others by their occupation. Wisdom can be found from anyone, anywhere, and anytime regardless of their social or professional status.

 

[wanderer03]

Tell me about it!!! I'm a facilities tech or "maintenance man" as we're sometimes called. I work for a university that literally trains rocket scientists; two astronauts have come out of our school.

So, in light of that, you can imagine what sort of people, especially the parents, I have to deal with. I had one parent sarcastically ask me, "So, where did you go to school to learn how to fix toilets?" Without blinking an eye, I said, "I received my Bachelor of Ministry degree from [school], my Master of Ministry degree from [school], and am working on my Th.D. through [school]. I hold an EPA 608 certification and am a certified pool technician. I do this type of work to pay the bills and because people like you and your kid don't know how." Fortunately we don't wear name tags, because I probably would have caught hell for my remarks.

A good dose of truth is vastly underrated! Some people need the gift of being informed that they are pompous asses.

 

[wanderer03]

Tell me about it!!! I'm a facilities tech or "maintenance man" as we're sometimes called. I work for a university that literally trains rocket scientists; two astronauts have come out of our school.

So, in light of that, you can imagine what sort of people, especially the parents, I have to deal with. I had one parent sarcastically ask me, "So, where did you go to school to learn how to fix toilets?" Without blinking an eye, I said, "I received my Bachelor of Ministry degree from [school], my Master of Ministry degree from [school], and am working on my Th.D. through [school]. I hold an EPA 608 certification and am a certified pool technician. I do this type of work to pay the bills and because people like you and your kid don't know how." Fortunately we don't wear name tags, because I probably would have caught hell for my remarks.

I'm dying to know how the parent responded....

 

[wanderer03]

Tradespeople are salts of the earth types. They'll give you the shirt off of their backs.

 

[Nitro]

Machinist,vehicle repair technician,autobody,sandblasting,welding and electrical work would fill out my work on the trades. Lots of that was during the course of self-employment with parts of it working for others.
I was also involved in management position all along the way from the high tech sector to designing and building machinery or items for others. It is really cool to see something I was involved in on a retail shelf,used in the music industry or in an industrial setting. Most of the time after you make something,you never see it again.

It would be safe to say that something I either designed or manufactured has touched every living person on our planet.

 

[Rayner]

Exactly. I believe it is an outdated idea, that to be successful you need a college degree and a white collar job. I see nothing wrong with being a blue collar worker as long as you have a plan and understand that many trades are extremely physically demanding. I'm 17 years old I'm aware that at 27,37,47,57 and beyond that I will have evolve my career. My uncle is 50 years old, he has worked in the same industry since he was my age, but now instead of being just another worker he owns and manages his own company. My plan is to Move up through the industry.

 

[Nitro]

Exactly. I believe it is an outdated idea, that to be successful you need a college degree and a white collar job. I see nothing wrong with being a blue collar worker as long as you have a plan and understand that many trades are extremely physically demanding. I'm 17 years old I'm aware that at 27,37,47,57 and beyond that I will have evolve my career. My uncle is 50 years old, he has worked in the same industry since he was my age, but now instead of being just another worker he owns and manages his own company. My plan is to Move up through the industry.

I am basically self-educated and hold no degrees from anywhere

 

[Rayner]

I wouldn't go as far to yes I am self educated, but I've had to make it own my own.

 

[Nitro]

I wouldn't go as far to yes I am self educated, but I've had to make it own my own.

It is all up to you to decide where you want to go in life,there is always magic in that you can create for yourself