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I’ve never understood when people say things like “you’ll end up working construction” or “you’ll end up being a garbageman” if you don’t get your act together.
Both of those jobs are honorable, pay well, and I’m sure a lot of the people who do them enjoy them. There’s still kind of a weird bias in this country against people who work with their hands, for some reason…I don’t get it.
But, you still do hear comments like that from people out there.
Folks on AskReddit discussed this mentality. Let’s see what they had to say.
1. Something to think about.
“I always took “you don’t want to end up in construction” as you don’t want to do something your whole life that takes a toll on your body.
At least that’s how my parents always pushed it on me.”
2. Changed my life.
“I did construction work from 24 years old to 30 years old. I made $31 a hour and anything over 8 hours in a day was time and a half.
Saturdays and Sundays were automatic time and a half no matter how many hours your worked throughout the week. At 30 years old I was injured on the job and had to have a major spine surgery on my lower spine.
I can no longer play most sports without extreme discomfort afterward. It has completely changed my life.”
3. Lesson from Dad.
“My dad farmed for 40 years and supported a family on it.
But he outright refused to let any of us come back and take over the farm without trying college and other careers out.
It destroyed his body and he didn’t want the same for us.”
4. Won’t age well.
“I worked with my dad in construction every summer while in high school and college.
People on the job site tell you they’re all proud of their hard work and get payed appropriately, but they’ll all tell you to get out while you can.
You don’t age well in construction.”
5. Tough work.
“It’s a respectable job and the people who work it deserve respect.
But it’s also back-breaking work with a high risk of injury and will ultimately lead to a lot of nasty health problems as you grow old.”
6. Not for everyone.
“I’m a pipe fitter.
With only a technical high school diploma I make over 6 figures.
Pros are I get to go to different places everyday and fix things, good pay and I don’t have college debt.
Cons are it’s back breaking work that has given me two shoulder surgeries (one on each) and bad knees. Having to have surgery because of your job isn’t for everybody.”
7. A lifestyle?
“Unfortunately even though the money can be great, there’s a certain lifestyle that’s rampant.
Drugs, alcohol, crazy spending.
Obviously not true for all construction workers, but it’s definitely there.
My cousin could makes great money, but he’d have nothing left a week after payday.”
8. They were wrong.
“My grade school teachers would say “study hard or you will end up a construction worker”.
Well, now I make more than them and have one of the most valuable skill sets a person can have, in my opinion.
So y’all can suck it!”
9. A hot take.
“It’s not about it not being respectable. It is a respectable job.
It’s the fact that it’s hard labor.
No parent wants their child to get a job that’s going to take a tole on their body over the years they’re working it.”
10. Good advice.
“I’m a construction worker and I do make $100,00 or more a year.
I respect my job and the opportunities it has afforded me but I tell my three sons all the time to stay in school and get an education because I’m outside everyday when it’s nice, when it’s crazy hot, or when it is freezing cold.
That sucks and your body pays the price for that lifestyle.”
11. Miserable.
“Take it from someone who did it for years…
It’s about the most miserable sh*t I’ve ever done.
Enough to motivate me to actually go to college so I never have to do it again.”
12. Get out early.
“It’s a great job to have when you are young but be careful and get out early. The type of work you find on most construction sites is very back breaking.
I suggest it while someone is young because the body can handle it then but doing the job for too long, even with the proper technique and equipment, your body is going to start falling apart.
Then you have the worst case scenario where you can get hurt far easier than other jobs. My best friend was on a site where they were removing cases with glass panels. Someone accidentally bumped a case while not paying attention on a forklift.
The case hit another case which fell on top of my friend. He instinctually put his hands up to stop it but it came down on his glass facing him and it broke when it hit him. A piece of glass sliced the muscle or whatever it is that allows you to move your pointer finger.
Surgery was able to reconnect it so he can use his hand fully again but he was told flat out by the doctor this is an injury that will haunt him his entire life. And when my friend spoke to a lawyer he repeated what the doctor said and was told basically ain’t sh*t he can do about it.
He can sue for medical bills or years later when it starts to really bother him again he cant go after them again. He’s f*cked and now has an injury his entire life to deal with and the job wont do sh*t for it.”
13. Hard work.
“I’ve heard the pay is well but doing back-breaking work for so usually isn’t ideal.
It’s a very important and necessary job just doesn’t seem like one many think a lot about.”
14. As simple as that.
“I know it comes with some negative connotations, but construction work is a respectable job.
They build the houses we live in and the schools we learn and teach in.”
Alright, now we want to hear from all the readers out there.
In the comments, tell us what you think about this issue.
Please and thank you!
