Can I learn a trade at 26?

[gottabeem21]

How many NTer's are tradesmen? I'm thinking about going back to school, just turned 26, and am interested in what it takes to become an electrician, welder, plumber, etc. I already have a degree in International Studies and Spanish but I want to be able to MAKE things.

I currently have a job with a family business but I'm not sure how much longer it will be around. Would it be difficult to learn a trade while working 40 hours a week? How is the job market for trades?

 

[3stheluckynumbe]

Do it bro. I'm 27 and after getting laid off, I am now in a welding school.you've got a whole lot more life to live its not like you're 50 or something.

Saw your second set of questions. Thing about going into a trade is there will always be work. You might have to relocate but there's still work.

 

[qtnettles]

It's never to late to learn new ways to make money.....DO IT

 

[ecruteakcityboy]

Go for it. Get a job welding on the oil fields and you'll make serious cash.

 

[wj4]

Go for it, bro. I'm sure you can work out the hours, be it at night or weekend.

 

[miamiboy]

How many NTer's are tradesmen? I'm thinking about going back to school, just turned 26, and am interested in what it takes to become an electrician, welder, plumber, etc. I already have a degree in International Studies and Spanish but I want to be able to MAKE things.

I currently have a job with a family business but I'm not sure how much longer it will be around. Would it be difficult to learn a trade while working 40 hours a week? How is the job market for trades?

The welders/electricians/pipefitters at my job make $40-50 an hour/$2,000-3,000 a week. (I work at a nuke power plant)

So yes, there are still options to make bank at any age, just gotta talk to guys that are in the different fields/unions and get in.

 

[retroflashbacks]

Like with all jobs, you're probably going to need years of experience before seeing any serious coin.

You'll need to find an "apprenticeship" for the trade and work a few years to gain more experience.

Whatever route you choose, just be sure to factor in tuition cost. I don't think trade schools are cheap..

Good luck.

 

[3stheluckynumbe]

The welders/electricians/pipefitters at my job make $40-50 an hour/$2,000-3,000 a week. (I work at a nuke power plant)

So yes, there are still options to make bank at any age, just gotta talk to guys that are in the different fields/unions and get in.

You got a connect there? I need that kind of money in my life

 

[frankmatthews]

It always baffled me how someone can wake up one morning and say "I think I'd like to be a plumber or an electrician". Like, really? Thats what you want to be? A god dam plumber. I guess someones gotta do it.

 

[celticsfan9783]

It always baffled me how someone can wake up one morning and say "I think I'd like to be a plumber or an electrician". Like, really? Thats what you want to be? A god dam plumber. I guess someones gotta do it.

I had a group of friends who didn't do well with the classroom aspect of school and broke off to go to vocational high school. They made the right decision though because they're all making good $ and have their own businesses.

 

[SoleByThePound]

It always baffled me how someone can wake up one morning and say "I think I'd like to be a plumber or an electrician". Like, really? Thats what you want to be? A god dam plumber. I guess someones gotta do it.

Fear and the pursuit of having money makes people do some odd things. The rarest thing to come across in this country is an individual who does what they love for a living.

 

[frshstunna]

My homeboy uncle is a plumber...he works for the city and always tells us about the program they have to become a plumber..it takes about a year and they start you off at like 40 k while you are training for that year...after that its alotta pay increases and great job security...he tries to hook up all my mans that aint go to college or any type of school with that program

I know somebody thats about the same age as you OP and he just started an electricain program which takes a year too

 

[haddix]

Not to late to learn at all. I'm 22 but at the moment learning to run a press break and maybe some welding also. There's $$ to be made if you're good at running a machine/welding.

 

[thebsprky]

It always baffled me how someone can wake up one morning and say "I think I'd like to be a plumber or an electrician". Like, really? Thats what you want to be? A god dam plumber. I guess someones gotta do it.

Some gotta hunt, some stay and paint the caves

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

'ol *** ***** trying make something out of his life...look at this ************....

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I'm not joking.
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Good for you OP, you could be 96 and wanna learn a trade....age don't matter...resolve and commitment do.

 

[johnny cakes]

Absolutely not, didn't you know the learning center of the brain stops functioning at 25, you just missed it OP

Lol come on man, you are 26! You can do ANYTHING you want to do..Stop living like you're a old man

 

[thecoldest343]

You'er never to old to stop learning and when you are is when you've become stuck in one position like so many people are.Grown.

 

[unsuited]

local inventor around my city is still making patents and he is 86.

everything from shower heads to electric car

that means, if you start now...you will have around 60 more years to practice/perfect it. make sure your hearts in it though 

no, it's not too late

 

[freeze]

You can learn anything at any time, you just have to try. Good luck buddy.

 

[keko jones]

you're still young.

my boy deals with asbestos and he makes bank!

not sure if that something that interests you, just throwing it out there.

 

[superantigen]

It always baffled me how someone can wake up one morning and say "I think I'd like to be a plumber or an electrician". Like, really? Thats what you want to be? A god dam plumber. I guess someones gotta do it.

Well this is a silly statement if I ever saw one.

Not everyone wants to work on Wall Street, or the ER, or whatever other white collar job you obviously find more worthwhile and respectable.

Frankly, what plumbers and electricians do benefits society a whole lot more than what these wall street types do.

We NEED plumbers and electricians. Whether we need asset managers, stockbrokers, (insert your typical wall street job), etc, is debatable, however.



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[al audi]

I just met a dude who is a plumber. I was buyin wheels off him. 32 years old. Sick car modded up Vw r32.......nice crib in queens. House upstate and he got quads......I was lik damn......I need to be a plumber. Go for it op. Guy was only 32. He is a contractor in ny for the prisons.

 

[deleted]

(I work at a nuke power plant)

That's really interesting to me.

Can you tell us some more about what your job is like?

 

[mangudai954]

Fear and the pursuit of having money makes people do some odd things. The rarest thing to come across in this country is an individual who does what they love for a living.

Its disappointing to me some of the comments in here, which are common here in the US about tradesman. I'm in the auto mechanics field and I know many people who did it because they wanted to, not because they had nothing else they could do(myself included). Its mentally and physically challenging, I have specialized training that has allowed me work that the majority of the mechanics in the field can not do(electrical work on hybrid vehicles as an example).

Fact of the matter is skilled labor is not something many can do or are built to do and without them this country would not run. Its automatically assumed that if you're in a trade you're not smart or are lazy but in fact some of the most intelligent people ive ever met have been in this field. Some have used this knowledge to open their own shops,become managers, engineers etc. Companies like Audi are already anticipating that there will be a shortage of qualified mechanics in the field as more and more baby boomers retire. The amount of people coming into the field that can do their jobs is less than how many are retiring. I do somewhat blame the companies as wages haven't risen with things like inflation and cost of living. Having a trade used to be something that was viewed with respect in this country but as it requires physical labor and getting sweaty its looked down up whereas working in an corporate office is considered to be more prestigious. Its this same reason as to why there is a shortage of skilled tradesmen in this country today.

How many NTer's are tradesmen? I'm thinking about going back to school, just turned 26, and am interested in what it takes to become an electrician, welder, plumber, etc. I already have a degree in International Studies and Spanish but I want to be able to MAKE things.

I currently have a job with a family business but I'm not sure how much longer it will be around. Would it be difficult to learn a trade while working 40 hours a week? How is the job market for trades?

Working 40 hours can make it a bit challenging but I would go down to local community colleges and vocational schools and see what they offer. If you can, talk to the professors and see if they offer open houses and if they help with students getting hired in the field. If you're not exactly sure what field you want to get into look at whats available in your area and do research on those fields and see if its something that you not only would like to do but is viable. When/If you start taking classes what I can say is Its imperative that you get an apprenticeship at a company in the field while you are going to school. That way you're going to be able to implement what you're learning while its fresh in your head and you'll be getting experience at the same time. The people who often lose out in situations like this are the ones who went to school but graduated with no experience. I can't stress that enough.

But again check your your local community colleges and trade schools. Depending on your income you may even be able to go to school for free. Let me know if you ever have any question now or later, post here or PM me.

Well this is a silly statement if I ever saw one.

Not everyone wants to work on Wall Street, or the ER, or whatever other white collar job you obviously find more worthwhile and respectable.

Frankly, what plumbers and electricians do benefits society a whole lot more than what these wall street types do.

We NEED plumbers and electricians. Whether we need asset managers, stockbrokers, (insert your typical wall street job), etc, is debatable, however.



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Exactly. Repped.

 

[frankmatthews]

Frankly, what plumbers and electricians do benefits society a whole lot more than what these wall street types do.
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Bro, with all due respect, you have no idea what you are talking about for one.

For two, I highly doubt anyone wants to be a plumber to benefit society.