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Started By
Message
re: New figures on apprentice trade pay vs. new college grad pay
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:46 pm to GeauxtigersMs36
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:46 pm to GeauxtigersMs36
quote:
Once you top out, you can make money anywhere and if you don’t like it… leave for another job. There’s plenty of work. There’s a shutdown in Texas guys make 1099 $10k a week.
The vagabond life doesn’t seem very appealing for 10k per week.
1
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:48 pm to MrSpock
quote:
The vagabond life doesn’t seem very appealing for 10k per week.
When you've got to pay 6k a month in child support and alimony it is baw.
Plus that F250 note ain't gonna pay it self gotta keep those 7 12s going.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:52 pm to DesScorp
I get it and I’m all for it, but as the Father of a 21 year old who works the trades for a large corporation…I can tell you that much of the trades work has a physical shelf life.
My son tells me about the 40 year olds he works with, broken down physically, popping Aleve like candy in order to make it through the day.
Granted not all trade work is super physical, but it does come with a cost that rewards them better financially.
My son tells me about the 40 year olds he works with, broken down physically, popping Aleve like candy in order to make it through the day.
Granted not all trade work is super physical, but it does come with a cost that rewards them better financially.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:55 pm to TigerReich
quote:
but it does raise your floor
That depends on the person.
A scared 22 year old who cant market themselves or look people in the eye, sure.
For someone who hustles, has ideas and takes risks like starting their own business. No.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 4:58 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
It is an anti-education agenda that is being driven that is the same old chestnut that capital has employed against labor since the dawn of civilization.
Yeah, you nailed it about the extreme exaggeration of trade jobs being part of just the latest iteration of the age-old anti-education campaign. It helps the wealthiest so it’ll always be around.
The advice I’d give anyone capable of doing it is get a college degree. Then, if you enjoy doing a trade for some years in the 20s or 30s go right ahead.
I personally didn’t do anything related to my Master’s degree. I actually ended up starting a high end painting business in NYC in my early 30s so I could make extra money while playing music.
Hired mainly people in the arts that had college educations who were smart and easy to teach. Charged pretty high prices but wealthy people loved their houses being painted by educated young people in the arts and we did do good work.
Saved a decent amount of money to open a record shop and then quit since it was getting tiresome to do that much physical, high energy work after 9 years.
Everyone has to choose their own path but I’d say for me the college education that I “didn’t directly use” was, far and away, the most important step in all of it.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:01 pm to DesScorp
quote:
progressing degrees in genetic engineering is going to out-earn a skilled plumber over a lifetime
Maybe not. That career is adjacent to what I do, and our field out pays all but the top guys, most doing the bulk of the work make less than entry level scientists, in fact, we get research scientist from a variety of fields jumping over all the time and it means more learning and certifications, usually the education is enough to sit for our exams but they have to put in years of experience before they can sit, and often they have a PhD.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:06 pm to MC5601
quote:
I am amazed that the average compensation out of college is $69k.
My first real job out of college started at $28,800.
I make damn near double that now.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:08 pm to DesScorp
anecdotal. my oldest son didnt get past his first semester of 2-year college.
i was worried he would never find a good job.
he bounced around from working as a mechanic at the local VW dealer here to auto zone part deliveries.
found an online job listing for working for banks servicing their timelocks. he applied and they paid him a 5k bonus and flew him to chicago to apprentice with a 75yo man who was apparently the only guy they had that knew how to do it.
he worked with the guy for a month and the guy said 'you got it! here are my tools; peace-out i'm done with this job'
his starting salary is a hair over 70k for a 40h week and if he skips lunch, he gets 5 hours of overtime each week as well. he will get his first pay bump in 6 months.
to say i'm happy for him is an understatement. he started out on ATMs but now he's working inside banks; breaking into safety deposit boxes and servicing 100 year old mechanical timelocks on their safes.
very niche, but he's the happiest i've ever seen him.
i was worried he would never find a good job.
he bounced around from working as a mechanic at the local VW dealer here to auto zone part deliveries.
found an online job listing for working for banks servicing their timelocks. he applied and they paid him a 5k bonus and flew him to chicago to apprentice with a 75yo man who was apparently the only guy they had that knew how to do it.
he worked with the guy for a month and the guy said 'you got it! here are my tools; peace-out i'm done with this job'
his starting salary is a hair over 70k for a 40h week and if he skips lunch, he gets 5 hours of overtime each week as well. he will get his first pay bump in 6 months.
to say i'm happy for him is an understatement. he started out on ATMs but now he's working inside banks; breaking into safety deposit boxes and servicing 100 year old mechanical timelocks on their safes.
very niche, but he's the happiest i've ever seen him.
This post was edited on 8/12/25 at 5:09 pm
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:13 pm to geauxbrown
quote:
My son tells me about the 40 year olds he works with, broken down physically, popping Aleve like candy in order to make it through the day.
That's why I never went in to be a pipe fitter or a mechanic. I still do some physical work as an electrician at a plant but noting like those guys do.
I love my 12 hour shift schedule though. I work 3 days one week then 4 the next. All consecutive.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:15 pm to wm72
quote:
The advice I’d give anyone capable of doing it is get a college degree.
Mentally capable or financially capable? I wouldn’t recommend going into debt for a college degree. If a kid doesn’t have family support and really thinks college is for them, I’d recommend military first
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:18 pm to OysterPoBoy
quote:
You’ll lose that $11,000 on Skoal and Monsters alone.
Kolaches and sausage biscuits from the gas station too
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:26 pm to BPTiger
I made $25K in 1981 working wireline.
I had a Trans-Am and a Members Only jacket.
I had a Trans-Am and a Members Only jacket.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:35 pm to MC5601
It makes sense when you consider you can’t live in many major cities on $70k without a roommate
Posted on 8/12/25 at 5:46 pm to DesScorp
80k average for apprenticeships bwahahaha
From the Department of We Made up These Numbers on the Spot
From the Department of We Made up These Numbers on the Spot
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:05 pm to DesScorp
Getting a skilled job is the right way to go right now, not many jobs have higher end than working 10-15 years and creating a company that is 100% needed....im in institutional investment sales with two finance degrees and make incredible money - my job probably will not exist in 15 years - they are already bypassing us in multiple products, some customers still want a relationship but the kids dgaf
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:41 pm to DesScorp
Now do 10 years out
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:47 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
....one in about 10,000 make it. 9999 do not.
This is, of course, bullshite.
We can't all have cushy, government jobs.
ETA:
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
First Year:
About 20% of small businesses don't make it past their first year.
Second Year:
Another 10% or so close down, bringing the total to roughly 30% by the end of the second year, according to Fundera.
Five Years:
Approximately half of all small businesses will have failed within five years of opening.
Ten Years:
The failure rate continues to climb, with about 70% of businesses closing within a decade. 7C
People come on here amd spout their half-witted opinions that are so far from reality that you can dismiss anything they write.
This post was edited on 8/13/25 at 6:30 am
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:52 pm to N2cars
quote:
From what I've seen, most small business owners dont understand the financial aspects (profit & loss, cost of money, cash flow, etc) of running a business. They usually stay small, but they can make a decent living. There's a big difference between grossing $1M a year and $20M a year.
The ones that stay in business do.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:53 pm to diat150
And say what you want, AI will annihilate the white collar job market. Medical, law, accounting, customer service, even marketing will be radically affected. It’s coming.
Posted on 8/12/25 at 6:54 pm to geauxbrown
Let’s talk about benefits. I can’t say this about all trades once you finish your apprenticeship, but my company has a 401k that matches what I put in but it’s well below 5%. I get paid holidays, 3 weeks vacation, and plenty of overtime opportunities too. I’m appreciative for all of that, but I know my 401k would be much higher in another occupation.
Also, my employer offers no medical benefits. I view medical benefits as extremely crucial especially in such a physically demanding job. The older I get it’s only going to get more important. That’s another reason I won’t be doing this trade job forever.
Also, my employer offers no medical benefits. I view medical benefits as extremely crucial especially in such a physically demanding job. The older I get it’s only going to get more important. That’s another reason I won’t be doing this trade job forever.
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