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Looking to enter a trade


Elky

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I've been working in IT for a while now and I've come to realize that corportate office jobs just aren't a good fit for me. So lately I've been interested in learning a trade; its come down to plumbing, electrician or HVAC. Some of my friends are tradesman advised I skip trade school and apply for an apprenticeship.

For those who are tradesman, what are your thoughts on trade school? Can one with zero trade skills actually get into an apprenticeship?

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14 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

become an electrician. the need will always exist.

That's what I came here to say.

Either that, or be a plumber, except it's smelly, and you get called at odd hours. You can make some good money doing plumbing work though. 

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Both my closest neighbor and a guy down my road own HVAC companies. Both hire "grunt" workers, and if the desire is to move up. They pay for all schooling and are contracted to them for some amount of time. Might be something to ask the businesses around you about.

You can get certified in more than one. And do both plumbing and electrical. Only downside I really see is its likely tough to keep up with ever changing codes for both. But if you went to a school. You could pull both and decide at the end. Trade school students in certain areas seem to get recruited. Pick the best at the end. Cant really do such as easily as an apprentice.

Edited by PARROTHEAD
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My brother went through HVAC trade school. After he graduated he apprenticed for a small independent company for a couple of years. He recently scored a nice paying position with a big company and they are starting him at 60K. He likes it a lot. Can be quite dirty at times, says he deals with a lot of dead mice and other pests. But it's decent money. 

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1 hour ago, Shockey1979 said:

My brother went through HVAC trade school. After he graduated he apprenticed for a small independent company for a couple of years. He recently scored a nice paying position with a big company and they are starting him at 60K. He likes it a lot. Can be quite dirty at times, says he deals with a lot of dead mice and other pests. But it's decent money. 

bats i assume

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it does take a particular kind of mindset to be an electrician, i have noticed that with all the guys i've known (and some women) who are.

very detail oriented, very exacting. the thing about electrical wiring is that it can be 99% correct, and it still won't work. has to be done perfectly. so keep that in mind, are you that kind of person?

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Not all IT works in an office setting. You can do Networking and travel alot to different locations to set up networks for companies. 

As far as those occupations go. I think electricians can earn the best pay. Although with plumbing and HVAC you can start your own business and earn a crap ton of money. I know a guy who's basically a blue collar millionaire doing that. 

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