Reply to Thread

I remember when I started out in the field, I was greeeen did not know anything, but I gave it my all. I worked as a duct installer's helper(fiberglass residential) I handed out tools, cut ductboard, applied duct sealent, but did not hang boots or run flex. I thought that was the most horrible thing that I could have done, but I kept my mouth shut, worked my butt off and learned the basics of residential duct work. I worked as a duct installer for a little over a year and decided to attend a vocational school for HVAC installation and repair. I got as much as I could out of the course and was ready to enter the field as a entry-level tech. I had to pay my dues, it was rough, but it paid off, I make a decent wage, enjoy my job, and have respect. It takes time, you have to prove your worth, but it will pay off.

You'd have a lot more respect for Mexicans if...

you watched the movie, "A Day Without a Mexican". Really opens your eyes. Give us a Mexican day laborer any week of the year, they take pride in their work, they are close to their families, and they pass it down. Their hard work keeps most of us with groceries, gas, clean homes, you get the picture. Highly recommend the movie though, really.

Im a Union Sheetmetal Worker 25yrs.... not a bad gig if you ask me..... are you too good to hang duct?

I'm getting ready to enter this field as an entry level worker at 43 years of age. I've never had a skill, but every job I've ever had I've given it my best.It never got me anywhere.You can be the best un-skilled worker in the world, but in the end you are still un-skilled. I will enter this field with the same attitude, and I'm excited that after a few years I will be doing so much better than I could of if I spent a life-time unskilled.

Heh, That's what a lot of these guys don't get. Knowing what your doing is great.Every company need guys that know there stuff but when it comes to hiring a guy you look for that type of attitude. I can teach him the rest or get him more knowledge but I can't make him have that "whatever it takes" mentality. You'll will be a great employee. Come to NC Florida's to hot

Wanna move to Florida??

Just to add my 2 cents. I've been in the printing business for 25 years and after loosing a major contract, I've been in and out of work for the past two years. At 48, I'm going to BOCES (NY State is paying) for 300 hours of HVAC training and after that, I'm looking for work. I have a wife and 4 year old daughter. I will be very happy to be hired to do what you complain about. I will hustle, do my best, continue to study, learn everything I can so in short, earn the respect of the employees I will work for so I can be better and earn more. Right now I valet park cars for tips. Try doing that in the rain when the pen won't write car locations on 150 cars for wedding guests,sweat your balls off in 100 degree weather when you have incoming cars arriving and guests wanting to leave holding that 1 dollar tip. That is hard ungratifying work but I need the money. So HVAC, throw your worst at me, I will gladly do it with a smile because I HAVE A CAREER!!!

Originally posted by jpeloni
You can't blame the American worker entirely for this outsourcing of jobs. It's large multi-national corporations, building contractors, our own government,and the fact that a lot of these illegals come from dirt poor conditions, and are desperate for "any" kind of wage.

A lot of people are profiting from the situation, and a lot of American workers are losing their jobs, due in no part to thier "lazy a*%#$".

Most of the guys I've met in this business are hard workers, because they have to be, and the one's who aren't wash out pretty quickly. It's a competitive game.

Amen.

You can't blame the American worker entirely for this outsourcing of jobs. It's large multi-national corporations, building contractors, our own government,and the fact that a lot of these illegals come from dirt poor conditions, and are desperate for "any" kind of wage.

A lot of people are profiting from the situation, and a lot of American workers are losing their jobs, due in no part to thier "lazy a*%#$".

Most of the guys I've met in this business are hard workers, because they have to be, and the one's who aren't wash out pretty quickly. It's a competitive game.

Its not that bad!

Especially if youre a mexican day laborer! they work twice as hard for less, and dont bitch as much and do better quality work as a craftsman, that takes pride in their work, and that is why your generation is losing your competitve edge on outsourcing your , jobs and future and factories to other nations! Classic example right there, you got no one to blame but your lazy self! and you want everyone to feel sorry for you, except for Oprah!

we've all been there its what u do with it urself that counts i am 31 only been doing it for 5 years and i am running the service department now i decided to put forth 150% effort to get a return on it and my employer seen it so then i went to several schools got certified and then suddenly my boss was out of a job due to the fact that he did not want to embrace new techniques and technology and now my employer is going to retire in 2 years and now i am in the process also of buying the business so its up to u as a person do you want to be the best at a trade or do u want to work a mcdonalds thats ur choice.....

R12rules said it right

Let the kid vent. But, he set himself up for the right answer. It's called growing up. The man takes a real beating. On one of my other post's, I have said that I have a hard time with believing that things are Good Now. Just because I worked for it and took the beating. I'm worried about our young men. But this whole thread made me Smile, expecially the part about the Mexican laborer. Just simply stupid! Roy

I think his name was NEVERMIND or something like that

dang? who peed in everyones cornflakes?

on the chance that unquiringminds was just venting, like we all do. Here is my thought....

just say your having a bad day and just came here to vent.
The folks here tend to shy away from helping whiners!

We all have terrible stories.
We all had it tough.

If you just came here to post your vent ... so be it.
However, if you came here asking for advice, you got it in tripplicate!!!
Now take some of it.

Do some reading. Ask questions. Get active in what is going on at the jobsites.
Ask your boss for carreer advice.

and pray.

ok...just to clarify..... ahem...not ALL the kids of the boss are slimey work avoiding brats! Some of us did our time in 6 inches of mud (and cat &^$%).... plenty of it and that was the easy part. HAHA The hard part is having to prove yourself to everyone twice as much BECAUSE you are the boss' kid.

you poor thing crappy life just work like the rest of use

thanks

Amen, HVAC brotherhood. Like many here, I started underneath the bottom. But after seeing the owner of the company I work with climb up a return chase and pookie a return with a bucket of mud and come out of it covered from head to toe with all kinds of crap, I don't bitch too much about job conditions. This work is not glamorous, but then again, I don't wake up wondering if I still have my job.

Hang in there man, Things will get better.

Started in the trade 31 years ago, making $2.30 an hour doing exactly as you. Yesterday i finished a teardown on a 1200 ton chiller and even with 3 people helping, i still swept up the crap. Even the guru's in this trade started on the bottom. I actually miss those days of not knowing anything, it was so much simpler then.

There is no fast track for this trade, unless your daddy has his own biz, and then it still sucks. My advice is to return to school and pick a career that is easier.