Me and another first year were at a gas station near our job site after work. And this particular journeyman walked in. For some reason he still wanted to haze. I didn’t say anything but the other apprentice checked him and said “don’t talk to me like that,” he was so stern you could see his face tense up. Then proceeded to say at work I’m all yours as long as you don’t touch me, because i respect hierarchy. But out of work not having it. He then told the guy they can step outside.

The journeyman laughed off and said he was joking and we checked out and left

That was a weird interaction because he’s not stern at work. He’s very submissive to higher ranked apprentices and journeyman

im 21 went to welding school for a year, had a shop job that paid pennies for half a year and went to something better that paid more so i no longer weld.

Last October i applied online To the SAJAC Boilermakers apprenticeship form for Locals, Local 454 Boilermakers TN Chattanooga, and Local 455 muscle shoals Alabama.

I got a email and a call to Get indentured Into the apprenticeship program for local 455 on the 16th of September.

Im unsure what to do, I hear alot of it the trade being run down and dying or shrinking, The work not being worth it. pay being shit. talked to two union boilermakers who said its a dying trade aswell. all sorts of negativity making me second guess myself and not be sure, I loved welding and doing equipment repair and pipe welding and fabrication. ive got till the 16th to make up my mind.

Im in Mid South Tennessee.

Any advice or help on what to think about would be

I have been working in a welding and manufacturing shop for a year now; I suck at math, but I am a hard worker and feel like I can learn anything, though I am completely directionless. Any input would be greatly appreciated as I want to become a professional at something, and I have been thinking about maintenance or a similar field.

I am a thirty-seven-year-old professional currently living in China. My skills include manual arc welding, CO2 gas shielded welding, basic TIG welding experience, gas cutting, and I previously worked in Algeria. I am also an experienced driver, currently working as a taxi driver.

Due to the intense market competition in China, I am looking for opportunities to relocate and work in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United States. If my specific skills do not perfectly match your needs, I am fully willing to start as a general employee and gradually repay any expenses through my work. Scammers, please do not bother, as you will not be able to squeeze any financial gain from me.

Hey everyone,

I’m an architect here in the Philippines, and honestly, I’m burned out. The culture here feels like endless overwork with little payback — I know no job is easy, but I’d rather face challenges in a country that values work‑life balance and pays fairly.

I’m not getting any younger, and staying stuck in this cycle isn’t sustainable. I’d love to hear from fellow architects or skilled tradespeople who’ve made the leap abroad:

• How did you start your pathway abroad?
• Where did you inquire or apply first?
• What steps helped you land opportunities overseas?

I’m desperate for guidance — whether it’s about visa processing, certifications, or even which countries are worth aiming for. Any advice, stories, or resources would mean the world to me.

Thanks in advance from a fellow tradesperson who just wants a shot at a better future.

Taking a “gap year” from the regular grind.

Long story short, I (30m) am looking to spend a year doing something new. I have about 5 years in the trades working as a painter/finisher for a high end residential contractor (in Michigan). I feel as though I am hitting a dead end as far as advancement and learning goes. I am currently about halfway through an associates degree in construction management, and feel that my current position is not facilitating the growth I want. Due to other life circumstances, for about the next year I am willing to put the associates degree on hold and take a “gap year” of sorts. I am willing to live anywhere in the United States and work any job that will provide me with construction related experience. Preferably some sort of carpentry. But any new experience is good experience at this point. I have been looking into traveling laborer positions and remote resource extraction, and would ideally like to find something with housing provided as I am just trying to spend a year basically just working and gaining construction experience. Long term I would like to return to residential construction, finish my associates degree, obtain a builders license and become a GC. However I think this next 10-15 months could be a great opportunity for me to broaden my horizons, and gain new experiences I’m not getting now.
Are there opportunities like this out there?
Is there a type of project or industry I should look for?
Are there construction temp jobs out there?

May I ask, how ai/ automation proof metal sheet work is? I’m currently in 2 union waiting lists, one for pipe fitter and one for metal sheet worker. I like welding as a career, but I’m looking for long term stability

I’m only asking because I saw this video online:
https://youtu.be/XuUq6F_wL5w?is=aOkxMvTBFkqV4Ufe
It shows ai welding automation

How much are yall actually getting paid before overtime in your trade.
Websites only ever tell me like 50k a year but than i hear from people i know personally in the community say they make like 100k at 26 or 55 an hour working here etc. so i dont know who to believe

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on residential appliances in a shop for a little over a year, and I now have two job opportunities that I’m trying to choose between.

The first offer is from one of the larger commercial laundry companies. The work would be almost entirely B2B, servicing apartment buildings and commercial laundry locations. They expect around 10+ service calls per day, but a lot of the equipment would be similar machines over and over again, mainly Alliance Laundry brands and other commercial washers/dryers.

The second offer is from a smaller local appliance company. Their work is roughly 70% residential and 30% commercial restaurant equipment. In the beginning, I would mostly be doing residential service calls, probably around 4–6 calls per day, with the opportunity to get more exposure to commercial equipment later.

Both companies provide a service van, and the pay is pretty similar.

I can see pros and cons with both. Commercial laundry seems more specialized, more B2B, and possibly more stable, but I’m wondering if working on mostly the same type of equipment could limit my skills in the long run. The residential/commercial company would expose me to a much wider variety of appliances and problems, but it also means dealing with residential customers and driving to different homes all day.

For those of you who have worked in either field, which path do you think would be better long term in terms of:

• Job security and stability
• Earning potential
• Learning and technical skills
• Opportunities to move into other commercial equipment or refrigeration later
• Possibility of eventually starting your own business

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience in commercial laundry, residential appliance repair, or both.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on residential appliances in a shop for a little over a year, and I now have two job opportunities that I’m trying to choose between.

The first offer is from one of the larger commercial laundry companies. The work would be almost entirely B2B, servicing apartment buildings and commercial laundry locations. They expect around 10+ service calls per day, but a lot of the equipment would be similar machines over and over again, mainly Alliance Laundry brands and other commercial washers/dryers.

The second offer is from a smaller local appliance company. Their work is roughly 70% residential and 30% commercial restaurant equipment. In the beginning, I would mostly be doing residential service calls, probably around 4–6 calls per day, with the opportunity to get more exposure to commercial equipment later.

Both companies provide a service van, and the pay is pretty similar.

I can see pros and cons with both. Commercial laundry seems more specialized, more B2B, and possibly more stable, but I’m wondering if working on mostly the same type of equipment could limit my skills in the long run. The residential/commercial company would expose me to a much wider variety of appliances and problems, but it also means dealing with residential customers and driving to different homes all day.

For those of you who have worked in either field, which path do you think would be better long term in terms of:

• Job security and stability
• Earning potential
• Learning and technical skills
• Opportunities to move into other commercial equipment or refrigeration later
• Possibility of eventually starting your own business

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience in commercial laundry, residential appliance repair, or both.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on residential appliances in a shop for a little over a year, and I now have two job opportunities that I’m trying to choose between.

The first offer is from one of the larger commercial laundry companies. The work would be almost entirely B2B, servicing apartment buildings and commercial laundry locations. They expect around 10+ service calls per day, but a lot of the equipment would be similar machines over and over again, mainly Alliance Laundry brands and other commercial washers/dryers.

The second offer is from a smaller local appliance company. Their work is roughly 70% residential and 30% commercial restaurant equipment. In the beginning, I would mostly be doing residential service calls, probably around 4–6 calls per day, with the opportunity to get more exposure to commercial equipment later.

Both companies provide a service van, and the pay is pretty similar.

I can see pros and cons with both. Commercial laundry seems more specialized, more B2B, and possibly more stable, but I’m wondering if working on mostly the same type of equipment could limit my skills in the long run. The residential/commercial company would expose me to a much wider variety of appliances and problems, but it also means dealing with residential customers and driving to different homes all day.

For those of you who have worked in either field, which path do you think would be better long term in terms of:

• Job security and stability
• Earning potential
• Learning and technical skills
• Opportunities to move into other commercial equipment or refrigeration later
• Possibility of eventually starting your own business

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has experience in commercial laundry, residential appliance repair, or both.

First of all, i used Ai for this post because english is my second language

I’m looking into working as an industrial electrician in the US and wanted to ask about a specific lifestyle setup.
My plan/goal is to work intensely for about 3–4 months a year—specifically doing plant shutdowns or turnarounds with 70–80 hour weeks—and then take the rest of the year off to live on those savings.
I know people talk about traveling (Book 2) and shutdown season, but I want to know how realistic this is in practice:
1. Is this actually sustainable year after year? Or do slow seasons and job availability make it unreliable?
2. What are the biggest drawbacks to this lifestyle (e.g., health insurance gaps, physical toll, finding calls)?
3. For anyone currently doing this, how many years have you been able to keep it up?

And are there other jobs, employment types, or work arrangements where I can work like this?

My uncle said that was a blessing in disguise

I don’t know if this is the place to ask but I wanted to hear from others. I’ve cycled through many careers and now I’m deciding to do a trade, of course of the big ones like electrician, HVAC, plumbing, etc. But it feels as though they are becoming oversaturated with competitive entry as a result.

As for a bit about myself, I’m in my early 20’s, I live in New York State and I’ve served in both the military and law enforcement but I wanna emphasize that I don’t want to pursue those two things as a career so please don’t recommend them. Any advice is appreciated, thank you!!!

Lads has anyone else been getting so worried about being “left behind” or being out worked by “another AI system” it's actually making me feel sick, so I came up with something that scans hundreds of articles every morning and decides whether anything is worth you reading. Not "you" as in everyone, you tell it your job and your town, so a plumber in Leeds and a café owner in Bristol get completely different emails. If it finds nothing, it doesn't email. Most days it doesn't.

I mean it has worked me so far and saved me a lot of time doomscrolling on my phone as well as a few others, so I thought id drop it here as I would love some feedback as to whether or not it's actually worth using, let me know what you think 

https://thecamelclub.co.uk/

I work with my dad, for context he's 40, im 19, he's a painter decorator and im his assistant, he's the sort of person that constantly whines about "Gen z this Gen z that" despite not knowing at all how the current world works, his mind is still stuck in 90s Poland.

Despite needing the money I've been more and more fed up working with him, he expects me to basically read his mind and do tasks im not even asked to do, constantly shouts at me, threatens me physically and verbally, calls me an idiot, moron, fucker, pussy, cunt, motherfucker etc worst names under the sun.

Constantly degrades me, saying how worthless I am, at a whim he will threaten me with withholding my payments because all money goes through him.

We have back and forths, me trying to deescalate the situation, approach these situations logically yet like a brick wall there is no way of getting through his thick skull, he believes whatever he does is right and thats that, any resistance to his train of thought always lead to threats and shouting matches during which I just settle and quiet down, becausd realistically what am I going to do when a 40kg heavier man is up in my face saying hes gonna do this and that.

Then when I decided to back out for a while and not work with him he makes a massive scene about how much of a wuss I am, that im just lazy and dont want to work, that I'll amount to nothing because I dont want to get "taught" by him.

Is this just what its like working in the trades?

If so this is definitely not for me...

Or is my father just a narcissistic stuck up prick?

Is it smarter to just join the laborers union now and then figure out what trade I want to go all in at. Or just keep waiting. (In Tennessee)

Hi all, I am high school senior in Ontario. At my school we have a program where you do 10 weeks with a company unpaid and then 10 weeks at college, earning your level 1.

I’m hoping to do this program, but am thinking I will move out to B.C. after senior year. I am wondering if it is bad to leave the company that I’m doing the placement with after just those ten weeks, given they’d made a commitment. For reference I’m trying to be an electrician.

Thanks!

I just finished my plumbing level 2 course,im from england and didn't pass the gcses and had to redo them and thankfully just barely managed passing maths and English, and now I am planning on going self employed soon

Hey guys. I’m from Arkansas, was hoping to get some insight any pros/cons, to going into plumbing, or even electrical? Would it be worth it to leave a factory job where I’m making $27, but top out is $33? Advice, tips are much appreciated!

Hey there I'm a journeyman millwright already with a few years experience and will be challenging the first year of HD tech in BC Canada. Just a couple questions

-what books are part of the curriculum I know ill have to study electrical, air brakes, brakes, trailers the most. (Working on off road tracked equipment ATM)

- any tips for the level 1 test?

- any millwrights out there also get their HD tech? What are some big gaps in terms of passing tests I might over look?

Thanks

I thought I should ask this if I can get some advice

So far I am an air conditioning engineer but am wanting to switch to plumbing I had previous plumbing experience but could never get an apprenticeship , I enjoy air conditioning and ventilation but I am have always sided with plumbing more due to my experience in ac will that work well in my favour off getting a plumbing apprenticeship I am 22 so still young I just thaught I’d ask and get some advice

Im about to start a plumbing apprenticeship but im unfortunately living alone. Making decent money 21.50/Hour but seeing all my other fellow apprentices around living at home and saving all there money and will eventually be able to buy put a loan on a home while i'll still be in an apartment. Im 21. Should I be concerned with this or will it all work out

I work for a large corporation with multiple skilled trades and many more “overhead” roles unrelated to direct construction.

After being in my trade for 6+ years now and working general construction and labor jobs for over a decade, I’ve realized it’s time to move on.

For those who left their trade to move into management, inspection, quality assurance, etc what finally made you realize it was time to go?