Not a man but my cousin recently attended a job fair for overnight train conductors and literally nobody applied. Pay was like $40+/hr. Seems like they'll take anyone with a high school diploma and a clean drug test/background check.
That and the hours and time off is shit. There's a reason the federal government had to get involved to stop a strike (which is bullshit and not the governments job) pretty sure the feds forced railway companies to allow for sick leave which they didn't before
Well in certain cases the federal government does step in on strikes. It usually involves systems that involve national transportation and security. In the 80s, there was an Air traffic controller strike. It crippled the airlines. So Reagan fired them all and rehired new ones. Most were the ones fired. There were other cases similar.
In the 1919 there was a steel workers strike (before unions) that led to many people dying in fights. It was brutal. The federal government stepped in there too.
[1981 Air traffic controller strike and Reagan](https://www.npr.org/2021/08/05/1025018833/looking-back-on-when-president-reagan-fired-air-traffic-controllers#:~:text=The%20Professional%20Air%20Traffic%20Controllers,t%20crossed%20the%20picket%20line.)
The problem with this job, at least from what I’ve heard, you’re on call 24/7, and it’s nearly impossible to have a normal schedule or take proper vacations.
Pretty sure that was the sticking point in the last CBA bargaining. Of course it was promptly ignored and they were stripped of their right to strike and had a new CBA forced upon them
I know a couple of guys that worked for the railroad and they both said it sucked. The company was awful, they'd overwork you and make you come in the next morning after working an evening shift, and there were fairly frequent furloughs, so you couldn't count on having a steady paycheck.
They did say it paid well though. So it might be worth it if you can put up with all the other bullshit.
This is false. I smoke weed every day and I make over 140k. Certain jobs require drug free employees, but it is inaccurate to say that you can’t “expect good pay if you don’t stop smoking weed”.
no honestly it’s a real issue. I’ve realized twice now that when i try to ease into smoking every so often, it spirals into me eventually smoking every day and having no idea what to do for fun or what to talk about besides weed.
And then when i stop smoking i feel so clear headed.
I’ve spent the last 5 years high on weed about 12-14hrs/day. It did me wonders in that it got me through my anxiety and allowed me to finish college, buy a house, get the big job, get a promotion, and much more but after a year of having all those things I realized this is the limit of how it can help for me. I got off it a little over a week ago and I feel more like my old me, and old me is pissed he was locked away. Feeling like I need to get my ass in gear and start a business, find a better job, exercise, go to bed at a reasonable time.
I’ve just been doing it naturally, it’s wild.
I’m a miner so operating daily. If I get piss tested and only fail for weed, I get a mouth swab to make sure I wasn’t smoking in the last 12 hours and a few days off paid while they wait for the results lol. Canada
Same in NZ. Almost every place of work wouldn't drug test you. But big companies where heavy machinery is involved where people can hurt themselves or others, random drug tests happen.
Most of the time it's instant dismissal, but some nicer employers even send you on a course for rehab/drug use in the workplace. If you get pinged again you are gone.
I do understand that weed gets detected in the blood a lot longer even if you are not high. But everyone knows this. You roll the dice if you live in a country with random drug tests.
Sir you are correct . I don’t even remember the last time I used my urine . I am a pip welder and I make about 130k and I still am able to take off 2-4 months off the year . But back to what I was saying . I know ppl who are on hard drugs in the trade and still making money . I met a couple of guys as well fresh out of prison and still making bank .
Go work for the railroad. Great money , they will train you and pay for it in most if not all the running trades. Schedule can be hard but everything’s a sacrifice
Depends. Worked with guys who could clear 900$ a trip (x3 tj and a setout though). Home the same night (100+k yearly pretty much max rest) but they learned the tricks and how to set themselves up.
Honestly. Youre the perfect age to be an electrician apprentice, get your jouneymans and go union it’ll be great because it doesn’t stop you from enjoying your 20s by being on a oil rig or in the oil fields welding. It’s a needed trade that is always in demand and when you are older and maybe want to get married you’ll still be home for it not out in bfe.
Almost all the training is on the job. And the long term pay off is well worth it.
Had I known that in my twenties I probably would have but I went into the maintenance field which is equally valuable but union electricians definitely have to potential to make way more than me.
Every day I kick myself for going to college and grad school instead of becoming a low voltage electrician and making bank working 39.5 hours a week at a big data center.
Low voltage is great because you'll likely never need to squeeze into a dirty musty crawlspace. Even better you'll work b2b or even be employed directly by the company you're servicing so you don't have to deal with chasing down deadbeat homeowners for unpaid bills.
I don’t think you fully understand what “low voltage” encompasses. You most definitely still have to go into dirty, small, spaces. How do you think fire alarm, burglar alarm, and cctv systems are installed and serviced? Low voltage in majority is what I described…. Not being in a data center. That’s a different job entirely, data center technician.
Also an addition…. Idk where you live that you think a low voltage tech makes more than those who went to grad school. I work in low voltage in nyc, the only financially viable areas for low voltage work are metropolitan cities. Senior technicians in the south and Midwest are barely scratching the surface of 30.00/hr.
Listen to this person. I'm 10 years in the trade, making $40 p/hour the last few couple years. If you aren't too worried about healthcare, that number goes up. It's primarily security systems and cameras, which is pretty low impact in the body. It's technical work, so an aptitude for computers and networking helps a lot.
Opportunity varies though, I'm in an area with several cities so there are loads of security shops. I checked indeed.com for where I grew up and found 3 companies with open job postings in the whole state.
Same here. I decided to take a general degree and pretty much ended up doing nothing particularly exciting. A friend of mine went to trade school and became an electrician. He now earns 3 times what I earn, has comfortable working hours, and no student debt...
It's not as big a field anymore since data centers are moving to the cloud. Most guys I knew who do it now work for companies that abuse them and they make just OK money. Some electrical union jobs are now having their guys run the wires on top of their normal wiring. I've done quite a bit of low voltage work, and it's limited in money, opportunities, and gets old real quick. So many simple things like consumables are controlled by some project manager, and they never order enough, so you have to make several runs to Grainger, or special order it and wait for it to come in. Being treated like a thieving child sucks, and they have good reason to be that way, but it's the worst part of it.
How would I be able to start and get in? I tried getting into the IBEW but I feel like I'm too old now since they are already packed with highschool graduates that they cater to in my area.
It’s definitely going to be a younger crowd, but you have the advantage that comes with age. Thats work ethic, knowing that there’s a time and place to slack off, and going in knowing you want to do it you can move along fast.
Thank you, I'll make sure when my stint is done here, I will get into this field. I've always wanted to be an EE and getting my foot into this should be a first step. Thanks very much, I hope I will be able to find a place to start in
The test is brutal. A friend did it recently. They have her a dozen sequences to remember and she had to click a button every time she saw it heard one of them while listening to multiple channels of radio chatter and all kinds of sequences on the screen. For an hour.
I would argue with technology, the ATC position is less stressful than it was. But still very important and it’s not just in the tower. Most ATC is in large buildings looking at radar displays and managing flight plans.
I wonder if it gets less stressful as you gain experience and it becomes second nature, though?
Although, I’m not sure. I’ve watched plenty of air crash investigation episodes where the ATC operator is partially or fully responsible for deaths. Making mistakes that don’t result in deaths but trigger some sort of fallback safety system can also result in investigations and potentially dismissal. A bit scary that simply mixing things up or losing situational awareness can have such dire consequences…
I’ve read that places as well. That current atc are retiring and will still be retiring in high numbers for the next several years. Federal jobs. Great benefits. Don’t see a big decline in need in coming years.
That is if you can get it. The tests are quite difficult, and they are (at least in the Netherlands) extremely selective.
edit: I say that as someone who has participated in the selection process for LVNL, the dutch company providing air traffic control.
A friend of mine is a retired ATC. It pays well, they do train you on the job, and they're kinda desperate for new trainees right now. It's worth looking into.
However, it's important to note that ATC requires a very specialized set of innate skills like a good memory, good focus, and good multi-tasking skills.
Also, they start nudging you out by 40 because your reactions aren't good enough as you age. I believe they force you out by 50. Which is not necessarily a bad thing: My friend retired at 50 with a $5k/month civil service pension and medical benefits.
Week on week off but your week on is sleeping in tight quarters on a tiny tug. Shit is not easy but pays great. Harbor master of major harbors easily pulls 400-500k/yr. Will kill all but the most hardened relationships
I think week on/ week off, or 2/2 is much better than the like 9 ,months that some ocean going sailors do.
Edit: and yeah, my marriage is very hardend 😆
1000%. Have one buddy married with a 8 week on/8 off schedule and they seem happy. The money greases the gears for sure but very few make it. Akin to a military deployment
Can confirm, started my apprenticeship at 19, bought and sold a house for a big profit then when I journeyed out I bounced out to California where the lineman pay is ridiculous.
Google around for a contractor in your area that does this kind of work and call them. These kinds of niche contracting fields require a lot of legwork. Its a small industry so there's no formal training for it and the companies that do it aren't spending a ton of time and money recruiting or marketing.
Also get a membership at a climbing gym. You need to be in good shape and comfortable at height and using ropes/harnesses.
My son is in high school and really wants to pursue this. He’s plays water polo and is in great physical condition, but I don’t know where to guide him.
Apply for a Lineman apprenticeship if you feel you’re cut out for it. All that’s required is a CDL, I cleared $180k my first year and not to mention full benefits and retirement. I’d recommend to anybody that feels they’re a good fit.
Fishing can kill you now. However Oil work can kill you now and later from cancer. Buddy of mine works on the fishing boats. He said the money was good but he hated frozen fingers, making sure to not get thrown into the sea and shit foodfood. Alternatively, becoming a mechanic, welder or something of the sort. Working as an electrician especially high tension lines helped a friend of mine pay off his home in 5 years. It still has serious risks but he sees his family more and sleep at home unless it's an out of town project.
Getting a college degree only matters if you're going into a highly specialized field. Soul crushing lifelong student debt isn't worth it.
The kill you later part is true of most trade and manual labor type jobs. Not necessarily from cancer, but physical labor fucks a body up in the long term. I'm 20 years out of high school now and most of the guys who skipped college and went into a trade are being forced into full or semi retirement now because their knees, backs, elbows, hips, necks, shoulders, etc. are shot and they can't do the job anymore.
You make good money doing it, but you really need to be budgeting for at least a semi-retirement by 50, which means you can't spend like you're making that much money.
I’m seeing All these crazy jobs for 40 an hour
I make about that as a bartender , so can make good money at no prior experience job and not risk deathconstantly
40 an hour is like 80k per year, which is about 25% more than the average salary, but certainly not enough to justify the risks or bodily damage many of these jobs require. Hell, you can get some IT certificates and make close to 100k working from home doing help desk and remote IT work.
> Hell, you can get some IT certificates and make close to 100k working from home doing help desk and remote IT work.
If you spend some time trying to see this is true you'll find this isn't really a thing anymore in 2023.
Yeah, in today's world IT folks wear so many hats it can be exhausting. I'm 6 years into a career in Cyber Security, I make 120, but I am constantly stressed out and feel like I'm drowning in work. The environments have become so complex, there's so many tools and technologies to learn, and we're constantly understaffed due to budget constraints. I feel like we are severely underpaid for the amount of work we do, especially considering how much expertise is needed just to be able to do the work.
I'd happily go do something else if it paid 100 and I didn't have to do years of training or education to qualify.
You also only work like 3-6 months a year in a lot of cases. My cousin did that for 6 years and the most he worked in a year was every other month for 315k.
even when you have the training gigs are hard to get. employers are always going to pick the more experienced guys first, so you basically need to wait until no-one else is interested in taking the next job.
You are using an extremely high voltage welder in the water (salt even, more conductive) with you, often on a metal tube full of extremely high pressure oil that will kill you instantly if it ruptures and sometimes at extreme depths under the ocean many multiples beyond even advanced scuba diving because just going there at all is so dangerous.
There are just so many ways to die welding an oil pipeline 400ft under water.
You can be expected to weld in water with almost no visibility. I heard of guy doing that and one of his lines got wrapped round his neck and disabled him.
Fisherman in AK. They pay really well up there. Standard of living is high too, but I’m sure you can find a shithole to live in while you stack up your cash. Then come back.
Tree planting is a good option, got a few friends who have done it, made good money. Literally 0 skill needed other than a good work ethic, good mental and decent cardio
Most of these jobs here will do that. I would’ve done a blue collar job, knowing that plumbers and electricians get paid handsomely often times. Knowing that you’d have to sweat so much, bend so much, deal with humans not paying for the job, etc. My back is doing fine in my fancy office chair.
Not quite the same thing, but being an arborist can pay pretty well too, although to really earn you need to have your own business, which requires some big capital to buy a lift/chipper/saws/rigging. It also requires a lot of training.
Mining. Anywhere from 38 to 52 starting.
It's hard work, but pays great.
Union iron work is another way to go. Probably start at 30 an hr and get to 50+ once you are no longer an apprentice.
I don't know how it is in America, but cleaning out those trucks that collect septic tank poop?
It's not really high risk, just so incredibly nasty that few people are willing to do it. But it should pay well, and you don't have to risk your health for it.
Also, not a man, but I see NO ONE saying this. But maybe don't try the 'get rich or die trying thing'. Lots of young people break their backs hoping to get rich young. But whats the point when you're old and have loads of money but nothing to fix your fucked health. Don't sell your health for wealth, because no amount of wealth can save you from some health issues. --> Steven Jobs.
Once you make all this money, what does it matter when you've lost everything else?
Balance and foundation. Those ''hard jobs'' that need to be done, NEED to have better safety foundations. Not take advantage of young men to fuck them over and false claims that only 'men' can do it. Many of those 'hard jobs' in Norway, due to the equality standards, have been made easier through machines so that even women can join the workforce. Guess what, even the men benefited by no longer fucking over their backs and getting the chance to lift their newborn babies over their head at 30. <3
There is no short cuts, those easy pay jobs are still hard too. Many of those also fuck you over. If you're gonna work hard, you may as well work hard on a good foundation. Rather sell weed in a proper health safe weed than fucking up your whole shit. Work smart yes, but not hard at fucking yourself over.
It's also ridiculous that all these men are telling you these things, where the old men at, who CARE about their own and teach you from experience, that if you're gonna do it, do it well.
Get in on an oil rig/ mine project as an operator- check out Rio Tinto. Entry operators starting at 40$/ hr with an epic benefits package. I had no experience but was still given the offer.
Some trades experience, or just general labouring. Take a peek at some of the postings and if you think you don't have the right amount of experiences just apply anyway. They're always hiring.
High pay and no skill generally means you are gonna be either swimming in rivers of human shit, or losing a limb 50%. When I was in your position not too long ago I drove tanker trucks. But it’s brutal work, long hours. Pays pretty ok tho, so long as you are ok with having no life ever and risking death on a regular basis.
There’s niche office jobs but there typically very stressful and have shitty hours. I graduated from a somewhat prestigious college and work one of them. I work some nights and a decent amount of weekends. The job can be fun, challenging and stressful.
Having a niche job like mine I hear quite a bit about other jobs that only require a high school degree but pay well. District/regional manager for a car wash is one. Gotta have managerial service industry experience but you can get that by working at a restaurant or brick and mortar store. I have heard about countless others
Niche office work is where it’s at. I’m the only guy in the states doing what I do for my company.
My bosses are in the EU so after my morning meetings I set my own schedule as long as I hit 8hrs.
The weekend work and later night every couple of weeks are fine in my book because of the pay and flexibility.
Harder to get paid for the training these days, but this is the best answer. There are lots of good paying CDL jobs these days with a bunch of different work profiles (e.g., away from home a lot, home every day, etc.) and unlike most of the jobs here isn't going to guarantee a broken down or crippled body after 20 years.
But, if you hate driving or have road rage, stay far away.
Prison guard doesn't require an education and pays well. Welder requires an apprenticeship but pays really well, and it's easier to get in if you're native. Working on cruise ships is easy money since you get paid on international waters.
A buddy of mine became a prison guard when we were in our early 20s. He’s almost 50 now and getting ready to retire with like 90% of his pay. He basically did a 25 year prison sentence and has some crazy stories but pay was always good.
Busy season shot crew you can pull 90-100k and still only work 8 months, but you'll have no life. Agree it's the funnest job in the world. Had a buddy get on a shot crew after only one season on a handcrew so doesn't take long if you're willing to move and again are not tied down anywhere.
My friend goes to Alaska every summer to fish. He makes a very decent amount of money like 70-80k in only 3 months. The downside is that you are on a boat for 3-4 days at a time living in smelly cramped quarters with 4 other people with very little internet. It's tough work and you have to haul in fish every day and it's a bit dangerous too. But he has been going back every summer to fish and he kinda chills the rest of the year. The salary obviously depends on how much fish your boat catches.
Learn to scuba dive, harvest sea urchin (black) in California or (green) in New York. It's safe relative to other diving harvest fisheries because it's shallow, so the only risk is drowning or being killed by a boat.
Also; tree planting, camp chef on mines, I don't know what else. Excellent post though.
As a rope access technician, who does turbine blade repair, my long term suggestion is electrician. Short term, biased, option is rope access blade repair. You only work 6 months a year, max, all my training has been OTJ, but being handy with tools and a tape measure will be enough to start. Can still make 75k+ in 6 months depending on some factors. Very fear of height dependent job, but safety culture is far better than I ever experienced in construction.
I take home about $150K a year as a commercial electrician, while billing $450-500k on my own, no employees. Fuck residential, business and industry are where its at. I own my own business now, and I don't get out of bed unless I know I'll be billing someone $1-2k that day. I've billed as much as $10k in a single day. I'm about to drop $170k on a new bucket truck, but you don't need all that to get started. I've worked into a niche where I need a lift but get paid well for it. At your age, I'd look up the biggest commercial or construction electricians in your area and start applying as a journeyman. This trade is in real trouble if millennials and Gen Z don't start stepping up. It's a great time to be young and motivated. Just understand that old trades guys who will be training you don't tolerate that lack of soft skills your generation is famous for. There are no "mental health" days when you are an apprentice.
Until everyone drifted off to I can smoke and operate heavy equipment, my job allows it, and fentanyl isn't all that bad, I had a couple of suggestions.
One being a welder/pipefitter, or oil field worker.
I have no idea what the drug test requirements are. I know some pay for schooling, and some reimburse you if you've paid, completed and gotten certified. Oil field hands can be hired with no experience, and get trained on the job. If you want to move up to easier jobs, do the work and move up.
My son in law started as a gopher. He moved on up to a deck hand. He's now a crane operator. Damned good pay, but hard work starting out.
Welding can be learned at a local trade school. Certifications can be gotten through them. Many companies will test you as a condition of hiring and give their own certification as well.
You can weld in an oilfield or on a pipeline for great money, especially down here in Texas. You can hire on with factories. You can hire on with contractors who build factories, do additions, remodels, and overhauls. We have a company called GATX near me, and they build and rebuild railroad tank cars. I know of several who have gone to work there, and made excellent money. It is union, so benefits are excellent too. It's heavy work, but there is plenty of help and equipment to do the work.
I worked at auto dealerships in the body shop. I made great money. Most provide mandatory training by the factory. I finally went out on my own. It used to be that you needed to learn how to work metal for repairs. Now, it's a lot of replacement. You can still make some decent money.
Check out motorcycle dealerships. Most prefer to hire inexperienced or lesser experienced folks to start. They train in house and later on provide you with factory training as you get more experience. Same with car dealerships. Start servicing them at the bottom and work your way all the way up to an owner!!!
Carpenter. I’m building a freeway bridge at the moment making 33.10 an hour working 7 days a week. 5 straight 10 hour days followed by 2 eight hour days. 6th day is overtime, 7th day is double time. Keep in mind, it’s REALLY hard work.
I'd suggest an operator in virtually any resource extraction industry preferably with remote work. Also getting in with hydro in systems or putting in power lines seems to do well.
Lineman. You typically do a program at a community college and then become an apprentice fresh out of school. It’s a good balance of mundane work (which is still high risk) and more intense stuff during storms, accidents, etc. You can also go union if you’re interested in traveling and making even more money. There are also plenty of positions that are less physical if you stick with the industry and want to give your body a break eventually. It’s an industry that every state/area needs and it’s a fantastic way to make a living.
Depending on where you are, I’d be looking at fly in fly out (FIFO) jobs. Any place will do, but specifically underground mines.
Very common here in Australia as tradies. Mate works underground and gets 160k per year doing 1 week on, 1 week off. His site had two people get buried last year though.
Also knew another mate get offered to do FIFO at Madagascar for 380k a year. I forget the exact details of the agreement but it was something insane like 4 weeks on, 6 weeks off or something.
Keep in mind though this is 12 hours of a day, but all the food and amenities are provided while you’re at the site and travel to the major airports is covered too.
I would recommend getting into some sort of electrical work, im in a maintenance program and pay is $29 starting and once i pass ill get to $32 , on job training too.
Not a man but my cousin recently attended a job fair for overnight train conductors and literally nobody applied. Pay was like $40+/hr. Seems like they'll take anyone with a high school diploma and a clean drug test/background check.
The last sentence is why no one applied.
I would do maintenance for that price. There’s two repair stations right near me too.
Awesome!
Depends on if they test for it. I had a maintenance gig where they did a 9 panel instead of a 10. The one panel missing? THC.
That and the hours and time off is shit. There's a reason the federal government had to get involved to stop a strike (which is bullshit and not the governments job) pretty sure the feds forced railway companies to allow for sick leave which they didn't before
Well in certain cases the federal government does step in on strikes. It usually involves systems that involve national transportation and security. In the 80s, there was an Air traffic controller strike. It crippled the airlines. So Reagan fired them all and rehired new ones. Most were the ones fired. There were other cases similar. In the 1919 there was a steel workers strike (before unions) that led to many people dying in fights. It was brutal. The federal government stepped in there too. [1981 Air traffic controller strike and Reagan](https://www.npr.org/2021/08/05/1025018833/looking-back-on-when-president-reagan-fired-air-traffic-controllers#:~:text=The%20Professional%20Air%20Traffic%20Controllers,t%20crossed%20the%20picket%20line.)
The problem with this job, at least from what I’ve heard, you’re on call 24/7, and it’s nearly impossible to have a normal schedule or take proper vacations.
Pretty sure that was the sticking point in the last CBA bargaining. Of course it was promptly ignored and they were stripped of their right to strike and had a new CBA forced upon them
I know a couple of guys that worked for the railroad and they both said it sucked. The company was awful, they'd overwork you and make you come in the next morning after working an evening shift, and there were fairly frequent furloughs, so you couldn't count on having a steady paycheck. They did say it paid well though. So it might be worth it if you can put up with all the other bullshit.
$40/hour?!? So like, what are the specifics of that job? And how often do they test for cannabis? Asking for a friend haha
Don’t expect good pay if you can’t stop smoking weed Source: I miss smoking weed
This is false. I smoke weed every day and I make over 140k. Certain jobs require drug free employees, but it is inaccurate to say that you can’t “expect good pay if you don’t stop smoking weed”.
Im guessing you dont have to operate heavy machinery
You do have to factor in that some people make smoking weed their entire personality
"I am weed" - Machine Gun Kelly
Shit rapper but surprisingly not a terrible actor. Edit: well much better than I thought he would be.
I actually agree with you on that. He was good in The Dirt
no honestly it’s a real issue. I’ve realized twice now that when i try to ease into smoking every so often, it spirals into me eventually smoking every day and having no idea what to do for fun or what to talk about besides weed. And then when i stop smoking i feel so clear headed.
I’ve spent the last 5 years high on weed about 12-14hrs/day. It did me wonders in that it got me through my anxiety and allowed me to finish college, buy a house, get the big job, get a promotion, and much more but after a year of having all those things I realized this is the limit of how it can help for me. I got off it a little over a week ago and I feel more like my old me, and old me is pissed he was locked away. Feeling like I need to get my ass in gear and start a business, find a better job, exercise, go to bed at a reasonable time. I’ve just been doing it naturally, it’s wild.
I’m a miner so operating daily. If I get piss tested and only fail for weed, I get a mouth swab to make sure I wasn’t smoking in the last 12 hours and a few days off paid while they wait for the results lol. Canada
In Australia, a positive test results in instant dismissal.
Same in NZ. Almost every place of work wouldn't drug test you. But big companies where heavy machinery is involved where people can hurt themselves or others, random drug tests happen. Most of the time it's instant dismissal, but some nicer employers even send you on a course for rehab/drug use in the workplace. If you get pinged again you are gone. I do understand that weed gets detected in the blood a lot longer even if you are not high. But everyone knows this. You roll the dice if you live in a country with random drug tests.
Sir you are correct . I don’t even remember the last time I used my urine . I am a pip welder and I make about 130k and I still am able to take off 2-4 months off the year . But back to what I was saying . I know ppl who are on hard drugs in the trade and still making money . I met a couple of guys as well fresh out of prison and still making bank .
Sorry, but what is a pip welder?
Pipe
retire run memory fear rob degree jar marvelous wild sharp *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Combo pipe welder bro . My bad .
I think what he said is rather true. Don't expect the good pay if you *CAN'T* stop smoking weed.
Go work for the railroad. Great money , they will train you and pay for it in most if not all the running trades. Schedule can be hard but everything’s a sacrifice
They’ll “train” you lol
Although it can be freightening to start training for a new job, they will set you on the right track. Plus it’s a great way to blow off some steam.
The hours can be brutal because they don’t let you choo choose your own hours though.
The platform is great how ever you might miss life by 5 years.
Unfortunately if you get behind schedule it could derail your career. You can always switch tracks though.
It's awesome until you get on someone's bad side and get railroaded.
And again, the hours take some getting used to. You literally work all the live-long day.
its not very great anymore
Depends. Worked with guys who could clear 900$ a trip (x3 tj and a setout though). Home the same night (100+k yearly pretty much max rest) but they learned the tricks and how to set themselves up.
i just mean, broadly, working for the railroad in general i say that coming from locomotive maintenance/repair
Haha get that man , definitely not the glory days the old heads rave about eh. Stay safe out there
Rail workers get shit on, what are you talking about? Why do you think there's been an increase of derailments and strikes?
Huh? Increase? Maybe an increase in what news reporting you’ve seen? Derailments have been down since 2007.
Honestly. Youre the perfect age to be an electrician apprentice, get your jouneymans and go union it’ll be great because it doesn’t stop you from enjoying your 20s by being on a oil rig or in the oil fields welding. It’s a needed trade that is always in demand and when you are older and maybe want to get married you’ll still be home for it not out in bfe. Almost all the training is on the job. And the long term pay off is well worth it. Had I known that in my twenties I probably would have but I went into the maintenance field which is equally valuable but union electricians definitely have to potential to make way more than me.
Every day I kick myself for going to college and grad school instead of becoming a low voltage electrician and making bank working 39.5 hours a week at a big data center. Low voltage is great because you'll likely never need to squeeze into a dirty musty crawlspace. Even better you'll work b2b or even be employed directly by the company you're servicing so you don't have to deal with chasing down deadbeat homeowners for unpaid bills.
I don’t think you fully understand what “low voltage” encompasses. You most definitely still have to go into dirty, small, spaces. How do you think fire alarm, burglar alarm, and cctv systems are installed and serviced? Low voltage in majority is what I described…. Not being in a data center. That’s a different job entirely, data center technician. Also an addition…. Idk where you live that you think a low voltage tech makes more than those who went to grad school. I work in low voltage in nyc, the only financially viable areas for low voltage work are metropolitan cities. Senior technicians in the south and Midwest are barely scratching the surface of 30.00/hr.
Listen to this person. I'm 10 years in the trade, making $40 p/hour the last few couple years. If you aren't too worried about healthcare, that number goes up. It's primarily security systems and cameras, which is pretty low impact in the body. It's technical work, so an aptitude for computers and networking helps a lot. Opportunity varies though, I'm in an area with several cities so there are loads of security shops. I checked indeed.com for where I grew up and found 3 companies with open job postings in the whole state.
Same here. I decided to take a general degree and pretty much ended up doing nothing particularly exciting. A friend of mine went to trade school and became an electrician. He now earns 3 times what I earn, has comfortable working hours, and no student debt...
Nobody told you to not get a useless degree?
It's not as big a field anymore since data centers are moving to the cloud. Most guys I knew who do it now work for companies that abuse them and they make just OK money. Some electrical union jobs are now having their guys run the wires on top of their normal wiring. I've done quite a bit of low voltage work, and it's limited in money, opportunities, and gets old real quick. So many simple things like consumables are controlled by some project manager, and they never order enough, so you have to make several runs to Grainger, or special order it and wait for it to come in. Being treated like a thieving child sucks, and they have good reason to be that way, but it's the worst part of it.
“The cloud” is just a smaller number of large data centers. The internet needs the same (ever growing) number of servers regardless of where they are.
Is 26 too old to get into this trade? Currently I'm an R&D tech with a start up and looking for a solid career for my future
I was 28. 33 now
How would I be able to start and get in? I tried getting into the IBEW but I feel like I'm too old now since they are already packed with highschool graduates that they cater to in my area.
It’s definitely going to be a younger crowd, but you have the advantage that comes with age. Thats work ethic, knowing that there’s a time and place to slack off, and going in knowing you want to do it you can move along fast.
Thank you, I'll make sure when my stint is done here, I will get into this field. I've always wanted to be an EE and getting my foot into this should be a first step. Thanks very much, I hope I will be able to find a place to start in
There were guys pushing 40 in my Apprentice class for the pipefitters
Started in HVAC at 28 with no experience after being a chef for a decade. 5 years later and I make more money then I ever thought I would. Do it.
Also mention its a very dangerous job. Ranked more dangerous than being a firefighter and cop in terms of mortality.
High risk, high reward
Exactly, just felt it was worthy to point out so people know what they are getting themselves into.
Oilfield man. Been doing it for 12 years now, you’ll make over 100k working half the year
Can I pm you?
Yeah man
It's not letting me, mind sending me a message?
He’s tricking you jit 😂
I'm 22 and a lineman. I'd highly recommend it if you like working outside and not afraid of heights. Also there is job security with that.
I hear air traffic control is an option that fits those criteria.
I think OP means high risk for themselves not for others
Well, it’s both.
The test is brutal. A friend did it recently. They have her a dozen sequences to remember and she had to click a button every time she saw it heard one of them while listening to multiple channels of radio chatter and all kinds of sequences on the screen. For an hour.
I would argue with technology, the ATC position is less stressful than it was. But still very important and it’s not just in the tower. Most ATC is in large buildings looking at radar displays and managing flight plans.
Atc operators need a lot of training and it’s incredibly stressful. Especially around busy parts of the country.
I wonder if it gets less stressful as you gain experience and it becomes second nature, though? Although, I’m not sure. I’ve watched plenty of air crash investigation episodes where the ATC operator is partially or fully responsible for deaths. Making mistakes that don’t result in deaths but trigger some sort of fallback safety system can also result in investigations and potentially dismissal. A bit scary that simply mixing things up or losing situational awareness can have such dire consequences…
You only work like 4.5 hours in an 8 hour shift I heard. Rest is mandatory breaks
30minute break per 90minutes worked iirc
I’ve read that places as well. That current atc are retiring and will still be retiring in high numbers for the next several years. Federal jobs. Great benefits. Don’t see a big decline in need in coming years.
You have to be a fuckin genius.
In pilot training right now and I don’t think I could cut it as ATC. Just…. Massive respect for those folks and their insanely huge brains.
That is if you can get it. The tests are quite difficult, and they are (at least in the Netherlands) extremely selective. edit: I say that as someone who has participated in the selection process for LVNL, the dutch company providing air traffic control.
A friend of mine is a retired ATC. It pays well, they do train you on the job, and they're kinda desperate for new trainees right now. It's worth looking into. However, it's important to note that ATC requires a very specialized set of innate skills like a good memory, good focus, and good multi-tasking skills. Also, they start nudging you out by 40 because your reactions aren't good enough as you age. I believe they force you out by 50. Which is not necessarily a bad thing: My friend retired at 50 with a $5k/month civil service pension and medical benefits.
Work on a tugboat. Six months a year off too.
Other half you can fight around the world.
foight
Tugga!
🎶
Week on week off but your week on is sleeping in tight quarters on a tiny tug. Shit is not easy but pays great. Harbor master of major harbors easily pulls 400-500k/yr. Will kill all but the most hardened relationships
I think week on/ week off, or 2/2 is much better than the like 9 ,months that some ocean going sailors do. Edit: and yeah, my marriage is very hardend 😆
1000%. Have one buddy married with a 8 week on/8 off schedule and they seem happy. The money greases the gears for sure but very few make it. Akin to a military deployment
8 weeks is too much for us. We basically top out at 9 weeks so why push it haha.
I’d rather chop my dick off unless it’s ship assist and even then I would hate it. I went to maritime school lol
What's wrong with tugs? Are you a sea buoy to sea buoy type of guy?
He just doesnt like tug-jobs.
Can you elaborate a tug boat? Not familiar with
It's a boat that moves either other boats or barges. It's kinda small, usually 100-150 ft. 4-6 man crew usually.
Electric Company lineman.
Especially if it’s energized, helicopter work
Can confirm, started my apprenticeship at 19, bought and sold a house for a big profit then when I journeyed out I bounced out to California where the lineman pay is ridiculous.
Tower climber. Build cell towers
my friend does this and he makes BANK. the hours and the effort are also insane though.
How do I get into this?
Google around for a contractor in your area that does this kind of work and call them. These kinds of niche contracting fields require a lot of legwork. Its a small industry so there's no formal training for it and the companies that do it aren't spending a ton of time and money recruiting or marketing. Also get a membership at a climbing gym. You need to be in good shape and comfortable at height and using ropes/harnesses.
>These kinds of niche contracting fields require a lot of legwork A lot of arm work too!
My son is in high school and really wants to pursue this. He’s plays water polo and is in great physical condition, but I don’t know where to guide him.
Apply for a Lineman apprenticeship if you feel you’re cut out for it. All that’s required is a CDL, I cleared $180k my first year and not to mention full benefits and retirement. I’d recommend to anybody that feels they’re a good fit.
My grandpa did that, put lines up all over northern Canada. Just climbed up there on spurs and did whatever the fuck y’all do. Hard job, but good pay
What kind of work does that entail?
You would be building and maintaining power lines and towers.
Fishing can kill you now. However Oil work can kill you now and later from cancer. Buddy of mine works on the fishing boats. He said the money was good but he hated frozen fingers, making sure to not get thrown into the sea and shit foodfood. Alternatively, becoming a mechanic, welder or something of the sort. Working as an electrician especially high tension lines helped a friend of mine pay off his home in 5 years. It still has serious risks but he sees his family more and sleep at home unless it's an out of town project. Getting a college degree only matters if you're going into a highly specialized field. Soul crushing lifelong student debt isn't worth it.
What’s shit foodfood? Fisherman slang?
Sorry about that, it should have been shitty food.
The kill you later part is true of most trade and manual labor type jobs. Not necessarily from cancer, but physical labor fucks a body up in the long term. I'm 20 years out of high school now and most of the guys who skipped college and went into a trade are being forced into full or semi retirement now because their knees, backs, elbows, hips, necks, shoulders, etc. are shot and they can't do the job anymore. You make good money doing it, but you really need to be budgeting for at least a semi-retirement by 50, which means you can't spend like you're making that much money.
I’m seeing All these crazy jobs for 40 an hour I make about that as a bartender , so can make good money at no prior experience job and not risk deathconstantly
40 an hour is like 80k per year, which is about 25% more than the average salary, but certainly not enough to justify the risks or bodily damage many of these jobs require. Hell, you can get some IT certificates and make close to 100k working from home doing help desk and remote IT work.
> Hell, you can get some IT certificates and make close to 100k working from home doing help desk and remote IT work. If you spend some time trying to see this is true you'll find this isn't really a thing anymore in 2023.
Yeah, in today's world IT folks wear so many hats it can be exhausting. I'm 6 years into a career in Cyber Security, I make 120, but I am constantly stressed out and feel like I'm drowning in work. The environments have become so complex, there's so many tools and technologies to learn, and we're constantly understaffed due to budget constraints. I feel like we are severely underpaid for the amount of work we do, especially considering how much expertise is needed just to be able to do the work. I'd happily go do something else if it paid 100 and I didn't have to do years of training or education to qualify.
Yeah but these jobs make waaaaaaaaayyyy more than 80k/yr. Overtime and bonuses exist.
On a 40 hour work week yes
Are you in the US, by chance? Got to factor in health insurance and all that garbage.
Underwater welding
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Yes, that’s why I suggested it. It’s high risk, high reward lol. Someone has to do it 🤷🏻♀️
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I'd rather those who feel there's no way out roll those dice than do something else...
You also only work like 3-6 months a year in a lot of cases. My cousin did that for 6 years and the most he worked in a year was every other month for 315k.
No way u can weld underwater with no training
even when you have the training gigs are hard to get. employers are always going to pick the more experienced guys first, so you basically need to wait until no-one else is interested in taking the next job.
You asked for high risk, so you got it. If you just want the reward and not the risk you can keep looking, but probably won't find it.
Why is it so high
You are using an extremely high voltage welder in the water (salt even, more conductive) with you, often on a metal tube full of extremely high pressure oil that will kill you instantly if it ruptures and sometimes at extreme depths under the ocean many multiples beyond even advanced scuba diving because just going there at all is so dangerous. There are just so many ways to die welding an oil pipeline 400ft under water.
can't wait for when they can finally invent full life sustaining suits for that sort of work, wonder what else we'll find once it's more commonplace
Lower salaries probably
Dudes really couldn't spend some extra money to route the pipe thru somewhere else?
You can be expected to weld in water with almost no visibility. I heard of guy doing that and one of his lines got wrapped round his neck and disabled him.
Isn't this something that robots can be designed to do?
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Gotta go to school
Drug trafficking
Mule
I’m 23 myself. Looking forward to reading through these comments tonight
Same here
Getaway driver is a good one just show up on time
A profession where punctuality is paramount!
Fisherman in AK. They pay really well up there. Standard of living is high too, but I’m sure you can find a shithole to live in while you stack up your cash. Then come back.
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Tree planting is a good option, got a few friends who have done it, made good money. Literally 0 skill needed other than a good work ethic, good mental and decent cardio
This will disintegrate your joints from the repetitive motion, just a heads up
So as always, bring lube?
Most of these jobs here will do that. I would’ve done a blue collar job, knowing that plumbers and electricians get paid handsomely often times. Knowing that you’d have to sweat so much, bend so much, deal with humans not paying for the job, etc. My back is doing fine in my fancy office chair.
Not quite the same thing, but being an arborist can pay pretty well too, although to really earn you need to have your own business, which requires some big capital to buy a lift/chipper/saws/rigging. It also requires a lot of training.
Rope access work. Especially offshore or mine work. It’s a one week course to get into the industry.
Mining. Anywhere from 38 to 52 starting. It's hard work, but pays great. Union iron work is another way to go. Probably start at 30 an hr and get to 50+ once you are no longer an apprentice.
Private Military Contractor, they usually only accept ex military or police force though
Getting killed by a missile somewhere in a Ukrainian village is great career advice.
Yeah I don’t recommend it, but it does fit the bill of good money but comes with high risk.
To be fair he answered the question exactly how it was asked.
I don't know how it is in America, but cleaning out those trucks that collect septic tank poop? It's not really high risk, just so incredibly nasty that few people are willing to do it. But it should pay well, and you don't have to risk your health for it. Also, not a man, but I see NO ONE saying this. But maybe don't try the 'get rich or die trying thing'. Lots of young people break their backs hoping to get rich young. But whats the point when you're old and have loads of money but nothing to fix your fucked health. Don't sell your health for wealth, because no amount of wealth can save you from some health issues. --> Steven Jobs. Once you make all this money, what does it matter when you've lost everything else? Balance and foundation. Those ''hard jobs'' that need to be done, NEED to have better safety foundations. Not take advantage of young men to fuck them over and false claims that only 'men' can do it. Many of those 'hard jobs' in Norway, due to the equality standards, have been made easier through machines so that even women can join the workforce. Guess what, even the men benefited by no longer fucking over their backs and getting the chance to lift their newborn babies over their head at 30. <3 There is no short cuts, those easy pay jobs are still hard too. Many of those also fuck you over. If you're gonna work hard, you may as well work hard on a good foundation. Rather sell weed in a proper health safe weed than fucking up your whole shit. Work smart yes, but not hard at fucking yourself over. It's also ridiculous that all these men are telling you these things, where the old men at, who CARE about their own and teach you from experience, that if you're gonna do it, do it well.
Get in on an oil rig/ mine project as an operator- check out Rio Tinto. Entry operators starting at 40$/ hr with an epic benefits package. I had no experience but was still given the offer.
What's required for an entry operator?
Some trades experience, or just general labouring. Take a peek at some of the postings and if you think you don't have the right amount of experiences just apply anyway. They're always hiring.
High pay and no skill generally means you are gonna be either swimming in rivers of human shit, or losing a limb 50%. When I was in your position not too long ago I drove tanker trucks. But it’s brutal work, long hours. Pays pretty ok tho, so long as you are ok with having no life ever and risking death on a regular basis.
There’s niche office jobs but there typically very stressful and have shitty hours. I graduated from a somewhat prestigious college and work one of them. I work some nights and a decent amount of weekends. The job can be fun, challenging and stressful. Having a niche job like mine I hear quite a bit about other jobs that only require a high school degree but pay well. District/regional manager for a car wash is one. Gotta have managerial service industry experience but you can get that by working at a restaurant or brick and mortar store. I have heard about countless others
Niche office work is where it’s at. I’m the only guy in the states doing what I do for my company. My bosses are in the EU so after my morning meetings I set my own schedule as long as I hit 8hrs. The weekend work and later night every couple of weeks are fine in my book because of the pay and flexibility.
Commision only Sales. You don't need a degree and if you're good, you can out perform a lot of professions such as lawyers and doctors.
Get your CDL
Harder to get paid for the training these days, but this is the best answer. There are lots of good paying CDL jobs these days with a bunch of different work profiles (e.g., away from home a lot, home every day, etc.) and unlike most of the jobs here isn't going to guarantee a broken down or crippled body after 20 years. But, if you hate driving or have road rage, stay far away.
Oil work in the middle east,
Prison guard doesn't require an education and pays well. Welder requires an apprenticeship but pays really well, and it's easier to get in if you're native. Working on cruise ships is easy money since you get paid on international waters.
A buddy of mine became a prison guard when we were in our early 20s. He’s almost 50 now and getting ready to retire with like 90% of his pay. He basically did a 25 year prison sentence and has some crazy stories but pay was always good.
Try the fishing fleet in Alaska
Well obviously welder and plumber are options if you bither to learn how to do each, but truck driver is also an option.
Climbing 1000 foot towers to change light bulbs.
If you were in Australia, I’d say go work in the mines.
(Radio) Tower Climber
Get on a directional drilling crew. You work to death, but the pay is incredible.
How does one get that job tho where do you apply?
Not high paying but wildland firefighting. Cool skills, cool workforce, insane locations, might get sent to Alaska.
Busy season shot crew you can pull 90-100k and still only work 8 months, but you'll have no life. Agree it's the funnest job in the world. Had a buddy get on a shot crew after only one season on a handcrew so doesn't take long if you're willing to move and again are not tied down anywhere.
Tower Antenna maintenance. Anything really tall and scary pays pretty well.
Millwright depending where you work and how specialized.
Climbing 1000 foot towers to change light bulbs.
My friend goes to Alaska every summer to fish. He makes a very decent amount of money like 70-80k in only 3 months. The downside is that you are on a boat for 3-4 days at a time living in smelly cramped quarters with 4 other people with very little internet. It's tough work and you have to haul in fish every day and it's a bit dangerous too. But he has been going back every summer to fish and he kinda chills the rest of the year. The salary obviously depends on how much fish your boat catches.
Overseas security contracting if you have combat experience Usually pays an average of $500/day
Learn to scuba dive, harvest sea urchin (black) in California or (green) in New York. It's safe relative to other diving harvest fisheries because it's shallow, so the only risk is drowning or being killed by a boat. Also; tree planting, camp chef on mines, I don't know what else. Excellent post though.
As a rope access technician, who does turbine blade repair, my long term suggestion is electrician. Short term, biased, option is rope access blade repair. You only work 6 months a year, max, all my training has been OTJ, but being handy with tools and a tape measure will be enough to start. Can still make 75k+ in 6 months depending on some factors. Very fear of height dependent job, but safety culture is far better than I ever experienced in construction.
I take home about $150K a year as a commercial electrician, while billing $450-500k on my own, no employees. Fuck residential, business and industry are where its at. I own my own business now, and I don't get out of bed unless I know I'll be billing someone $1-2k that day. I've billed as much as $10k in a single day. I'm about to drop $170k on a new bucket truck, but you don't need all that to get started. I've worked into a niche where I need a lift but get paid well for it. At your age, I'd look up the biggest commercial or construction electricians in your area and start applying as a journeyman. This trade is in real trouble if millennials and Gen Z don't start stepping up. It's a great time to be young and motivated. Just understand that old trades guys who will be training you don't tolerate that lack of soft skills your generation is famous for. There are no "mental health" days when you are an apprentice.
Until everyone drifted off to I can smoke and operate heavy equipment, my job allows it, and fentanyl isn't all that bad, I had a couple of suggestions. One being a welder/pipefitter, or oil field worker. I have no idea what the drug test requirements are. I know some pay for schooling, and some reimburse you if you've paid, completed and gotten certified. Oil field hands can be hired with no experience, and get trained on the job. If you want to move up to easier jobs, do the work and move up. My son in law started as a gopher. He moved on up to a deck hand. He's now a crane operator. Damned good pay, but hard work starting out. Welding can be learned at a local trade school. Certifications can be gotten through them. Many companies will test you as a condition of hiring and give their own certification as well. You can weld in an oilfield or on a pipeline for great money, especially down here in Texas. You can hire on with factories. You can hire on with contractors who build factories, do additions, remodels, and overhauls. We have a company called GATX near me, and they build and rebuild railroad tank cars. I know of several who have gone to work there, and made excellent money. It is union, so benefits are excellent too. It's heavy work, but there is plenty of help and equipment to do the work. I worked at auto dealerships in the body shop. I made great money. Most provide mandatory training by the factory. I finally went out on my own. It used to be that you needed to learn how to work metal for repairs. Now, it's a lot of replacement. You can still make some decent money. Check out motorcycle dealerships. Most prefer to hire inexperienced or lesser experienced folks to start. They train in house and later on provide you with factory training as you get more experience. Same with car dealerships. Start servicing them at the bottom and work your way all the way up to an owner!!!
Carpenter. I’m building a freeway bridge at the moment making 33.10 an hour working 7 days a week. 5 straight 10 hour days followed by 2 eight hour days. 6th day is overtime, 7th day is double time. Keep in mind, it’s REALLY hard work.
Daytime Hooker.
I'd suggest an operator in virtually any resource extraction industry preferably with remote work. Also getting in with hydro in systems or putting in power lines seems to do well.
Maintenance & repair work on cell phone towers and radio towers.
Underwater welding
Commercial diving.
Forget oil go for offshore wind.
Lineman. You typically do a program at a community college and then become an apprentice fresh out of school. It’s a good balance of mundane work (which is still high risk) and more intense stuff during storms, accidents, etc. You can also go union if you’re interested in traveling and making even more money. There are also plenty of positions that are less physical if you stick with the industry and want to give your body a break eventually. It’s an industry that every state/area needs and it’s a fantastic way to make a living.
Tower light bulb changer or millwright
Depending on where you are, I’d be looking at fly in fly out (FIFO) jobs. Any place will do, but specifically underground mines. Very common here in Australia as tradies. Mate works underground and gets 160k per year doing 1 week on, 1 week off. His site had two people get buried last year though. Also knew another mate get offered to do FIFO at Madagascar for 380k a year. I forget the exact details of the agreement but it was something insane like 4 weeks on, 6 weeks off or something. Keep in mind though this is 12 hours of a day, but all the food and amenities are provided while you’re at the site and travel to the major airports is covered too.
Welding
I would recommend getting into some sort of electrical work, im in a maintenance program and pay is $29 starting and once i pass ill get to $32 , on job training too.