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This is something people don't think about when they claim that the skilled trades should be a viable alternative to college education. Most employment in the t
by analog31 5y ago
This is something people don't think about when they claim that the skilled trades should be a viable alternative to college education. Most employment in the trades is with small or family owned businesses, where labor laws are rarely enforced. And with family businesses, your prospects hinge on whether you belong to the family or not.
It also means people might be more willing to go into those trades if they were ensured of better labor law enforcement, health care, safety net, and so forth.
- 1123581321 5y agoI haven’t largely seen this to be the case. First, as far as regulation, in the US, most trades still have to contend with code and with the local union. So aside from work in truly dismal municipalities, there is a floor to the quality of the job. Second, there is at least a legible path for new entrants with reasonable starting pay. Third, there actually are a number of decent companies, and nepotism doesn’t necessarily mean getting screwed over, just a need to advance elsewhere. Fourth, there is a viable freelance path in many trades, or at least the ability to make oneself a biddable item (play residental vs. commercial, alternate between multiple trades, hourly vs. project-based, etc.) Fifth, where there is significant activism for the trades there are people and organizations trying hard to improve the experience and results.