I’ve never been more fulfilled at work then when I was on the tools. Sure, sometimes I cursed my job, working when sick was brutal, and sometime you did get exhausted. But at a desk, it feels like my life is slowly passing me by as I watch my body succumb to the death trap that is office ergonomics and my will to live is starved in the passionless daily ritual that is a computer screen.
The belief that trades is for those who can’t succceed in the acedemic world is as shallow as office politics. I know many who chose their career because they enjoy that line of work. I turned down a university education because I truly had a passion for the trade I took instead. The only sad reality is now that I’m in a more office environment, I’ve lost the competitive edge of being up to date in the trades and can’t afford to take a brief pay cut.
If you’re discussing options with your children, don’t speak of the trades as some sort of fall back option. While it’s true it is great for that, it can also be an actually rewarding career path. I’ve never seen so many people looking like they want to blow their brains out than witnesses walking through a business building.
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