I’d like to get into construction, and I’m not really certain how to go about it. Can you give me some suggestions?
How can you take your DIY skills and turn them into a career? One word – apprenticeship. And so here’s the thing that a lot of people don’t know. If you’re in the trades you know this apprenticeship is the other four-year degree. But the big difference is especially nowadays when everybody is worried about student debt when you do an apprenticeship they pay you to learn your skill. And it generally takes four years. But during those four years, they pay you a living wage.
The most important thing is you have to decide what appeals to you what do you like doing. And then you have to apply to that apprenticeship program because you know that there are a lot of different trades there are ironworkers sheet metal workers there are plumbers electricians carpenters bricklayers submit Masons and it goes on and on and on. So find out what it is that you enjoy doing. Maybe you enjoy it all. And you know what I’ll tell you something. If you enjoy doing all aspects of construction you may want to think about the labor union because they do a little bit of everything. But if there’s something you really love like carpentry. Well, then I would suggest you check out the Carpenters Union. So that’s the first thing you need to do – figure out what it is you like.
Then the next step is believe it or not. And that is you got to brush up on your math. You know some trades are very demanding when it comes to math. You have to know your math. Because there are formulas that you have to know if you’re going to be an electrician. Some trades are less demanding with math but the bottom line is the common thread with all the trades is math. So take a night class or study on your own. Just brush up on your math before you take a test for an apprenticeship enrollment.
You get paid well in construction especially if you go through an apprenticeship program and you get your journeyman card. And then the other thing is you don’t have to worry about student debt.
Apprenticeship programs that may help you in your area:
U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship Division: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship
State Programs
New York: https://dol.ny.gov/become-apprentice
Washington: https://secure.lni.wa.gov/arts-public/#/program-search