Went to school for a trade, took me close to 2 years to find a job. Same problem. Everyone wanted experience, but nobody was wiling to take me on. Most of them also told me to come back after a few years and they would treat me and pay me better than wherever I found work. This was also when the economy was quite good before the 08 collapse. What a bunch of slime balls. They wanted everything for nothing. That's not how the world works. I never went back to any of them.
I ended up getting a job in my field, only because of coincidence and an old family connection, even though the individual from that company wasn't tied to my family in any manner. It wasn't what I was looking for at all. It was at the very bottom of the list within the industry. Always outside in the heat and cold, rain or shine. Lot's of manual labor, enough to leave you sore and dead tired at the end of the day. 12-14 hours per day, 6-7 days a week. Always on the road for weeks at a time and never being home. Pay that wasn't all that much higher than minimum wage at the time. It sucked, but in the end, was totally worth it.
Due to the 08 collapse, plenty of people I worked with over the years had no intentions whatsoever of ending up in the trades, and were headed in completely different directions prior, but things don't always work out the way you think or are told, and that's just life. Some of them downright hated the work, couldn't stand it, but they didn't have a lot of choice. Now most of them, after a few years or more of any OT they could get their hands on, and as much saving as possible, used that for more schooling to head in yet another direction that they felt was more likely to work out in the future.
The world isn't made to cater to you or anyone, you have to cater to the world. That's how it works. If you want to be wealthy, respected, etc, you need to find a way to cater to as many people as possible, as efficiently as possible. This doesn't happen overnight, and the world makes you work for it, unless your born rich or have connections of course. You also gain experience and respect that you never would otherwise by starting at the bottom. That, and the people at the middle or top who've already worked their way up there, aren't giving it up for you, and if you want it, your going to have to earn it and take it, that's for sure.
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, isn't just some random saying. People have to do whatever they need to, to survive, and to thrive. Anyone who is under the impression that the working world is going to welcome you with open arms and hand you the keys to the castle are dead wrong. Human beings are animals as well and take what they can get, based on how strong and intelligent they are. As much as it sucks, and as depressing as it can be, you have to come to the realization that you will always work for the world, and it will never work for you, unless you invent something awesome or end up a CEO down the road, then you truly call the shots, but definitely don't count on it.
*I should also mention during those 2 years I was looking for work, I worked on the family farm. Farming during the spring, summer, fall, and logging during the winter. Mostly manual labor at minimum wage as well. No riding in the tractor all day, no family bonus. My parents made sure I understood what it was like to start at the bottom and how much it sucked, and it helped me to realize what it was worth to try even harder and better myself to get to a place where I didn't have to worry eventually.
Last edited by EricHiggin - on 25 March 2019
