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submitted 1 year ago by UhBell@lemmy.world to c/memes@lemmy.ml

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[-] empireOfLove@lemmy.one 107 points 1 year ago

Also that construction worker: has bad back, bad knees, arthritic hands and skin cancer at age 42

Don't get me wrong the trades are amazing for a kid to get into right out of school, and they're critically necessary. But don't be expecting to make a lifelong career out of it, because it is absolutely hard on your body. Do it for 5 years max and move up to management.

[-] TimeSquirrel@kbin.social 30 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

There are less intense trades. Sure, a bricklayer and drywaller is gonna be hurting after ten years, but telco, electronic security, automation, and fire alarm trades are quite sustainable and offer technical challenges often to keep things interesting. You just need to be okay with heights. We use scissor lifts quite a bit.

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 10 points 1 year ago

Ya lost me at the height part, I had to go up the roof of a not-quite-finished building once to cover the "highest bit" ceremony, climbing the last floors on some shitty ladders on the side of the building, I thought I'd pass out lmao.

[-] hamster@kbin.social 24 points 1 year ago

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with being a construction worker. It's a super important and useful career. But it is hard work and it'll chew you up, then you're left not being able to work at all.

[-] dilligasatall@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Bad back, bad knee, arthritic hands, missing the tips of 2 fingers, bad wrist, a lot of scars, pulmonary fibrosis (Scarred lungs from working in dusty environments) at 50 yrs.

But thankfully no cancer yet lol

[-] squilox@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Damn Jay, that's hardcore

[-] dilligasatall@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Nah, my body is just like that old truck you see once in awhile in traffic... old, rusted, worn out, full of dents, but by some miracle it still runs even though it burns a lot of oil and the steering wheel wobbles a bit between 20- 45 mph.

[-] MammyWhammy@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago

This is one thing continually overlooked when people bring up trade careers.

I agree, it's solid (and for me) fun & gratifying work. I really enjoyed my time in the field and wouldn't trade it for anything.

If it's a skilled trade you can make more money than a lot of recent college graduates as well.

But to your point, it WILL absolutely chew your body up over time and construction sites are an exceptionally dangerous work environment. You can do everything right and some asshole not paying attention can cause life changing injuries to occur.

My advice for anyone looking at going into the trades is to get a few years under your belt, get some certifications and then find your way into an office management position.

[-] Screwthehole@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I'm not in construction per se but I do make my money with tools and my hands. I keep it mostly to interior work and don't find it negatively impacts my health. Very glad I swapped to this when I did...

[-] devfuuu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

All those having a seated job programming at home "so no difference and all the same problems + mental breakdowns and psychological problems"

[-] Entropy@lemmy.blahaj.zone 39 points 1 year ago

The implication is not that it doesn't pay well, it's that it's dangerous and very hard on your body. Work as a construction worker till your 50 (if you don't die in an accident before then) and your body will hate you for it

[-] Screwthehole@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago

University educated. Changed careers at 29 and did tech college and got a diploma.

Now I paint and fix shit for a rental company and I make 4x what I used to make. No papers required. It's wild.

[-] pyromaster55@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

Got a degree in IT, just got a job as a apprentice plumber. Everyone is making 2-3 times what I was making with way less job stress.

[-] OttoVonBizmarkie@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

I'm a teacher, and I push for kids to consider the trades on a nearly daily basis. Find a job that other people can't, or don't want to do, and you can get paid!

[-] xpinchx@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Thanks. I'm 37 now and got pressured to go to college. I'm kinda glad I have my degree as it has opened some doors, but literally nothing I learned there applies to any of my higher earning jobs.

I would've been better off not being saddled with debt (still am)

[-] UhBell@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Thank you for your service

[-] SanndyTheManndy@lemmy.perthchat.org 11 points 1 year ago

The real money is in being a plumber, electrician, mechanic, or what have you. As soon as you upskill a little bit, you're golden.

[-] explodicle@local106.com 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

If you upskill just a little more to engineer, it's less manual labor. Just don't go too far into a niche or employment gets harder.

[-] bappity@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

or they say binmen, who actually earn STACKS

[-] TubeTalkerX@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

And find cool stuff all the time!

[-] LastoftheDinosaurs@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah, sure, destroy your body for $75k. Hope you like working with drug addicts, and I don't mean the good ones; poor people have cheap drugs

Meanwhile, other people are making $120k using Linux, and without having a degree.

Rolling out of bed can be dangerous if you WFH. Make sure you don't log into your work PC during the first hour after waking up. Go for a walk around your neighborhood first.

this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023

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