stevblev
Aluminum
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, Ky, USA
I'm in my second year of my apprenticeship and since I've started all I've heard is the shortage of skilled workers and how much money I'm going to be making if I stick with it. Why would any kid want to join this trade? Here lately I've been asking myself why I ever wanted to join the trade. I'm a smart guy, 27 on the act, 3.9 GPA in high school, had scholarships lined up at multiple schools, but chose to go for a trade. 2 years in, I'm seeing the reality. Why would anyone my age want to stand for 12-14 hours a day, working to close tolerances, for mediocre pay over going to college? No doubt about it, this is not an easy job, I wasn't expecting it to be. But when you're there for 12-14 hours and everything you make is needed yesterday, and you only make 13 dollars an hour while the shop rate is 139, college sure sounds like the better option. Every young guy that works with me is in his 20's and feels twice his age. How are we going to feel when were 50? Our shop does a lot of industrial repair and is a 24/7 shop so we get a lot of "hot" work which the customer needs ASAP. We also do a lot of huge stuff no one else wants to take in. So far I've been denied 2 raises, on account of me not making the company money. How can they claim that when they pay me 13 an hour and charge the customer 139? Anyway, my point is, what many who complain about the skill labor shortage don't realize is that until the pay for skilled labor is above the many other high paying easier jobs, there will always be a shortage. There are tons of other jobs that are easy to get that pay well and are less stressful, and less demanding.
That's the end of my rant, what are your thoughts?
What are some of the shop rates at the shops you guys work at?
What fields did those of you go into that left the trade?
That's the end of my rant, what are your thoughts?
What are some of the shop rates at the shops you guys work at?
What fields did those of you go into that left the trade?