lew Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Another option for those looking for an excellent career is emergency services.....fire department, copper or paramedic. Same as Spiels steel mills, the $$$$ is good along with great benefits but you'll work some long hours in some of the worst conditions imaginable, but when you go home at the end of the day......or night......you'll know you've done some good stuff. And if you play your cards right, like I did, you can retire early (53) and spend the rest of your days fishing all across Ontario. Give it some thought boyz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakpiker Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I dropped out of school when I was 19 and my life has turned out OK. Of course, after being unemployed for 4 months and feeling that my friends were passing me by, it was an easy decision to return and finish grade 13. That decision enabled me to go to university and pursue a career. Education really can be the ticket to a better life. Not everyone is cut out for or wants to go to university. As others have said, there is / will be HUGE demand for trades in Canada with our aging workforce. Think long term and check out the apprenticeship programs and courses offered at community colleges. You'll look back one day and realize it was the best decision you could have made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Brown Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 (edited) As someone who spends his day, checking on workplaces and skilled tradesperson work and licenses, you need to invest some time in learning your choices. If you choose to follow the trades, do it properly. There are no short cuts to big money in this field. You must be willing to work, study your trade, accept that your starting at the bottom but you can and will move up as you gain knowledge and experience in the field. If an employer needs to choose between a young worker they are unsure will be committed to the company or a hard working dedicated worker who doesn't complain, works hard and is excited about the trade, they will be far more inclined to keep you around in slow times. Sometimes if they don't have any work they will help you get in with another firm to keep you working. Look into the different options of trades, pick one and stick to it. Time at a job is the best way to increase your rate of pay. The sooner you complete your apprentice training the sooner you will make the better money. Take your course as soon as you can, study hard, ask question of the more seasoned guys and avoid the sour guys who will provide you negative info and discourge your path. The single biggest complaint I hear about young workers (under 25) is that the employers are fed up with bringing a kid in to apprentice, teaching him some of the trade and then the guy bails on them at the first chance for better money. Realize that these employers are investing a lot of time and money in you. If you want a job when times are tough, show them you will stick around. My grandfather used to tell me, when you think your good-you still have a lot to learn. When people tell you are good- your getting better. When people tell other people your good- then you are. Get you ticket, keep it up to date, follow the rules of the company and work hard. The big money and work is out there but if you try to cut corners or skip the system than those future high paying jobs will go to the ones who earn it. Edited February 16, 2010 by Michael Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdfast Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Military worked for me. Had a job with no layoffs, never made me rich but payed for my families benefits, gave me self worth, did jobs that were unique, payed for my moving and real estate fees, set me up with a financial adviser, and with some sacrifice, you start an annuity starting at 25 years service. For me 50% of my best last fife years. Gives you incentive to climb the ladder. Now I have an unstressful job that I enjoy, looking forward to be mortgage free at 52 years old next year. Like I said, it will not make you rich, but if you plan you can come out ahead or at least debt free by the time you do 25 years service. BUT YOU HAVE TO MOVE AND SACRAFICE. Oh and you can earn a trade or do your trade while helping your Country and supporting your fellow Soldiers while in uniform with your Countries flag om your left shoulder. I never ever regretted the move to Calgary from Montreal to join the service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptorfan Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I agree with the sentiments of being in the trades, the career is fantastic....not monotonous for the most part, and it is fulfilling, not to mention pays well. The only thing I disagree with is that you have to go union. I am a licensed plumber and work for a non union shop. I have been doing it for just short of 10 years and still love it just as much as I did when I started. Both union and non-union have their ups and downs I am sure, but if you can find a good independant employer it provides great bonuses and incentives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I agree with the sentiments of being in the trades, the career is fantastic....not monotonous for the most part, and it is fulfilling, not to mention pays well. The only thing I disagree with is that you have to go union. I am a licensed plumber and work for a non union shop. I have been doing it for just short of 10 years and still love it just as much as I did when I started. Both union and non-union have their ups and downs I am sure, but if you can find a good independant employer it provides great bonuses and incentives. I completely agree. Some are pro union, others are not necessarily anti union... but do not agree with alot of the rhetoric and Bull that goes on... I myself am a non-union carpenter, and make more then alot of union guys given their seniority... That said the union does have its place... I was with local 18 for sometime... and to see my name on a list with 600 others.. was more of a discouragement then anything else... I am doing well, but alot of that has to do with my determination... and zero to do with seniority, G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattletrap2 Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I don't want to get into a union versus non-union thing with anyone as there are indeed pros and cons to both scenarios. I will tell you that for an apprentice, the training a union offers is far superior to the training a non-union environment offers in the HVAC/R trade. Notice that I'm not talking carpentry or any of the other non-mechanical trades. I teach both union (98%) and non-union (2%) apprentices in our facility and treat everyone equally. The non-union guys are here because they KNOW the training we offer is far and above the training they would receive at the colleges. We fill our spots with union apprentices first, but take the others to fill seats as requested by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU). The non-union guys tell me that their Bosses were trained by union shops and schooling and insist that their guys attend our program if at all possible. Because we do night school training as well for the first 4 years, these guys are seeing how far ahead the union apprentices are getting. This is their opinion, not mine. I just wish their employers would sign agreements and help support the programs we offer. They just don't want to fork over the money out of their bottom lines, which is sad because they are acknowledging the value of these programs. I guess I can understand the ones operating in places like Parry Sound, but not the ones operating in the GTA or other major markets. BTW, our local is Province wide here in Ontario. Just my $0.02 worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dara Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 You don't need a job...you can live pretty good off of welfare nowadays and you have plenty of time to fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinnimon Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 When I Started out, I stuck with non union shops.Mind you Im not in the HVAC industry,but in the truck and coach industry. Im glad that I did because I had my hands on things that the union shops or dealerships wouldnt consider allowing the apprentices to do.I battled threw all of it, as an apprentice should, but I was ahead of most people.Looking back now I missed an oppurtunity to go to a union shop,money was great and lots of overtime and I was blinded by that, and didnt see it in the long term perspective.Stupid me,now Im looking for work!But Im also glad that I chose this route for the experience.I know for a fact that there will be a strong demand in trades,regardless of wich one.If you stick to your guns and work hard for it.You should be ok.just my 2 cnts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinnimon Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 You don't need a job...you can live pretty good off of welfare nowadays and you have plenty of time to fish Does welfare pay more than EI?Can you collect welfare if your in dire need,that is if you own a home?Probably not!Just for the heck of it,Ill call them in the morning and ask them,just for a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purekgw Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 You don't need a job...you can live pretty good off of welfare nowadays and you have plenty of time to fish i like it i get paid and can go fishing when ever i want where do i sign! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dara Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Does welfare pay more than EI?Can you collect welfare if your in dire need,that is if you own a home?Probably not!Just for the heck of it,Ill call them in the morning and ask them,just for a joke. It wouldn't suprise me if you could get something out of them...I kinda think you should be able to...dunno..luckily I haven't been there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brifishrgy Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 (edited) theres always work and the moneys not bad HaHa .. I was told the same thing when I was younger .. "take a trade and youll never be outa work" ... took a machinist trade (licence) and a millwright trade(completed the apprentice program) .. now on EI ... curious to see what I am going to get retrained for?????? Edited February 16, 2010 by brifishrgy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinnimon Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 It wouldn't suprise me if you could get something out of them...I kinda think you should be able to...dunno..luckily I haven't been there Neither have I,with all the taxes we pay we should be able too.Being that we are the ones paying into it and never collecting at all.Welfare would be my very last resort for any financial help.I would rather deliver chinese food,at least I could eat for free to a degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinnimon Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 HaHa .. I was told the same thing when I was younger .. "take a trade and youll never be outa work" ... took a machinist trade (licence) and a millwright trade(completed the apprentice program) .. now on EI ... curious to see what I am going to get retrained for?????? Now you got me thinking,College for the third time,no way,I like my trade.I thought about non destructive testing course.But to go back to school again,Id rather go back to work in my ticketed trade any day of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BITEME Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Geez. I think you need to do some research in the field you hope to aspire in. [b]And yes you do need college for trades. Unless you plan to be a tradesmen's helper for the rest of your life.[/b] What are you talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BITEME Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 And yes I agree the FORCES are a good deal!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 i actually want to get into heating and air conditioning my dads friend does it and theres always work and the moneys not bad but i have to build up some money right now to get there. im not looking for a life time job just something that will help me along You seem to want to make money right away, so an apprenticeship is right for you. They are not easy to find, and almost always you will need to know somebody to help you get in. Another option is to take a good course in college. To pay for it, apply for an osap loan. If the course is worthy, it will have a coop semester where you can make money, and if you have good financial control you can pay off most of your osap debts while your in school. If you ask me, if its 3+ years its worthy, if its 2 or less its useless and you will not be satisfied with the pay/career advancement it has to offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinnimon Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 As fish4eyes has said, take the 3 yr instead of the 2 yr.Meet/ and become friends with as many people as you can in that industry.In the long term it will benefit you, as it did for me.You may see some road blocks along the way but stick with it and make yourself known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinman Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Start reading and looking up websites related to the hvac trade HPAc magazine is great reading, subscribe to it and www.hvac-talk.com is a great website to look at and get some perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonl Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 I also agree with the trades aspect except for a few differences. Make sure you enter into a protected trade, one that you must be lisc. for and is enforced by the ministry of labour or you will find yourself out of a job as anyone can do your job without a lisc or exp. I am an electrician and have been in the trade for 14 yrs. I make good money and never am I out of work BUT I am willing to travel, i'll take the scariest dirtiest jobs but they pay 10G a month and more. I started out at the bottom, slugging materials, trudging thru sewage, climbing thru inches of dirt and dust and working my balls off and more. the apprenticeship years were tough and horrid but they passed quickly. i now get opportunities to work all over and get to choose places that have good fishing. I've been to every province west of ontario and as far north as Nunavut. I get to put more miles in a plane commuting to work than on my jeep. I've met lots of great people and for the most part have had a successful career. and the best part is I was 19 when I started and i'm now only 32 and can do whatever I like in the trade. Make a decision soon and stick to it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brifishrgy Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Make sure you enter into a protected trade, one that you must be lisc. for and is enforced by the ministry of labour or you will find yourself out of a job now why didnt someone tell me that 18 years ago?????????????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 [/u]What are you talking about To get your papers you need a certain amount of classroom time (varies by trade). Some trades that are unregulated you can skip and later on apply work experience in lieu of book learnin's...but those trades like machinist, tool & die, millwright are not very attractive in this country. Another option is to take a good course in college. To pay for it, apply for an osap loan... OSAP won't cover trade courses, unless that's changed in the last few years. Modern art history at a university, yes. 3 year HVAC course at Sheridan, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Truth be told, a very high percentage of trade school is paid for by the taxpayer. You are sacrificing alot of time to go, but your monetary contribution to trade school is minimal. Also, if you're part of a union, they may have incentive programs that will fully refund your tuition for going to trade school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 To get your papers you need a certain amount of classroom time (varies by trade). Some trades that are unregulated you can skip and later on apply work experience in lieu of book learnin's...but those trades like machinist, tool & die, millwright are not very attractive in this country. OSAP won't cover trade courses, unless that's changed in the last few years. Modern art history at a university, yes. 3 year HVAC course at Sheridan, no. to my knowledge, the only thing I know of that hinders you getting an OSAP loan is if your parents (assuming you live with them) make too much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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