My brother is in the middle of a career change after almost 20 years in the automotive industry in part sales, then as an ASE certified mechanic and ultimately running a parts store. He got tired of it at 36 and is going to school for HVAC. He’s not yet done with year 1 of his program and he’s got an internship lined up with the local gas utility for $22/hour. It’s an internship with more or less guaranteed placement at the end of the year. So a little over 1 year from now, his program will finish up and he’ll be looking at $25-$28/hr with a very good benefits package. He’s a hard worker and with a long work history and mechanical aptitude is probably a better candidate than a lot of other students in the field, but getting into the program took nothing more than driving over to the tech college and signing up. $50-$60K with decent benefits in Minnesota allows someone to live a very comfortable life.
^ Compare that with undergrad debt + grad school debt + opportunity costs + long hours of the white collar route that typically generates ~$70k nationwide and do a quick NPV. Pretty sure it’s blue collar or at least pretty close.
Personally I’d go electrician, clean work, can’t be outsourced, most home owners are too afraid to do it and you could specialize in smart homes or something.
I contract them from time to time. I know what rates they pay their apprentices so I know how much I can haggle lower on prices. Their margins are insane.
Me too. And it pays more. I’ve done lots of residential electrical and it’s actually pretty fun. The commercial/industrial stuff takes quite a bit of intelligence and skill though and it can actually be slightly dangerous. But those are much bigger pay cheques.
wait, what?
Greenie said elsewhere that when he needs to pee at night, he just pees in his kitchen sink. Texas thing I’m sure.
CVM poops in his shower.
That was kind of a cheap shot.
Yeah, in hindsight I probably wouldn’t have gone there.
makes perfect sense, what with the kitchen almost always being further away than the bathroom
Based on the general tone of the thread before this post, I’d call it fair game.
I’m not really worried about it. It just reinforces my belief that BS has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.
The only person here who has come up with anything other than anecdotal evidence is Sweep, and I’m not even sure how correct his is. Even if it is correct, the article says that the median salary is $50k per year for a FULLY TRAINED plumber, and that an apprentice probably makes $25-35k.
^ Average salary of nearly $80k: https://occinfo.alis.alberta.ca/occinfopreview/info/browse-occupations/occupation-profile.html?id=71003098
I think I know where this righteous indignation is coming from…
So let me get this straight–I challenge your claim that a plumber makes six figures with zero attrition. You admit that a plumber makes closer to $42k, don’t address the attrition rate, then proceed to call me names?
i read septic tank cleaning is a lucrative business also
Where did I say, “plumbers make six figures” or have “0 attrition”?
Also, I didn’t call anyone names. I just made some valid points.
My point was just that smart people can often make more as proprietors in small businesses.
Beyond that, I think most of the “high risk and survivorship” boogiemen arguments that lack their own statistical basis are often used as justification by people disgruntled by the notion that the long hours and student debt incurred in pursuit of office careers may not have been the best choice.
if all goes well i hope to be a billionaire plumber some day haha
That was an entry level plumber. I posted a full range of plumbers and that was in the $80k range. Anyway, no one here has ever said the average plumber makes six figures or has no attrition, but nice attempt at reframing the debate and building a strawman. Disagree that plumbing is a good career all you want, but be honest.