What would be the best Trade jobs/skills to learn?
🗣️ DISCUSSION 💬
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (26)
sorted by:
Plumber or electrician.
Both are easy work and indoors. You’ll have no school loan debt if any, and make far more than a programmer after a couple of years especially if you start your own company. The best part is you can write off your big ass trucks. This coming from a 20+ year programmer. If i did it all over again I’d be in trades, 100%.
I agree, there will always be a need for plumbers and electricians. And just see what they charge these days.
Love a desk jockie commenting on the trades! I could tell you some horror stories. Not to be dooming but there is reality. Plumbers spend major time in crawl spaces, with insulation, vermin, spiders and opossums. Electricians get killed by doing something stupid. (yes, I knew him). Attic work is hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. Roofers fall off roofs. Carpenters smash fingers, saw thru knees and hands, breathe dust, dirt and asbestos, break backs and other bones. My husband the carpenter! 4 surgeries for on the job injuries, never received workman's comp. Disabled at 54! It's not the age, it's the mileage. If you want to be in the trades, you might want to think about affording kids. Not a well paying job. Especially if you need weeks a year off for lack of work or injuries. It's tough. So just be careful with who you hire on with, makes a big difference. I was married to one who ONLY pushed the pencil to sign the checks. Boring! Be smart and save money for the hard times. We are now retired, not living in luxury but we do ok and we have some resources. AND you can ONLY write off that big ass truck if you Own the company! You can write off a portion of your tools and some of your mileage which can be a lot. Pros and cons to all things. My husband ABSOLUTELY loved his job. He comes from a white collar family but always wanted to be a carpenter so he has no regrets. Nor do I and I have worked years in the trades. Painter tiler, Jane of all trades!
What will YOU do without AC/Heat leaking water into home, leaking roof, can't use your electricity until someone comes and fixes it, freeze, mold, damage, heat stroke, freeze....would you not call on one of these trades???
NO! My husband & I are very versed in all these things. Seriously, YES I would, in a heartbeat. Anybody can be a programmer, but it takes a lot of guts to be in the trades but it is also exciting and fun. And you get to buy all those cool tools. The world cannot function without the tradesmen! But there are a lot of different jobs and they can be physically demanding. But you sleep good at night. That's the reality.
Add HVAC and drywall/painters...my husband is in commercial construction and as the people die or retire there are not enough people coming into these trades to meet the needs.
Plumber is easy work indoors? I'm guessing you never lived in an area where septic tanks are the norm.