Trade School or Union? 🤔 #shorts

Apprenticeships teach the correct way not the fast way

I went through the union electrical apprenticeship and I'm glad I did. Welding may be different, but a trade school 2-year in electrical teaches the basics of code and theory. Plus you still need 6000 working hours (2000 credit for trade school) to become a journeyman. That's 5 years total. And you have to pay for that schooling. I'm the union, you earn while you learn, and in my case, I got a raise to join the apprenticeship. 5 years later, I was making 50 bucks an hour on the check plus about 35 bucks an hour of benefits. Not bad...

Retirement, medical benefits, no job searching and having a union to advocate for your pay, safety, and overall treatment from employers.

That pension is HUGE! It’s the difference between retiring in your fifties when those aches and pains are unbearable Vs. potentially never retiring!

Each method has its pros and cons. Trade school is quick relatively speaking compared to a union apprenticeship, however in an apprenticeship your going to get full union benefits and start banking hours towards your pension. Think long long term. The older you get the sweeter those benefits and pension start looking

100% do an apprenticeship. Not necessarily through the union, but trade school guys don’t know anything. I did mine through a small shop that taught me everything. 5 years later, 120k base salary

Unions are harder to get into… more work equals more pay. Here’s the thing the pay will always be the same union vs non union give or take a few dollars but at the end of a 10 year career path one is making 33.50 and the other is making 33.50 with a pension full heath dental vision and annuity so really union is 50 and non union is more like 37.50 it’s a big difference it’s honestly on average probably a 40-60 percent differential

My dad was a welder wanted me to go in the trade. Showed me how to stick weld with tungsten. He wanted me to get an apprenticeship and get the journeyman. Because it’s at that point your qualifications can give you opportunities for better positions. I know a guy who had somebody else paid for courses for welding and never even showed up or even tried. Sure. Sure wish I had some kind of opportunity like that.

Not in Cali, welders here typical make 25/hour non union. In my union we make 57/hour wage and 89/hour whole package with the 401+ medical+dental+ 2 pensions

I get the sense this guy isn’t the biggest on unions, but anyone out there who has an option please go the apprenticeship path. He talks about making that money immediately but not about you having to pay for your own benefits from your hourly wages as well as although you know how to do a task out of school you don’t necessarily have real working experience so your employer is still going to low ball you. Do not work 30+ years of your life and end up with a shit pension, go union apprenticeship if given the opportunity.

Joining the union and learning the trade changed my like. You do a 5 year apprenticeship on the job training and school work. When you journey out, you’ll be set for life! Get benefits, pension, 401 K built up and possibly a credit union if your hall offers one. You have to start somewhere and the hard work will pay off !!

Apprenticeships don’t rush the training. Plus, they might make less in the beginning, but once they’re a journeyman, it’s big bucks 💰 💰

In union pipefitting at least if you can weld you get paid journeyman scale in your apprenticeship.

I’m glad you even brought this up you forgot to mention medical dental and vision insurance. In my local you get it as soon as you start and you and your family are covered. No out of pocket. UA local 469 till the wheels fall off.

He has literally jus explained my Goal perfectly that's crazy

Welding school makes you a badass welder in a booth. The other teaches you how to be a badass in the field

At my local, apprentices can learn to weld on their time unless they want to turn out as a welder journeyman, you can make journeyman scale as an apprentice if you get certified through the union

Boilermakers NEED people.

Union controls your promotions by seniority

Start your own welding, electrician, plumbing etc… business. Better than any union or pension or any benefits. Not to mention you build something that’s your own.