To the tradespeople here

[henry]

I pretty much agree with everybody on here.  There will be a huge lack of tradespeople (all trades) in Alberta in the near future.  With an 8 week tuition at SAIT costing approx. $800.00 and rising, a lot of people will forfeit that and go into finance, medicine or other industries.  I predict trade salaries increasing a lot in the near future.  Not to say University/College is cheap, but if you have to pay for an education, pay for one where you will make tons of dough when you're done.  At least thats what stats indicate -

Being a tradesman has been great to me, I'm in the process of getting my 2nd ticket.  I got my Heavy Duty ticket 2 years ago, and I'm presently in 3rd year Automotive.  It is hard work, but very rewarding.  There are also sacrifices to be made, 8 weeks of poverty during school, backaches, blah blah blah.  

If you need a change of pace, trades are where its at.  I recommend a trade where you don't need $15,000 worth of tools that you can't write off, and a trade that gives you a free service van.  Start one where you need a couple screwdrivers and a cordless drill, and you'll probably get paid more than a journeyman mechanic anyway.

Just my two cents.

Darren

[xtm]

to quote henry( I predict trade salaries increasing a lot in the near future) the rates for boarding and taping hav gone up 3 different times in the last year to year and a half demand is pushing the rates up being that there is shortages in my trade, I just sit back and laugh when people go into huge dept just to get out of school and get a job that doesnt hav anything  to do with there field. People got to stop believing the hype there is no easy money out there , everything has to be earned.

[RUBI]

Henry, I don't know how you do it  :shock:  I once started in automotive mechanics a long long time ago but.............after my first year of working on peoples junk,  and them expecting you to work miracles for free !! It got to the point that Ididn't even want to look at my own stuff anymore. So for my best interest, cause I actually enjoy fixing, modding or just generally tinkering on my vehicles, I chose to persue a different line of work. Also if you are lucky enough to have a company that pays for all your fees and such..............it helps out a lot !!!
                                              my 2 cents :wink:

[henry]

I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I have it better than most mechanics.  I rarely buy tools (anymore), and I have unbelievably great working conditions.  I'm extremely lucky to be where I'm at.  No whiney customers, nobody complaining about the price.  Fixing police cars for the city is one of the best jobs a tech could have in my opinion.   No flat rate, just work until the job is finished, perfectly every time.  I don't know if I would be a tech anymore if it was at a dealership or somewhere else.  I have a lot of respect for flat-rate techs or people  who get paid peanuts at small independent shops.

Darren

[bae146]

You could be an aircraft mechanic.  Depending on who you work for you could travel the world and make a decent buck doing it.  It is fairly clean, relativly easy work (nothing heavy..... if it is heavy there is a device to lift it for you...)  Downside is planes fly all day and sit at night so you can guess when most of the maintenance is done.  As for challenging  I have a plane with a few snags on it that will baffle most mechanics.  I have a plane right now that likes to start the auxillary power unit all by itself.  No one in the plane with only ground power selected.  Just the starter runs, no fuel or ignition.  Weird.......  Scares the crap out of you when you are the only guy in the hanger at night and the sucker starts to spool up!!!!!  Anyway it is never boaring!!

[henry]

Mmm, airplanes eh?  I like the idea of being able to repair them, but there is not a lot of room for error.  I guess you can't tell the pilot to give it a try, see how it feels or anything like that.  Hate to blow a fan belt at 40.000 feet.  I'll stick to Terra Firma. There is a fella in my class right now who quit his airplane job to be an automotive apprentice.  He has some neat stories.  

Darren

[Wif]

...  (some peaple just don't like 240 volt coursing through their bodies :lol:  :lol: )

Steve

Coming from the UK .. been there, done that ..  :lol:

...  I would rather build something tangible with my hands, and then be able to step back and look at it proudly.

Being in the IT (SQA/SCM support) world I can relate to that .. this stuff is way too dry .. I love to tinker with practical stuff .. helps me relax  .. keep it to a hobby .. it's not always easy making a living at it. The grass is not always greener .. and once you jump, it's may not be easy to get back .. just bear that in mind.

..  .. I guess I'm lucky that my position lets me act out my bitter and disgruntled feelings  :twisted:   I am part sys admin, part QA, and part Configuration Management... and according to lots of people I work with total bunghole.

I'm sure this all isn't helping you decide if you want to make a switch... but it interests me since its something I've considered in the past myself.  Never did make the switch and now I've moved up the food chain in the IT world far enough it would damn near impossible to take the salary cut to make the switch.   .. Fug

Same here Robin .. my admin/SQA/SCM work-life supports my life-style. It also helps me vent my frustrations at deserving people  :twisted:
I'd love to just do practical stuff .. but the pay cut, lack of surfing all day long  :wink:  , and not being able to work with dips#!ts all day would leave a void hard to fill ..  :lol:

[bae146]

Mmm, airplanes eh? I like the idea of being able to repair them, but there is not a lot of room for error. I guess you can't tell the pilot to give it a try, see how it feels or anything like that. Hate to blow a fan belt at 40.000 feet. I'll stick to Terra Firma. There is a fella in my class right now who quit his airplane job to be an automotive apprentice. He has some neat stories.  

Yah but when you fixit right it is sure is fun taking that multi-million dollar jet out and turning jet fuel into noise!!!!  Even on the ground they are fun to drive!!!!