Need Karma sent our way for my boy.

[Duncanpup]

He’s deciding either electrical apprenticeship or carpentry college isn’t for him. I said well cash as journeyman is about same after five year two nights week paid union school and you work everyday with journeyman.

And you’ll get annuity good health insurance and pension and make good coin. And trade unions won’t crash like teamsters and screw the members like Hoffa junior and O’Brien.

Thank you in advance.

[2naSalit]

1. Sending.

That's pretty good advice there, dad.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Sending plenty, but he's already lucked out having a knowledgeable Dad like you!

[malaise]

3. Sending good vibes

[Nixie]

4. I heard there is a national shortage of electricians.

Excellent pay, great union jobs. My husband got his training in the Navy when young and he's had well paying lifetime employment.

[Lochloosa]

8. Most people can repair the sheetrock, plumbing etc. around the house.

Mention electricity to them, and it's like hell no!

A plumbing leak won't kill you and you can see it.

[Nixie]

10. So true! He tells me they tell everyone it's FM when asked

how they did something. FM being F..king Magic. He says that a lot around the house when he fixes things, too. I became a believer when he fixed all my Christmas lights our first Christmas. It really was FM.

[Prairie_Seagull]

5. Years ago, I advised a boyfriend of one of my girls to join the electricians union.

He did. Now makes 6 figures with excellent benefits. I get a great ham every year as a thank you.
Will meditate with your kid 'in mind'.

Vibes-a-plenty.

[Lochloosa]

6. He's had good advice and council for 18 years. It's all you can do. Good luck.

[biophile]

7. Other trade unions too!

Heat and frost insulators/asbestos workers
Operating engineers- (heavy equipment operators)
Plumbing

[Diamond_Dog]

9. Good luck to him in whatever endeavor he chooses.

I’m sure Dad will steer him the right way.

[KS Toronado]

11. Here's a little help

[onethatcares]

12. trim carpenter

and staircase builder. tell him to learn custom work, not nail banging. 3=5 years well paid apprenticeship and then he writes his own ticket

[usonian]

13. Good luck.

I recommend electrician. I did heavy duty science and engineering in my career, but know that every damn computer needs electrical power. Lots of it.

And in the service, I chose Electrician's Mate for a rating.



Good vibes whatever he chooses.

[AverageOldGuy]

30. My retired electrician neighbor . . .

. . . worked his way up from laborer for an electrician to owning his own company, which he sold a few years ago for $11 million. Not a bad retirement nest egg.

[usonian]

34. That's about 11 million more than I saved as an engineer.

Stay on his good side! ⚡️

[DeepWinter]

14. My plumber Nephew

non-union makes over 125k/year. Trades can certainly pay well in or out of a union.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. What is he thinking *is* for him?

[Donkees]

16. 🪚💡 💵

[MLAA]

17. I left Karma a message asking her to guide your son in the best possible path for him!

[littlemissmartypants]

18. 💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

❤️

[DemonGoddess]

19. Like so many others here

suggest he look into plumbing for trade, if carpentry and electrical are a no for him.

[mcar]

20. Friend's son racked up $100K in student loans

for a degree in ministry. Then realized he a) didn't want to be in ministry, and b) he'd never get his loans paid off that way.

He's now an apprentice electrician with the union. Loves the work, makes good money, and will never lack for a job.

[niyad]

21. Sending!

[LoisB]

22. Sent! He will make the right decision.

[COL Mustard]

23. Sounds like either would be a great choice.

I sometimes wish I'd learned that kind of skill. I can hammer a nail, but I really don't like doing electrical work.

Best vibes to him whichever he chooses.

[camartinwv]

24. Electricians are hard to find.

[flying_wahini]

25. I'm a big believer in Trade Schools. Waco Texas has the best trade school-( funded by Obama administration).

Texas State Technical School. I think they have some great programs. Have a look at their curriculum
https://www.tstc.edu/

[Tweedy]

26. Hoping for him to make the choices now

that will make his tomorrows equal to his dreams. May good judgment be his for all of us days.

[AverageOldGuy]

27. Most important:

NEVER STOP LEARNING.

Whether it be as an apprentice learning from a journeyman or a master, or at junior college or community college, or 4-year college or university, or grad school, or self-study, do not ever stop learning.

Do not limit your learning to your field. You never know when something you learned comes in handy.

[DENVERPOPS]

28. Not so sure

about your thinking that Trade Unions are immune from crashing..................

Reagan's notorious firing of a large segment of Union Air Traffic Controllers who went out on strike, was a proclamation that Reagan/HWBush would Neuter the Federal protections for Labor Unions. (NLRB) I had just started a Union Electrical Apprentice program, and the Denver Electrical Union, and other unions across America suffered a serious blow. Journeymen Electricians in Denver, before Reagan's actions with the ATC members were making 22 an hour plus 26% fringe benefits. A week after PATCO, it dropped to 12 an hour with no fringe benefits.

Union membership across the nation has fallen dramatically since the Reagan actions. Just look up the statistics.
And don't even get me started on the "Right To Work" legislation shoved thru the State Legislatures by the ReubliCONs.....

[radical noodle]

29. I worked (in the office) for an IBEW

electrical construction company. They get really awesome wages and benefits and their apprenticeship programs were great. The company hired through the union, so union workers were generally always employed. Our company did commercial and institutional electrical work with very little residential, and (in my view) that's the best way to go. I suppose some states/areas may be a little different in how they handle things, but I would highly recommend IBEW apprenticeship.

I've worked with other unions as well over the years but the IBEW was top of the line.

[joanbarnes]

31. Love your advice.

Wish I married a plumber!

[TBF]

32. Everyone is different & some folks work much better hands on -

I'd totally encourage him and definitely sending Karma his way!!

[mountain grammy]

33. Sending karma but sounds like dad is listening.. just keep listening!

[SheltieLover]

35. Good energy on the way, Dunc!

[hunter]

36. I chose Evolutionary Biology over Electrician.

I'd probably be retired and living very comfortably if I'd gone with electrician.

On the other hand I wouldn't have met my wife. We were science teachers then.

My grandfather was pressuring me to be an engineer like himself. My dad's best friend was an engineer. I felt like a misfit among the engineers and engineering students so I changed my major to biology in my second year.

I liked working with my hands. Keeping student housing in habitable (if not in good...) repair paid for part of my university education. I did a little bit of everything -- painting, drywall repair, plumbing, electrical (replacing broken outlets, switches...)

I worked briefly for a general contractor after I graduated until I got the teaching job, which appealed more to my young idealistic self.

The math in the electrical trades isn't that much more complex than the math of fine carpentry. The reasoning behind the formidable looking electrical codes and regulations become familiar with experience.

There are quite a few YouTube electricians your son might watch if he wants to know what the job is about.

Happy to send some good Karma too.

[Bluesaph]

37. Agreed!

Best of luck to him. My husbands mom yanked him out of school after 8th grade because she was in an apocalyptic cult!

Well the world didn’t end and hubby eventually found the trades. We’ve had a great life!