Opportunity is there - the pay isn't. IMO.
I think a lot of people here believe that the trades pay better than what they really do.
For the amount of knowledge and skill involved plus the physical demands of the work and travel and layoffs often being a part of trades depending on the trade. The pay should be higher than what it is on average. Sure a union tradesman in a major city with high cost of living can make good money especially if it’s a heavily union area that drives up prices overall but on average the pay is decent but it isn’t great for the work, travel, and skill required.
When I was with the IBEW about 12 years ago first year apprentice started at $13.50 an hr with two days a month of 8hr class time unpaid. Journeyman electricians topped out at $35 an hour. Generally the more rural the lower the pay and the more travel by a big margin for both. Our local covered everything on the eastern half of the lower peninsula from Bay City MI to the bridge (about 150 miles).
Between unpaid travel for work turning 8 hr days into 10 usually in a company truck but occasionally my own and the gas/wear tear, or being put up in a motel for anything over a 1.5 hr drive, NO paid vacation, NO paid sick days, and NO paid holidays “you take off what you can afford to take off” and “travel comes with the work” layoffs being common from January through February unless willing to travel to other locals chasing work.
The healthcare and retirement plans were good but a whole lot of travel often boom or bust work life and zilch for a paid day off all sucked. The non union guys usually had paid vacation, holidays, and sick days but no pension and made about $10 an hr less.
By comparison my wife has a BA in business that she doesn’t really use and an associate degree in nursing. She makes $40 plus an hour working a set schedule three miles from home in a heated office doing very little physical work and has great benefits.
The trades aren’t all bad but they’re not what some believe that they’re cracked up to be either and depending on the trade it isn’t always a realistic career path for someone without some hands on mechanical experience going in.
