At age 19 my Grandson just started a new job he decided college was not for him sorry to say. But the starting pay in the oil patch here is $21.50 per hour and is very attractive to young men drawing them in by the droves. Some make it some don’t, very hard and dirty work. He is a Bottger so I am sure he will do good;-)
What’s the matter Charlie couldn’t talk him into being a Home Inspector!!! Just kidding best wishes to him…
I chose the same route when I was 18 and became an Ironworker. There’s nothing wrong with hard, honest work. I was making $60K a year at 20 years old while my friends were living in college dorms.
Right now America is at a spot where many families have pushed college educations and the desire to work “no with your hands” I think 2 things happened over the last decade:
Many jobs that require college degrees have huge competition and underpay, especially considering that the 4 years and $160k cost to gain the degree.
There are a shortage of tradesmen and those jobs have become more in demand allowing those folks to earn more.
It can be tough to justify spending 4 years in college to get out and make 32K to start, when you can spend 4 years earning more than that as a journeymen tradesman and get licensed at 4 years in and make 80k after that.
That is the truth!
Many trades can not be outsourced either.
I can not compete with oil patch pay:(
Buy Him a red hat partner…he’ll be fine…
I went and ran heavy equipment in the Union when I was 20. Like Jeff I was making at least 60K a year running 100 ton twin engines 657’s
I made over 60k my first year in industrial maintenance/ construction at $13/ hour. if you know math, you will know thats about 11 hours/ day average 7 days a week.
Hey, it’s hard, honest work. Not a lot of kids his age are made for it anymore. Good luck to him.
Many blue collar tech jobs are impossible to fill now. Most kids that grasp math and science are on their way to a college degree. That leaves kids who cant even understand basic concepts to try and fill apprenticeships, and they soon drop out. In a few years, tech jobs will certainly outpace most degree required positions simply because of the shortage of qualified candidates.
Charley, congrats on your grandson being a young, hard working, responsible adult.
Agreed and the best advice I can give any young kid in a new field is listen close to the instructions in running equipment and safety. If something does not feel right or you are not sure what will happen speak up.
Getting a trade is a great way to go been there done that never sorry… Roy