anybody else having problems finding employees? weve had ads running and dont even get people calling to find out what we pay? anybody else think that mechanical trades arent being pushed in schools as a job of choice?

I live in mass. I have 5000 documented hours plus the code classes of 375 hours. I could not find work here. Why I dont know. but i do know that the trade school where i take my code classes have found a significant drop in the trade programs. One young fella actually told one journeyman that he worked for in the summer that when he finishes school he can make more money than him by sitting in a office with all the benifits and 80% less hassel. I went back to writeing CNC programs. Im in a cubicle , work hours are 7-3:30 with 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks vacation, 3 floating holidays and fully paid health insurance. I went from 13 per hour to 62,500 a year. I really wanted to be a electrician but they the electricans took something i was good at and ruined it. I consider the 2.5 years of my apprenticeship a waste of my life.Boxes without covers, Pull conductors thru the pipe with a truck, and then they say how good they are. This whole experiance has left a bad taste in my mouth.I dont blame the kids for not wanting to do this. By the way im 48, with steady work history, never complained, hot or cold, never late or sick and I paid my own health insurance. Just a brief rundown of what I went thru. Not to mention the bounced payroll checks, and the drinking.

[This message has been edited by steve ancient apprentice (edited 11-15-2006).]

I've heard that electricians are ranked 248th of 250 career fields by high school conselors. Plumbers are 249th, hehe.

I've also read that that average age of a master electrician is in the fifties, and that of a plumber is early 60's. Anybody else seem these numbers??

I've also tried training my own help, only to have them learn enough to build a 200a service and go on their own doing work illegally.

Steve I live in MA, I am 42 (although I was in trade school by 15) and my experience could not be more different.

IMO the problem you had was in who you worked for.

Now that said I don't see why any teenagers would be interested in going into the trade. It is hard, dirty, cold, hot, wet, icy, windy and at times dangerous. No matter how careful you are working from a ladder is more risky than falling from a desk chair.

They can choose other jobs that pay as much or more and they are in 70 F 55% humidity all year long.

Something will have to change with the trade if it is to attract talented and motivated workers.

Bob, the answer is simple. Money. We need to stop dragging knuckles and charge more money. We need to pay more money. Why would someone with any education at all want to enter this field at $30k/yr with hopes of working up to $70k in 10 yrs, when they can get a job in an office and start at $45k and be making $90 in 5 yrs. with less work?

There will always be a few who are drawn to the trades because that's what they love. But the rest, we need to buy into the trades.