Looking for a school/company to start with in SoCal

Trying to discourage a twenty year old young man from trucking is as pointless as me trying to discourage him from the trades.

I'm assuming you are a professional driver since you're here? Why haven't you been sponsored by one of your Ex-Union Master Tradespersons, gone to community college and completed the requisite hours and training to become a Union Journeyman? Once you have that Journeyman card of course you can turn your back on that Union hand that fed you and choose not to pay union dues. You can then make millions of dollars and be on the path to a stress free and financial independent future like all of those owner operators leasing their trucks.

I'm proud of the Union hand that helped feed me. Do Unions have shortcomings? Duh. But I have no mortgage and no car payments at 51. I put my wife through nursing school and I have a pension that will afford me the burned out van down by the river after 16 years vested. Of course coupled with SS i should be able to stay in my mortgage free home even with rising property taxes, utilities and insurance.

I take issue with your statement "Keep thinking the same way your still thinking. Since it has brought you so far in life."
Whats wrong with a middle class way of life and existence? Educate yourself. It's what made this country great.
My body, soul and this conversation are tired. Too many wire nuts, ladders, mandatory overtime and managing coworker egos. To many "emergencies" easily avoided with preventative maintenance when all the bean counters want is a pound of cure. Now.

A little quiet time in my own personal office with windows, climate i can control and a sit down jobs sounds like a refreshing change of pace even if i have to drive for people distracted and on their cell phones.

Regardless, we all have perspectives to offer MuchJava, too much of anything is bad for you! Even advice. Good luck my brother.

 

Just a heads up I’m out in 9 months. I am going to learn a trade and open my own. Will take me 1 year max. Yes I know how to bend the rules just like a paper log driver.


If your content with middle class all power to you, but the few who are not are leaders in this world. The difference is I am telling him not to settle for middle class. good luck out there.

 

Except that it's impossible to learn a trade in a year. You can become a mediocre worker in any field hands on but skilled trades are just that. The ONLY way to Journeyman is education, supervised experience and examination through an accredited school and typically a union. I say typically as the only other route i know of is if a Master Craftsman in his field sponsors you and takes you under his wing for everything except the requisite schoolwork.

You may learn a new employable skill set and make a fine living but it wont be a trade. You want to average Union scale for your trade? Get a Journeyman's card otherwise you're simply contracted labor that very few trust, have to have their worked checked by a license holder in many states regardless and will lose commercial opportunities that pay the best.

In closing feel free to pm me with further questions and i'll answer time permitting. Your expectations aren't aligned with reality at least here in the Upper Midwest, MN, WI and IL and i'd hate to see you jump both feet into a greener pasture and land in horse poop.

 

I did plumbing work and it is very hard on the body. You’ll be on your knees or back frequently. I usually installed 8 toilets a day and lugged them frequently up stairs. Service plumbing tends to be open shop. It’s 8am start until done. You have to be a Master Plumber to legally open your own business (6 years usually to be a Master). The first couple years the wages suck. It’s barely above minimum wage in my neck of the woods. SoCal wages would probably be higher but so is the cost of living. Although wages are probably better now. Union work is probably ideal at least in California. Schooling is usually 4 hours a week for 4 years.