This Old House: Recruiting for the building trades

[twobjshelbys]

He Rob, this is for you!

Do you watch This Old House on PBS? I've been watching it since it started and when we lived in Massachusetts we considered it scavenger hunt to find the place they were working on. We found most of them.

Anyway, this "season" is not just focused on the rehab of the property but also each and every trade has some apprentices with them. They also highlighted some different programs that areas are using to get young folks into the trades. Silva has three newbies on his construction and they just framed a roof. It's pretty cool to see them doing it and having the "light come on" as they learn new skills.

They had a spot on a program that recruits from Baltimore (most are troubled youth with drug and crime backgrounds) that have to perform or are out [and they are motivated to succeed]. Not surprisingly the people that hire them look for basic work ethic skills like showing up every day on time, because "once they learn that they can learn the trade". The program is proven now and people actually recruit their graduates. It shows people will do something useful if given the opportunity.

Does your area have programs like this in your area?

[Highwayman]

Mike Rowe... enough said!

[twobjshelbys]

Mike Rowe... enough said!

He was on the first episode of this arc. Supporting the trades through his foundation. Great work!

The point, as Rowe makes it, is that these are for jobs that EXIST! If you want to be a carpenter (demonstrate the ability to use a hammer) or electrician (know how to connect a twist lock) or plumber (know that water runs downhill) and are willing to work hard, you can get a job tomorrow! They will teach you the rest.

I became a techie, but my dad taught me first and foremost that everyone should have a backup skill. Having grown up on a farm I can milk a cow, and being the son of a carpenter and cabinetmaker, I know how to use a hammer (and built three houses on my own, general + electrician) and survived enough with plumbing in one of them, but others can do it faster. And I don't do drywall. :)

[Joe G]

Mike Rowe... enough said!

He's awesome. :bow:

[twobjshelbys]

The gap in trades today is the same as the gap in doctors a few years ago and engineer and mathematicians etc. There will be a flurry towards the trades and for a brief period, a glut, and then it will be steady state. But believe me, if you look at most residential sites when I was hanging around them 5 or so years ago, most of them were at least as old if not older than me. My best framer was close to 70 and that was in 2001. Electrician was in his 50s in 1998, so was plumber, and so was heating guy. All of them are now retired. A good friend that had a house in our subdivision was a heating guy and he died in a plane crash and his two young sons (who were in my daughter's high school class) took over the business and are probably the youngest that I know of. And they are now close to 40!!!!!

[68fastback]

He's doing good things -- great program. :wtg:
Yeah, nice to see the three recruits on This Old House.