I’m 19, I work as an apprentice millwright in a shop, been here since middle of June, i originally got hired just to help move shops and it turned into this apprenticeship. I also have prune belly syndrome, which causes me to have a weakened immune system, so whenever I get sick (around once a month) I’m completely down for the count and can’t work, i also do not have abdominal muscles (born without). Since the job started as just a helping hand moving I never mentioned my condition, now that I’ve been here for a bit I feel like it could jeopardize my employment without them knowing with me being sick frequently. I work my ass off everyday and I love my job. Ive lost jobs in the past due to my condition aswell which makes me very scared to tell my employer about it. What should I do

Is it possible to get licensed in a trade while attending 4 year college?

My son is interested in learning the trades but he wants to get his business degree. Has anyone in the past done a similar approach?
Any recommendations advice etc
He is 17 years old but looking ahead for him. He is currently a freshman in college

Thanks

Hey everyone! I’m preparing for the Sheet Metal Workers Local 269 aptitude test in Kingston, Ontario.

I’m looking for advice on what to study, especially math, spatial reasoning (shape rotations and puzzles), and safety.

Has anyone taken this test? What should I expect, and are there any good practice resources?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I build hardware, and have a friend that's a Refrigeration technician. He asked if I could build him a monitoring device. Basically he wants a device that tracks the temperature of his fridges, and if the doors are being open/closed and have access to said data on the cloud.

He has quite a few customers and sees value in tracking their systems. He does normal fridges and also industrial systems (some of which have to work) but it's pretty ad-hoc, people call him up and he just fixes these systems, no installs or anything.

I got interested because this seems like a product opportunity, but I wanted to ask some more experts. Does anyone use anything like this already? Or is this generally something very few people need or want?

Thanks!

IBEW Local 3's Joint Apprentice Committee recently put out its 2026 notice. The document is confusing to read, so I wrote up a short summary for anyone interested in applying.

The main point: You're not applying yet. You're just mailing a letter asking for an application.

The application window:

• Letters must be postmarked starting Monday, October 19. Earlier ones aren't accepted.
• The window runs through October 30 OR until 2,000 letters come in, whichever is first.
• Every letter postmarked on the 19th gets an application, even past 2,000. After that it closes.

Local 3 got 5,358 requests on day one in 2019 and 7,904 on day one in 2014. Don't take any chances. Treat the 19th as the only day to mail your request.

The request letter:

• Must be sent via REGISTERED mail. Certified mail isn't accepted.
• Just need one letter per person with your printed name and mailing address with ZIP. No additional documents or money required.
• Keep your post office receipt, just in case.
• Mail to: Joint Apprentice Committee, 158-11 Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Avenue, Flushing, NY 11365

Applications get mailed in January. Then it's transcripts, a $25 fee, the aptitude test, and an interview.

Minimum requirements to apply:

• 18 years old by Dec 31, 2026
• One year of HS algebra
• 2 years of residence in the NYC area (within 60 miles of Columbus Circle)

They expect to take about 300 apprentices, starting no earlier than fall 2027.

I hope this is helpful to anyone in NYC considering applying. Cheers, and best of luck!

Been trying to land a job for a few weeks but have been unable. I have a good resume and have trade experience, regular job experience and have taken multiple trades classes and have my osha 10 and I’m also quite young and eager to learn but no luck. Just wondering if I could get some advice?

I’m looking for advice from anyone who’s taken the red seal exam this year. My teacher mentioned some changes, and I’ve heard that studying the Foundations books and the 4 Acorn books can be really helpful. I am from Vancouver BC.

willing to move away eventually but my school funding fell through and i ended up getting laid off FOR school, and i can’t rly get ei so im honestly just going to move somewhere half decent and pray i get an apprenticeship/can go to college

or is it even possible to make money/become an apprentice around here, where im at it seems like nothing is even happening really

27 and i was feeling good for a bit when i was making decent money at a hospital but thats kinda cucjed so

Hey, so I recently turned 18 years old and I became an HVAC (Air Conditioning Mechanic Apprentice) and I was unable to find any jobs everyone says we're not looking for any or they arent specialized in the field, I have literally zero job experience I have no clue how to get a job in this field. I dropped my resumes in the northeast section of Calgary to no luck, and also I have persisted in emailing and calling several different HVAC places. So could anyone tell me where in Calgary to find an HVAC Apprenticeship in this time of year: (currently its Oct 14th 2026). Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Hey Y'all! I'm in the central Texas area and looking for some advice on how to advance my career. I work at a smaller residential/ light commercial family owned company, I manage it, service and install side and supervise a few employees.

I've been kind of stuck, he says "one day you'll get the business". I've been here 5 years, when I started he said I'll have it in 10 years, I recently asked him again a time frame and he said in about 10 years or so he'll be ready so it just keeps getting pushed back.

There's no benefits here and the pay is decent, but he's
"maxed" so there won't be really any raises at all and I'm kind of at a dead end for another "10 years or so". So I've been looking into commercial or other routes to change my career.

Has anyone made the switch from Resi to commercial/ industrial and enjoyed it? Do you have good benefits and a work/life balance? Are there certain jobs I should apply for that my resi experience will transfer to?

Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated, or if you know of any good companies in the area you'd recommend that would be great!

For context i'm 24 and my bills are about 3k a month. I want to start out in a union but the pay is $15-18 around here and you don't get a significant increase for a few years. For the guys that went through a union, how did you survive those years until finishing training? Thanks

The end of the year is approaching and it's that time of the season where I have to start explaining to my new coworkers how much money they're leaving on the table in unused benefits.

A new operator on my crew was working his ass off in overtime to help get his kid braces and I just explained to him that our dental package covers most of it. His response was priceless; but unfortunately, this scenario happens too often. If you got em, use em. Go see a chiropractor, massage therapist, dentist or burn off that annual Apple Watch allowance. New glasses, hearing aids, work boots.... don't forfeit this stuff.

Our work is hard on the body, you owe it to yourself to read through your benefits package, or at the very least, plug it in as a pdf into Gemini or something and ask it what you're missing out on.

Im 32, no college degree, just a specialized skill that is teaching golf. I live in Southern California and I've been relatively successful at it but seemingly not enough to support my life and grow. What does it look like to join a trade this late in life? My entire family is in a trade so maybe that helps. Any input is appreciated, especially if you're currently in a trade or recently tried to join one. Thanks

I’m a 40/m that’s been in and out of jobs my entire life trying to find security, stability and a high income path that won’t completely break my body. Been considering linemen, electrician, carpentry paths. What are your recommendations? I live in Westchester NY

I wanna join a heavy equipment operator apprenticeship in AZ, I'm 20 m, but I'm Mexican so English is my second language but I've been almost 2 years living in the USA some words I don't understand in English but I don't know if that's a problem, I was born here in Utah but my family and me moved to Mexico 14 years ago when I was a kid, I joined the army but I got epts discharged so I wanna join the trades

Sorry in advance for the length. Not looking for "how" to get into a trade; looking for advice on the types of trades that might fit a particular person.

Trying to be thorough in the hopes of getting advice.

Young male in the USA - currently living in Midwest.

Honors grad from Big Ten U with a degree in Physics.

Exceptionally strong in science and math.

Good with hands but not a ton of experience in the trades.

Things like heights do not bother him. Physically he is in good shape but he is a few inches below average height in the USA which allows him to get into small places more comfortably than most.

Excellent problem solver and forward thinker. If something isn’t right, his brain generally doesn’t allow him to “quit” until he finds out why.

Takes both direction and teaching extremely well.

Rule follower to a tee and does not take unusual risks.

Is not a people person and would not want a job that required a significant sales component or working in large groups.

Not tied down to any location with no real plans to start a family anytime soon.

Worked for 6 plus months in QC for an aerospace manufacturer. Upon leaving, the CEO personally wrote him a referral letter that praised his reliability and problem solving skills (he left the job b/c it just wasn’t what he wanted to be doing).

A slight issue with autism but it has not prevented him from going off to school on his own and succeeding there nor has it prevented him from living on his own since graduation. It does impact him in his ability to comfortably interview in general HR settings.

He can and has worked well with others but generally prefers when he can work solo.

Thought about elevator/escalator repair work but wondering if you pros might have some other ideas.

No criminal history of any type; doesn’t drink alcohol but does use marijuana gummies from time to time recreationally.

He is really struggling with finding a career and the traditional jobs people are steering him towards don’t really interest him. Someone close to him suggested looking into complex trade positions like elevator repair or working in a power plant.

Thank you so much!!!!

Quick backstory: My girlfriend and I just recently took custody of my 8 year old sister. My girlfriend is also newly pregnant so we have a newborn baby that will also be here in a few months and I will be moving from a small town in Arizona to Texas the first week of January so there is a lot on my plate right now and i cannot stop thinking about the future and what i want to do with my life. I’m 24 years old and dont have a whole lot to show for it accept i’m great with other people and i have an awesome work ethic, a willingness to learn, and a fire under my ass like no other. I’ve been a landscaper most of my life I love working outside and/or with my hands. I’m competitive and I take pride in everything I do. I honestly love landscaping but i dont see that as being a long term career. Anyway, my girlfriends dad gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldnt appreciate him enough for it. He offered to pay my way through any kind of schooling that i need to go to for a career, and that’s huge, an opportunity that most people just don’t get. So i can do anything. Literally anything, and that’s what i want to do. I do have a unique fascination with airplanes and big machinery so i have been thinking about possibly being an aircraft mechanic or something but, i’ve also been looking into other trades. All of my friends say to go into HVAC or electrical or CDL and stuff, but i feel like that’s a little basic and can be an over saturated field in a few years. Although i may be wrong and can definitely be proven otherwise but to me thats all i hear anybody talk about, is electrical and hvac and obviously i like money but that’s not what it’s all about for me either i kind of want to be different and do work that I actually enjoy, not just for money. Although I will go into electrical or HVAC if thats what I end up feeling is best for me. I’d love to be an aircraft mechanic, helicopter mechanic, heavy machine mechanic/operator, power plant operator, pipe fitter, or something along those lines. If you guys could give me ideas or refer me to places/employers in the Austin area that is looking for long term career workers in the trades. I’m in a perfect spot right now where i can put my head down and do anything. My only problem is i have no real experience with anything accept landscaping. And i don’t want to go into a school and become an over educated and under experienced person in a field where i wont get hired without hands on experience because everybody wants 2+ years of experience doing any kind of work unless you get lucky and land an apprenticeship or training job, which would obviously be the dream but those can be far and few. Maybe one of you knows someone that knows someone that knows someone, I’m willing to start from the bottom, low wage, sweep floors, organizing stuff, and clean toilets in a shop and be taught. I need help brainstorming for my future because i have a family to provide for now and I’ve been stressing. What would you do??

With everyone wanting to join the trades in recent times, I don't think the pay will be good anymore since the demand would be so low and high competition in the future. What you guys think??

Aren't we all just a little worried that the trades will become oversaturated thanks to the era of tiktok trademen who've got something to prove coupled with diehard capitalist bootstrap theorists glazing tradework even when they themselves dont work in the trades? Now we've got high-school to tradeschool pipelines popping up everywhere. What happens to job availability and wages when you've got a 1000 guys willing to do the same crappy job? In the contracting space competition is already tight. In plumbing, electrical, HVAC we've got such an incredible oversaturation of companies and new ones keep popping up in my city every year.

Now I've been in the trades (plural bc I've moved between several) for many years but now I'm actually considering doing college night classes or something just to stay ahead of the curve and transition into engineeringor something. Wherever the trend is going, go the opposite way.

Now I am just speculating so feel free to tell me I'm full of (I can handle the criticism) but just venting my concerns yeah?

Yes, another “should I be X?” post on the feed, but this one is for the mildly physically disabled to answer.

Currently working in horticulture with a degree to match, diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, couple knee surgeries and missing some of my meniscus, but still independent without any aids. People with the disease recommend getting a desk/work from home job but that has never been me. I like physical labor and problem solving, I crave movement and activity over sitting at a desk answering phones and emails. I have managed well at my current job (very physically demanding) with my illness, know my limitations and how to treat my body during flares (sitting on the floor vs kneeling). My body will most likely get worse regardless of what job I end up with so why not do something many have said is rewarding and get paid well to do it.

That’s the other part, the money. My area lacks jobs/qualifications to move up in my current field and I don’t have the money to move right now. Medication and doctor’s appointments get expensive, it would be nice to not have to worry about those costs as much.

I’m not afraid of “starting over” with my education, was always decent at school, good with people. I just feel like I need that push of someone saying “yes” unlike my friends telling me to get a desk job, and general advice if this is something I could actually manage.

I’m not entirely set on plumbing either, I just see the most job listings for it in my area with good pay/benefits. Advice for other trades that disabled people have found success in are appreciated too.

So I am in my 30s and trying to changing careers, I spent a lot of time in safety and security roles, am certified as an EMT and have been a safety investigator. I was pursuing a career as a firefighter for a long time but I needed a surgery that medically disqualified me from that career path a couple years back and working in an office is just not for me. Plus my company has started layoffs and the AI threat is real. I am in the Phoenix area. I have been trying to get into my local IBEW and IEC for over a year now with no success. I am however currently half way through my first term of classes as a 1A apprentice through the ABA(Arizona builders alliance), have my OSHA 10, and have some hands on experience bending conduit in a lab setting, and have been practicing wiring and roughing at home. I am having a hard time finding a contractor for the necessary ojt time. I have been going into offices to speak with hiring managers in person and keep getting told i'd get a call to set something up but get ghosted. I have been applying to entry level helper and laborer roles as well as entry level apprentice roles, but I can't even get my foot in the door for an interview. Any advice would be greatly appreciated on how I can get through this block.

Also apologies if this is not the right place to ask this.

I try my best, but once the day really gets going, I tend to go quiet. My very understanding boss asks if I'm okay, which I normally am. I'm just not very great at long-term small talk. Especially since I'm in a trade, I tend to go mute. I'm trying to prove my disorder doesn't limit me. I ask questions, learning as I go, and bust my ass.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience in pivoting to other careers that are not related to their trade. Maybe you started out as an apprentice worked your way to Journeyman and that helped you get into upper management etc. Or you decided you didnt want to do automotive anymore and it was easier to switch to a different trade.

Anyone got any stories like that?

I’m located Southern California if it helps.

Trying to create a roadmap for my life right now. I of course want to make a ton of money and have the ambition for it. Used to do sales and would visit 50+ businesses a day. No problem with rejection and I love just interacting with people.

The issue I keep seeing but don’t want to fall for is all the hours and glamor of social media. They’ll say, “tradesmen that run their own business are millionaires” and it seems like everyone “has a friend” that’s worth millions in construction.

My question is, how likely is it? Assuming you have great people skills and a decent amount of business acumen?

It seems like a lot of trades are really over saturated in a lot of areas like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC whereas all the general contractors that sub out work or have their own crew seem to be the only big millionaires I personally know. Then there’s odd trades, like a woman I know does lathe and plaster and has a multi million dollar house.

Issue is that I see this and I’m tempted to follow in those footsteps but I want to make sure I won’t shoot myself in the foot and it’ll be one of those situations where I learn the trade, become an owner, and then find out that the only reason those businesses were successful was because of some odd thing like them starting the business when the town was small so they know everyone in city hall and get all sorts of city contracts simply because they got in early. Or they have some hedge fund spouse that has connections with major real estate developers than gives them business.

So I’d just like some opinions because it’d be awesome to make $1 million/year take home but I just want to make sure it’s not all smoke and mirrors for the most part. Whereas if I were to become a lineman for example, I could earn a lot but not own and get a pension, benefits, etc. if I got into the union.

And I’m going to choose a trade I love and I love several, I just want to make sure I choose the one that has the highest chance of earning more.

Im currently a highschooler finishing up my final year and Im honestly completely lost about where I wanna be. Ive been considering all kinds of career options, one of them being trades.

Sitting at an office job for 8 hours kind of irks me, but I know I really enjoy working with people and hands on work if that means anything haha.

So would anyone like to share how they found themselves in their trade and what felt "right" about it?

Please and thank you !!!