The Trades

[cwill]

Great post! I took the college route and landed in the physical therapy industry 21 years ago. I started a new career yesterday because the Medicare/Medicaid cuts have killed the industry. I was working way harder than ever for 40% less pay than I made 10 years ago. Just didn't add up. I've said a thousand times that I should have went to trade school and I would have been WAY better off!

[sotol]

Agreed 100%. The future isn't necessarily on paved through a bachelor degree. If you send your kids to college, make sure and ensure it's with an employable degree.

Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[outlook8]

100% agree.

I own an electrical contracting company here in Houston. I went to college and got a degree, but haven’t ever used it. I say all the time I wish I had saved the money, and just started working. In this business, experience is everything!

As far as hiring right now, we can’t find anybody. We were fortunate to stay super busy through covid and maintain our workforce (~35 guys), but can’t hire anybody worth a **** right now to save our lives. It’s sad. I will hire you, pay you 40+ hours a week at well over minimum wage, send you to school, health insurance, 401k with match, etc. but nobody wants to work anymore.

As far as I’m concerned, unless you’re going to college to get a professional degree (doctor, lawyer, engineer), it’s overrated! Basic liberal arts/natural science degrees are beyond watered down at this point.

Chris

[Austin]

Well said and it’s something I preach often as well. As a banker it is so disheartening seeing young couples trying to get a start in life saddled with six figure student loan debt and a degree to make 35-40k

[DFWPI]

I was talking with a young man today, helping him move into his new home. Know him since he was in HS and he actually lived with us his Senior Year, along with another young man, and they both went into the military. Anyway, found out his wife was a college graduate, and of all things, it was an animal science degree, specializing in large mammals. Elephants to be more specific. She graduated and has never used this degree. WTH....

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Stetsonoverton]

great info,i was fortuante enough to finish school few years back debt free but the degree i got is worthless for the field i went into should have hit the ground running.

[blfx4]

I think this is solid advice for a lot of the younger folks. When I was in high school the big push was to go to college for anything. That is basically all they pushed and really discouraged trade type work. I took automotive in high school and it was a decent program along with the welding program. Probably a handful of kids in both. I wouldn’t say either program would necessarily lead to a career, but opened the eyes to some people that there was money to be made with your hands. What is sad is that the high school dropped both of these programs due to lack of enrollment and to this day keeps with the college push. Again higher education is great for some, not for all.

[Bisch]

I agree with you Curt!!!!! I have no college degree, and retired 3 days after my 50th birthday. It can be done without college if a person has another skill they can use to make a living.

Bisch


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Mexico]

Very well said Curt. In my industry there is a massive shortage of licensed personnel... and it's not getting better.

[bloodstick]

For those who have done this, how did yall go about getting started? Did somebody give you a shot to learn on the job or did you take a class at a community college without knowing the full ins and outs of that particular trade?

Having the desire to get started is one thing, but getting that opportunity is another. Or how about people who are trying to change careers. Maybe the first one isn’t working out or their industry is drying up. Experience is everything in trades but how do you gain it when nobody will let you earn it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[100%TtId]

Curt, do you have an apprenticeship or internship program to develop talent and skills for the types of jobs you hire for?

This labor shortage won't solve itself and complaining about it without implementing solutions is a waste of time.

You might also take a critical look at the job requirements that are listed in your job postings. In many industries, the reality of what is truly needed to perform a job effectively and what gets listed in job postings is a big disconnect and that discourages some otherwise qualified candidates. This is common in IT jobs where the job requires 5 years of experience with a new technology that was invented 2 years ago.

[txoutdoorsman24]

For those who have done this, how did yall go about getting started? Did somebody give you a shot to learn on the job or did you take a class at a community college without knowing the full ins and outs of that particular trade?

Having the desire to get started is one thing, but getting that opportunity is another. Or how about people who are trying to change careers. Maybe the first one isn’t working out or their industry is drying up. Experience is everything in trades but how do you gain it when nobody will let you earn it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good question man. I got my start in my hometown for a small electric company. Was part time there and part time enrolled at Tx State. Figured college wasn’t for me at the time so I decided to pursue the trade school. Was working for a while before getting to start in trade school and then breezed thru the schooling. I actually taught two of my classes while in school because we had two instructors get in a fight at school and then get fired lol.
Right now it should be fairly easy to get a job in most trade industries. Good Workers are needed big time because no one wants to work!!! You could probably drive up to a job site or company and get hired on the spot. Look at Unions in your area too. They train you while working and all along helping you get certified in the trade you pursue.

[curtintex]

Curt, do you have an apprenticeship or internship program to develop talent and skills for the types of jobs you hire for?

This labor shortage won't solve itself and complaining about it without implementing solutions is a waste of time.

You might also take a critical look at the job requirements that are listed in your job postings. In many industries, the reality of what is truly needed to perform a job effectively and what gets listed in job postings is a big disconnect and that discourages some otherwise qualified candidates. This is common in IT jobs where the job requires 5 years of experience with a new technology that was invented 2 years ago.

Yessir. We do have an internship program and have hired several great people from it. The guy that now runs our estimating department was our first intern. We also are partnering with the local ISD to get kids interested in construction. We are helping to write curriculum for trade-based studies as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gekko man]

I sell CNC machines into the millwork and cabinet industry. There is a huge shortage of people that know cabinet design software (Cabinet Vision as an example). A cabinet design software drives the business by programming the CNC router that machines the parts for cabinets. There is no college degree required to learn CV or any other design software.

My son in law is a heavy equipment operator and specializes in drilling piers. He is one of the best in the industry. He drills them fast and straight (within spec). He barely got out of high school but makes more than me.

I have a son who has two degrees (Nuero Biology and Epidemiology) and decided to get out the sciences after he graduated. He is a sales engineer for Equinix and makes bank. Super smart kid that got it early and decided that he enjoyed hanging out with the internet geeks more than the idiots telling us how to survive Covid.

If you know of anyone wanting to write their own ticket, tell them to learn Cabinet Vision!

[Texas452]

For those who have done this, how did yall go about getting started? Did somebody give you a shot to learn on the job or did you take a class at a community college without knowing the full ins and outs of that particular trade?

Having the desire to get started is one thing, but getting that opportunity is another. Or how about people who are trying to change careers. Maybe the first one isn’t working out or their industry is drying up. Experience is everything in trades but how do you gain it when nobody will let you earn it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My daddy took me to work with him in the road construction business and I’ve been there ever since. I wanted to learn everything about it and I did.
Now there’s a big time shortage of good heavy equipment operators, we are constantly on the lookout for them. It’s a tough business you can either cut it or you can’t. But in the construction business, it’s one of the few things that cannot be done over sea’s and then put in place, the equipment can be but most materials are made here.