... And asking of you what you would do with your life if you were in my shoes.

I've lately developed a passion for wood-working after spending some time in a buddy's shop, but the market here has put a big damper on the supply of such work. I've also inquired at the local carpenters union, but am unsure of whether or not I would like the work as much as strictly doing wood-working. I definitely enjoy the hands-on aspect of the work, as well as being able to see the fruits of my labor. But as I said, the market for such work is **** right now, which is keeping me from being able to further pursue my interest in the trade as aggressively as I would like to.

Option number two would be going back to doing electrical maintenance at the ADM plant that my Dad has worked at for over ten years. I was there for about a month and didn't mind the work. I wouldn't say that I completely loved it, but I didn't loathe it like most of the other jobs I've had. Due to the lack of jobs and the fact that I was the newest guy there, I was laid-off. My Dad has told me that things are really going to pick up this winter and that they would happily hire me again, but I'm not totally sure if I want to go back. The pay was fantastic for a 19-year-old with only a HS diploma (nearly twice Illinois minimum wage), and 40 hours per week were guaranteed.

Both routes have Union possibilities, which not only means good pay, but more importantly a good retirement. Both also have a hands-on aspect to them that I really enjoy. I have no aspirations of going back to school unless it was for a specific trade or something along the lines of an apprenticeship.

If you actually read the whole thing, then here's a picture for your entertainment. You've earned it.



Now vote!

 

ha! nice picture! i gotta go with the electrical one. construction=no market right now. obviously traveling the country would be the **** mcgee, but youd run out of cash and your audi would break down. gotta stick with option 2. nothing wrong with a decent start to life. sounds like you could maintain it. its doable

 

Fixed.

The electrical gig really isn't bad. It's served my Dad pretty well considering how late in life he entered the trade. He's worked his way up and makes good money, but his retirement plan is nowhere near as good as it would be if he were in the Union.

 

im pretty much in the same situation with the paper mill but my dad is union. im not. hes been working here (yes im at work now for another couple hours) for 36 years. again its not a bad job but twelve hour shifts suck donkey ***** plus one week i work 5am to 5pm the next its 5pm to 5am. if your electrical job has steady hours and days id pursue it

and nice fix by the way

 

Aside from the pay, the hours are probably the second biggest attraction of the job. 95% of the time it's 7am to 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. I love knowing that I'm going to have my entire weekend free.

And yeah, I'm entering the trade young enough to become Union. My Dad was in his late 30s and didn't think it would do him much good, so he never joined. Everyone I know that is Union is pretty much set.

 

If you went the electrical route now and got in w/ the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) then you'd have decent life. My Pap was a member of the IBEW for years and we both know tons of union guys that would've given their left-nut to be in the IBEW. The positives about the union are: You get to be out of the elements more often than not, the pay is better than most unions, and it actually requires half a brain as well. Most electricians are smart guys.

 

Go with the electrician job. keep doing the wood working on the side, especially if it is something you have a passion for (I'm thinking you mean like furniture/cabinetry etc.) A good way to pull in some extra cash.


construction is a bit stale right now but if the "jobs" bill goes through there will probably be a bunch of jobs for making buildings that nobody can/will buy. i suspect that there will be a lot of volatility in that field for quite a few years now (ie: more work than you can do one month, nothing the next)

no matter what you do, start putting money away RIGHT F'ING NOW! Even though the market is pretty volatile at the moment you can't go wrong by investing in some mutuals right now while you are young. it is almost a guarantee that in a few decades you will realize significant return on your investment.

 

Right now the majority of work my buddy gets in is just doors and trim that need to be sanded and painted or stained. Nothing too exciting but still kind of fun. Nothing compared to some of the work he did when the economy was better (some stuff in the state capitol building, million-dollar homes, etc.)

The electrical route is starting to make more sense, though. I have an uncle who is a lineman and lives a very comfortable life, so I could always branch out and do that, too. I'll have to do some reading up on IBEW...

 

Actually I forgot to mention that. A lot of utilities companies are hiring new line techs right now because all of their line techs are retiring baby boomers.

 

Someone voted for Option 1... Explain yo' self, bitch!

Quicker update than I expected: Talked to my Dad this morning, he talked to his supervisor, and turns out they're looking to hire six or seven people!