In Czech republic tradespeople are weighted in gold but still nobody wants to do the job. Might be a perception thing...
The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
771–780 of 915 posts
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#772Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not to mention RSI, eye problems, and other issues from performance-enhancing drugs lots of tech workers take to stay focused
Is that a thing? I don't think taking "performance enhancing drugs" is safe or allowed in my country, and I would definitely report coworkers to HR if I would find out they did. It's not fair to compete against someone like that.
It's absolutely a thing. Rampant in SV from what I hear. Many people get them prescribed (Adderall, Ritalin) for ADD, but it seems like 20-40% of programmers have diagnosed ADD. Others buy from friends who get it prescribed, or on the black market, and they probably don't talk about it at work.
I don't think most employers would fire an employee for taking drugs to improve their performance.
Regardless of safety (and I say this as someone who used to take prescription Adderrall myself) there are negative side effects, and long-term effects.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#773Earlier quoted context omitted.
It may feel better at the time but repetitive motions in most physical jobs will eventually catch up with your body. In an office job you can exercise on your own terms and without long term chronic pain.
I don't know, when I used to work on farms, the old guys were a lot healthier than most of the people I see in tech nowadays. Although, most of that work isn't unhealthily repetitive, like jack-hammering or something, so perhaps not a great example. But, use-it-or-lose-it is a real thing.
>when I used to work on farms, the old guys were a lot healthier than most of the people I see in tech nowadays.
Right, I think you would need to check stats on how many people dropped out over the years due to health issues leaving behind these super healthy old guys to get an accurate picture.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#774Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#775Earlier quoted context omitted.
>> Jokes about English majors asking if you want fries Sure but that never stopped anyone from pulling out BLS statistics showing life-time earning potential of an BA in english vs a highschool diploma. But the point of bringing up "any degree" isn't that any student thought (or any guidance counselor said) that underwater basket weaving and electrical engineering had the same potential it's that we were told to go t…
I’m an older millennial who went to a not great high school and an ok state university. Of all the people from high school still working dead end service jobs, I don’t know any with a college degree. Sure there are people who studied English who aren’t making tons of money, but they also aren’t stuck working at Walmart like some of the people who don’t have degrees are. An English degree isn’t enough to get you a $10…
Your sample size and personal experiences are small.
I can easily contast your story with my own limited anecdote. I grew up in a poor dysfunctional family in a high school so bad it nearly was state mandated. I dropped out of university two years in. The rich kids in my class and many of my peers got degrees. Yet very few moved away and of those who did they all struggle to be more than entry level office workers or interns making double minimum wage at best Yet somehow I'm making 6 figures.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#776Earlier quoted context omitted.
It may feel better at the time but repetitive motions in most physical jobs will eventually catch up with your body. In an office job you can exercise on your own terms and without long term chronic pain.
I don't know, when I used to work on farms, the old guys were a lot healthier than most of the people I see in tech nowadays. Although, most of that work isn't unhealthily repetitive, like jack-hammering or something, so perhaps not a great example. But, use-it-or-lose-it is a real thing.
I think that's a bad comparison. Farm work is a lot more varied than the repetitive tasks that most trades work involves. It's not like jobs requiring, for example, wearing a hazmat suit and/or respirator all day, or constantly being around extremely loud noises.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#777Earlier quoted context omitted.
It may feel better at the time but repetitive motions in most physical jobs will eventually catch up with your body. In an office job you can exercise on your own terms and without long term chronic pain.
I don't know, when I used to work on farms, the old guys were a lot healthier than most of the people I see in tech nowadays. Although, most of that work isn't unhealthily repetitive, like jack-hammering or something, so perhaps not a great example. But, use-it-or-lose-it is a real thing.
Survivorship bias.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#778Earlier quoted context omitted.
New home/residential wiring jobs are basically the entry point for electricians. It's about as mindless and simple as it gets. I'm not sure what the licensing requirements are but those are the sorts of jobs that an electrical contractor puts their new/junior people on.
I know nothing about the industry, but out of curiosity... what are considered the more interesting jobs?
A guy I went to high school with was dangled from a crane to do stuff with a new turbine in a power plant. Sounded pretty crazy.
Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#779Re: The skilled trades haven't caught as a career choice with Gen Z
#780Earlier quoted context omitted.
If it is it has more to do with discrimination than the nature of the job.
30 years of sitting at a desk take a major toll on your body.
I'm sorry but I would need some really compelling evidence to believe that's less sustainable into middle age than repetitive, difficult manual labor. The idea seems absurd on its face and I see many people sitting at desks right up till they're eligible for Social Security.