Finding a trade later in life

[jono]

Where are you located? Probably a crazy idea and a non-starter but if you could get to Quonset RI and wouldn't have qualms about working on nuclear death machines (i.e. submarines), Electric Boat in Quonset runs help wanted ads on TV constantly, promising free paid training in trades like welding, steamfitting, plumbing, electric and on and on and on. I think they start people at $20/hr. while training and easily double that to start when training is over. Shit they've about had me talked into it a couple times.

This probably belongs in some kind of unlikely TRG vortex thread, but here's a too-on-the-nose counterpoint: a few years ago a good friend, 40ish, was working at that facility and it became the straw that broke the camel's back. He quit engineering, moved across the country and became a school teacher. The kids may lean more delinquent than actually special, but it seems like there's some overlap.

[The AD]

Learn to code

Ask Buster how that goes. Software companies seem to be biased against older folks.

[El Chupacabra]

Trades I'd avoid: roofing, drywall. Probably framing too.

Trades that seem to avoid the worst working conditions on a job site or repair/ upgrade job: electrician, HVAC.

[billyk]

I think that’s a good suggestion but sounds a little cliche and Kind of broad. How about some specific areas and/starting points?

It’s not a bad suggestion. If you are able to write good code, that’s pretty much all that matters. I know several guys that were able to work themselves into engineering positions with nothing more than a high school diploma and the ability to write programs that work.

It’s not impossible to self teach yourself how to code. But it might be better to take a beginning programming course from a local community college to get started right and to get a taste to see if this is something you want to do. Not everyone has the temperament and patience to do coding. There tends to be long hours spent staring at computer screens, which might not be your cup of tea.

[XXX-er]

i think every job gets to suck as i remember it

after 30 yars of mostly just standing around thinking about 18 things at the same time I did some of the more physical stuff short term just for kicks/ training and it was hard but the difference was I could always see the end, I didnt have to If I didn't want to

[Mazderati]

Trades I'd avoid: roofing, drywall. Probably framing too.

Trees.

[XXX-er]

running a saw for 6 hrs cutting ski run is the hardest thing i have ever done period

but it sure was a lot of fun,

I'm just a small AZN so not that big of a guy

[lowsparkco]

Roofing is delivered onto the roof these days that’s a huge improvement.

Nothing’s that hard if you know you can quit. It’s hard when your body hurts at 8 AM on Monday.

New residential electrical is probably the easiest of the trades. Maybe low voltage as Fred said, although my neighbor does that and the client interactions and failure of electronics seem to be maddening at times.

Do you know very many people? Have you considered real estate?

[El Chupacabra]

I had a neighbor when I lived in Las Vegas, who was a roofer. He had a permanent bright red sunburn. I remember him telling me they'd drink water nonstop while up on the roof in summer, and it wasn't ever enough. Sounded brutal.

[XXX-er]

so i go into the local tire Kal tire and I can see my tennants daughter (maybe a 120 lb gurl ) working in the shop mounting tires so I make a comment to the manager and sez well she has had a whole life time of fighting with her older bros and she is doing fine

she later commented it was a pretty good job except for having to deal with all them boys cuz she is pretty hot

[BFD]

I changed careers at 45. Was a surveyor, grade checker out of the union. Became a commercial fisherman. First couple of years worked some out of the union to ease the financial issues as I figured it out. You did not mention family or other financial responsibilities. I have a friend who retired out of military than went to a maritime academy. He captains a ferry in AK. My son also did the maritime academy route. With an existing degree it could be possible to graduate in 2 years with a new career.

[Nobody Famous]

I have mixed opinions on the idea that trades wears out a mans body after 20 years!

I've seen it happen both ways, with some people the body starts failing and and there's no going back. And then there are some I've seen into their early 70s (this is no exaggeration whatsoever) still able to keep up, i.,e put in a full five days a week of work with no aches, pains and no complaints. Mostly it's somewhere in the middle of this.

The skills gap as it's know, here's a very good website to read about it at a high level: mikeroweworks.org.

Trade schools, they exist in every state and every region, and it is commonplace to see people enrolled doing a midlife career change. If you are serious suggest you look up a few trade schools in your area and arrange to talk to some of the administrators/advisors. Do this with more than one (like getting three estimates on contracting work). Also note the schools can be very specialized, e.g., wood boat making, iron forging, to very traditional, carpentry, electrical, plumbing.

The administrators will be used to midlife career changers, it's no cost or obligation to go talk to them. After you talk to some of these folks you'll get a perspective on things.

[dunfree]

You might look into local CC certificate programs which might give you a quicker more direct connection to local programs. The more esoteric the trade program the more there might not be much reasonable business actually there (eg some wooden boat stuff, luthiery, fine woodworking, firearms?)

[Nobody Famous]

With a special Ed background, becoming a contractor is a perfect career choice.

There is some truth in this, especially in residential work.

[neufox47]

Yo JPH, I’d check out the local unions and see which ones are taking apprentices. Operating engineers is usually one of the better paying. You any good at running equipment?

https://www.iuoelocal4.org/members/training/




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[evdog]

Ask Buster how that goes. Software companies seem to be biased against older folks.

Not always. My previous employer tended to hire a lot of older software engineers. We paid a bit less than other companies but in exchange we didn't demand crazy work hours. This was a good tradeoff for our staff, and we got experienced people who tended to stick around.

[schuss]

I'd also say with his background he'd probably be a great account executive for a top tier firm as the patience, people handling and listening skills of special Ed should transfer well. That's if you're ok occasionally working for self important shitheads.

[54-46]

Learn to code

And have your job usurped by AI in a few years….


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[warthog]

I work with electricians. The smartest ones don't wire a thing up anymore. Any of my guys that are worth a shit in the field are in estimating by their late 20's, early 30's, and are PM's by 35 or sooner. With the talent aging out, and piece work becoming more prevalent, I would want to be in the field just as long as it takes to land in the office. If you have any local groups like IEC or IBEW that will train you, I would look into it. They are looking for smart people and will pay to train you. I would imagine welding, plumbing, etc is the same.

If I were going to make a move like you are contemplating, I would go into the data/ specialty AV side. Those dudes are just chiller for the most part. The stuff they deal with can't kill you, is very needed, and is changing enough that it remains interesting.

Get certified by Crestron and set up ridiculous home automation stuff for the uber rich, or learn about 5G wireless access points. That is the stuff that is on the rise right now.

[schuss]

Or stuff like stainless clean room welding, as that doesn't have to move sites.

[Timberridge]

You don't need training. Take a loan from your IRA, get a white Sprinter van, put a ladder on the top, and load it up with a bunch of Festool stuff. Make sure if anyone calls you, you don't get back to them for a week so they think you're busy. You will kill it.
Shit, if fastfred can do it high and drunk smelling like pussy, imagine how successful you could be?

[sirbumpsalot]

I think that’s a good suggestion but sounds a little cliche and Kind of broad. How about some specific areas and/starting points?

Depends on where the OP is in life, his background (some programming experience, a college degree already, none?) and his drive/ability to network/persist. I do believe it is correct that older workers will have a more difficult, but not impossible route to employment and the pay will probably be low to start. But the upside is you won't break a sweat or throw out your back doing it.

[AdironRider]

You don't need training. Take a loan from your IRA, get a white Sprinter van, put a ladder on the top, and load it up with a bunch of Festool stuff. Make sure if anyone calls you, you don't get back to them for a week so they think you're busy. You will kill it.
Shit, if fastfred can do it high and drunk smelling like pussy, imagine how successful you could be?

I mean he's not wrong.

Anyone who says your body isn't going to feel it after 40 hasn't done the work though. In my project management days I watched many a fit as a fiddle ski bum wreck their monetary and ski careers banging hammers and running wire. I did it for all of 3 months and aged about 3 years in that timeframe myself before saying fuck it and doing the office work instead.

That said, if you think you can make it 5-10 years in the field (notably if you are in an area that has a lot of new builds), I would highly suggest the master license start your business route. If you can find the labor the world is your oyster. Half the job is managing the pecking order, the other half is basically building a robust spreadsheet and buying sprinter vans.

[billyk]

I had a neighbor when I lived in Las Vegas, who was a roofer. He had a permanent bright red sunburn. I remember him telling me they'd drink water nonstop while up on the roof in summer, and it wasn't ever enough. Sounded brutal.

Amen. I did roofing for a couple weeks in the summer in Houston. Brutal, dangerous job. Post-holed my leg through a rotten section of roof we were reshingling. Decided pretty quickly that wasn’t going to be my career path.

[kootenayskier]

It’s obviously unrealistic to expect to be able to labor at the same pace and intensity through a long working life, but amongst my peer group, those of us that are still doing “physical” work in our 50s are in mostly in much better shape, have far fewer ailments, and are still getting after it to a greater extent than those that spent their life in a chair. That’ll cripple you.