5 ms·

I'm not fond of these articles that hype up the 0.1% - 0.01% earners of unskilled jobs. Simply for the fact that it gives a very wrong picture of how well you c

I'm not fond of these articles that hype up the 0.1% - 0.01% earners of unskilled jobs. Simply for the fact that it gives a very wrong picture of how well you can earn, and second - the more you earn, the HARDER the job is. Physically. Your pay is directly proportional to how dangerous and demanding the job is. As a student, I used to work as a longshoreman whenever needed. The pay was phenomenal - as in $500-$1000 a day. Some of the guys that worked full time would pull $10000-$15000 / month. Everyone knew about this job, but the realty was: - High paced backbreaking work 12-24 hours a day (you'd unload 20-50 kg blocks of frozen fish from the refrigeration room on large industrial trawlers) - Working in really terrible conditions. Freezing cold, lots of noise, always on the lookout for falling objects. The only reason I could work there, was because someone got injured - and you always had injured people there. The oldest guy working there was in his mid 30s. By the time you were pushing 40, you'd be too injured or slow to work there. The lucky few were placed to operate the ship crane. But the pay was good, probably the best in town as far as unskilled work goes.

declan_roberts 2y ago
For most unskilled jobs age doesn't seem to be an issue. I feel like every plumber in town is in his 60s right now.
- engineer_22 2y ago
  Plumbing is a skilled trade
- silverquiet 2y ago
  Calling a plumber an unskilled job is incorrect. That said my plumber is about that old and had to refuse a job for me that involved swapping out a water heater because he did not feel up to the task anymore.
  - gunapologist99 2y ago
    Agreed. And he probably doesn't even have to. (Incidentally, swing by your local big box store at closing time and ask the guys in plumbing if they want to make $500 or $1000 by putting in a water heater tonight; that worked for me, anyway, even on a Friday night.) I just paid $4,000 for a very experienced plumber and his apprentice to replace a tankless water heater that I could buy new on Ebay for $1,200. That extra $2,800 was pure profit for a job that took four or five hours, and I also had to wait a day before he could fit me in.
    - pintxo 2y ago
      So you skilled plumber and his apprentice work for free? Their experience is also available for free? Taxes? Travel time/costs? Office costs, someone needs to schedule jobs and send out invoices?
    - silverquiet 2y ago
      To be fair, I’m talking about an old school fifty gallon tank type water heater. My parents just built a house with an electric tankless one and I actually laughed when I saw how tiny that is. The same plumber who refused the job for me was happy to put that in.
      - gunapologist99 2y ago
        Exactly - two guys in the plumbing dept were happy to haul it up to the attic and install it. They probably quadrupled their hourly rate for a few hours and got finished by 9pm on a Friday night.. so they probably burned through some of that $250 each shortly thereafter :)
caminante 2y ago
The trade job salary headlines are clickbaity like the social influencers, etc. Though, this example marks a path that isn't as batshit crazy as roustabout work on a rig. This article mentions someone 1. Starting as a union apprentice @ 70k/y 2. Reaching 130k/y after 3y with continuing education. 3. Then rising to 170k/y after another 4y. Not everyone may follow the same path/financials, but this mixes unions, training, and career progression that is far more attainable and sustainable than a reference "$$$ for missing fingers" job.
keiferski 2y ago
Longshoreman is unskilled labor, not a trade. Plumbers, electricians, etc. don't have an excess of backbreaking work and if anything, the work might be physically preferable to sitting in a chair all day.
- TrackerFF 2y ago
  I actually also worked as an apprentice (electrician) for a year before deciding I wanted to pursue electrical engineering. I mean, it's a demanding job, too. You work with your hands raised up a lot, you'll have to get into all kinds of places, and there's always the possibility of getting electrocuted. Most of the guys I started with became electricians, and have since pursued "office" jobs in the trade, in other words getting their engineering degree , so that they can work inside. A fair share of them have also experience stress injuries in arms, shoulders before hitting 30.
- Ekaros 2y ago
  What is really definition of backbreaking work here? Moving sacks of cement or digging by hand all day? Somehow I feel that many of these trades are bit glorified and reality is much harsher. Often there is parts of job that means moving heavy items occasionally. And often lot of the job happens in less than desirable locations where for example you need to keep hands above head for long time or pull quite heavy cables or pipes around.
  - keiferski 2y ago
    Well, a longshoreman is pretty much by definition physical work, because you’re moving heavy stuff around. Being an electrician or plumber may involve being in uncomfortable positions or workplaces for long periods of time, but I don’t think I’d call it “backbreaking.”
    - Ekaros 2y ago
      I don't think too much of that work happens by hand anymore. Most of it is by machine or simply securing cargo. Not that dealing with chains and like is lightest job. But days of manual labour happening are quite gone.
gunapologist99 2y ago
Not all trades require additional backbreaking labor in order to make top rates. Some of these trades have specialties that require a great deal of training, skill, and experience, and pay is commensurate. For example, telecom, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work is frequently not backbreaking work but still great rates. There are probably many more jobs in unionized or defense (or both) which have great salaries or rates, but without a lot of backbreaking work involved. As a bonus, once you've learned the ropes and gain more experience, you are well on your way to becoming a foreman or even entrepreneur, if so inclined. As a college student without any experience, it makes sense that you would end up trading your young and fit body for higher pay, but that isn't always the case. Experience in that individual industry will help you see what the possible upgrade paths are.
silverquiet 2y ago
I always say there are people who make millions playing basketball, but it probably doesn’t mean you’ll be among them. Trades should in theory be respectable, well-paid jobs if you ask me, but it doesn’t seem like we value them as a society. I always wonder what people would advise their own children to do. I don’t (and won’t) have any, but I’d still tell them that the best idea is to get some sort of in demand college degree, but I myself had a hard time with that as it’s very hard for me to study subjects I’m not interested in. I was fortunate that my interest ended up being at least a bit marketable.

declan_roberts 2y ago

For most unskilled jobs age doesn't seem to be an issue. I feel like every plumber in town is in his 60s right now.

engineer_22 2y ago
Plumbing is a skilled trade
silverquiet 2y ago
Calling a plumber an unskilled job is incorrect. That said my plumber is about that old and had to refuse a job for me that involved swapping out a water heater because he did not feel up to the task anymore.
- gunapologist99 2y ago
  Agreed. And he probably doesn't even have to. (Incidentally, swing by your local big box store at closing time and ask the guys in plumbing if they want to make $500 or $1000 by putting in a water heater tonight; that worked for me, anyway, even on a Friday night.) I just paid $4,000 for a very experienced plumber and his apprentice to replace a tankless water heater that I could buy new on Ebay for $1,200. That extra $2,800 was pure profit for a job that took four or five hours, and I also had to wait a day before he could fit me in.
  - pintxo 2y ago
    So you skilled plumber and his apprentice work for free? Their experience is also available for free? Taxes? Travel time/costs? Office costs, someone needs to schedule jobs and send out invoices?
  - silverquiet 2y ago
    To be fair, I’m talking about an old school fifty gallon tank type water heater. My parents just built a house with an electric tankless one and I actually laughed when I saw how tiny that is. The same plumber who refused the job for me was happy to put that in.
    - gunapologist99 2y ago
      Exactly - two guys in the plumbing dept were happy to haul it up to the attic and install it. They probably quadrupled their hourly rate for a few hours and got finished by 9pm on a Friday night.. so they probably burned through some of that $250 each shortly thereafter :)

caminante 2y ago

The trade job salary headlines are clickbaity like the social influencers, etc. Though, this example marks a path that isn't as batshit crazy as roustabout work on a rig. This article mentions someone 1. Starting as a union apprentice @ 70k/y 2. Reaching 130k/y after 3y with continuing education. 3. Then rising to 170k/y after another 4y. Not everyone may follow the same path/financials, but this mixes unions, training, and career progression that is far more attainable and sustainable than a reference "$$$ for missing fingers" job.

keiferski 2y ago

Longshoreman is unskilled labor, not a trade. Plumbers, electricians, etc. don't have an excess of backbreaking work and if anything, the work might be physically preferable to sitting in a chair all day.

TrackerFF 2y ago
I actually also worked as an apprentice (electrician) for a year before deciding I wanted to pursue electrical engineering. I mean, it's a demanding job, too. You work with your hands raised up a lot, you'll have to get into all kinds of places, and there's always the possibility of getting electrocuted. Most of the guys I started with became electricians, and have since pursued "office" jobs in the trade, in other words getting their engineering degree , so that they can work inside. A fair share of them have also experience stress injuries in arms, shoulders before hitting 30.
Ekaros 2y ago
What is really definition of backbreaking work here? Moving sacks of cement or digging by hand all day? Somehow I feel that many of these trades are bit glorified and reality is much harsher. Often there is parts of job that means moving heavy items occasionally. And often lot of the job happens in less than desirable locations where for example you need to keep hands above head for long time or pull quite heavy cables or pipes around.
- keiferski 2y ago
  Well, a longshoreman is pretty much by definition physical work, because you’re moving heavy stuff around. Being an electrician or plumber may involve being in uncomfortable positions or workplaces for long periods of time, but I don’t think I’d call it “backbreaking.”
  - Ekaros 2y ago
    I don't think too much of that work happens by hand anymore. Most of it is by machine or simply securing cargo. Not that dealing with chains and like is lightest job. But days of manual labour happening are quite gone.

gunapologist99 2y ago

Not all trades require additional backbreaking labor in order to make top rates. Some of these trades have specialties that require a great deal of training, skill, and experience, and pay is commensurate. For example, telecom, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work is frequently not backbreaking work but still great rates. There are probably many more jobs in unionized or defense (or both) which have great salaries or rates, but without a lot of backbreaking work involved. As a bonus, once you've learned the ropes and gain more experience, you are well on your way to becoming a foreman or even entrepreneur, if so inclined. As a college student without any experience, it makes sense that you would end up trading your young and fit body for higher pay, but that isn't always the case. Experience in that individual industry will help you see what the possible upgrade paths are.

silverquiet 2y ago

I always say there are people who make millions playing basketball, but it probably doesn’t mean you’ll be among them. Trades should in theory be respectable, well-paid jobs if you ask me, but it doesn’t seem like we value them as a society. I always wonder what people would advise their own children to do. I don’t (and won’t) have any, but I’d still tell them that the best idea is to get some sort of in demand college degree, but I myself had a hard time with that as it’s very hard for me to study subjects I’m not interested in. I was fortunate that my interest ended up being at least a bit marketable.