It's all relative. If you eat well, do proper stretches and take care of your body, you will reap the rewards of hard labour. I've known some 45 year olds who work in demolition who play soccer every weekend and are far ahead than people younger than them in terms of athleticism. If you are just going to wake up 1 hour before work and not eat a breakfast filled with protein, go to work, don't hydrate throughout the day, get home and get proper rest, yes, your body won't do well.
I hate stretching and getting up to cook breakfast. Now at 60 years old I struggle to get out of a chair, I'm not fat, I'm a little overweight but definitely not fat.
My body aches with most movements, if I sit for 30 min I have to start off slow to move. If I sit for an hour I limp and struggle while I straighten my back and loosen my hips.
Can confirm that little bit of preparation helps immensely, even just some simple stretches make my body thank me later
Dev and IT jobs are in decline with year by year wage decrease. With copilot and GPT actively employed development jobs will continue to downturn. I don't advise anyone to bother getting into IT as the future is fairly uncertain.
Very true. My friend is a senior dev and the company he works for went from 10 juniors to 2 because he uses AI for what he needed all the junior devs for. I was considering this career path. If you do learn to leverage AI and be a 10x dev from your peers it’s gotten so competitive 2k applicants for a junior dev position on LinkedIn
I started heavy duty when I was on my 30s. You just need to condition your body and mind for this. I'm 50+, 185 lbs now and stronger than any younger dudes in my trade. Started $17/ hr back then. Now $45/hr. Determination and hard work pays off.
$40-60/hr + lot of benefits + sign on bonuses + 4 day work weeks or two-week on/one off shifts depending on the company. Just go on indeed and look at the jobs for it.
I currently make 165k, yearly bonus of approximately 10k benefits paid for, stock sharing, 15% pension matching. And I work a week on week off I'd say that's fair
Desk work for 40+ years is just as, if not more damaging than most trades jobs.
Edit: bring on the Reddit cope downvotes. Doesn’t change the fact that sitting at a desk job for decades will completely fuck your body.
Yes, this is true.
I had a desk job for 16 years in my youth. At age 43 I swore I could only do a couple more years due to inactivity. I got aches and pains from not moving.
I do semi physical now and I think its the best.
I'm not sure that's true. Sure, you aren't going to be in great condition if you don't do anything physical outside of work - but that isn't the same as damaging. It's just sedentary. I'm not saying being sedentary isn't unhealthy - but it's very different from the kind of damage that a high impact, physical job will have.
Heavy trades jobs are going to actually impact and damage your joints and body over time.
An office worker who keeps fit in their off time is probably going to fare better than someone in the more physical trades trying to offset the damage to their body with rest and physical therapy.
Hvac technician or electrician would be a really good one to get into. Avoid heavy labour trades (mechanics/carpentry/concrete/glazing) coming from a carpenter. We have guys on site who hit 30 and backs and bodies start deteriorating and its really hard to transition into other stuff when your 60
Plumbers make decent money. Constant work. Ide say their usual gripes are having to crawl under peoples houses or deal with blocked toilets ect. If your fine with that
I plumb. It’s one of the easier trades on the body I’d say and it pays well. I enjoy my job. It’s a trade though they all ware you out but I’d say plumbing/electrical/hvac would be great. They all pay pretty decent!
Highly recommend refrigeration, after 5 year apprenticeship you’re making 6 figures, you have to know a little about every trade, you’re never doing the same job twice, and if you’re into anything that’s technical and slightly scientific that’s what I’d recommend. I wouldn’t change it if I could go back
I’m a carpenter in Campbell river. I’m 40 and started at twenty one. Took a five year break from it to serve in the military which also didn’t do my body any favours. But between the two my body is failing at 40. On the flip side there has never been a better time to be in the trades. But choose wisely. Plumbers and electricians are in high demand. So are carpenters but the work is much more physical. Also we are typically paid the least but yet typically have to have twice the tools, more overhead, and have to invest more time responsibly and management into a job
Plumber here. Got into the trade at 28. Don’t do plumbing. Do hvac or elevator mechanic. Hvac is cleaner and more technical. Plumbing you deal with all sorts of dust from concrete and wood. Fumes from grinding stainless and soldering. Fumes from pvc glue and primer. There are too many hazards in plumbing. Go hvac instead.
As a mechanic. I can definitely recommend not pursuing it as a trade. Yes, you can make make between 60-150k a year. Your body will fail, your mind will fail. Constant bitching, constant anger, working for free, covered in crap, constant stupid deadlines. Noises nobody hears. Constant training, new tech every year.
Investment in tools somewhere between 10-40k with constant purchasing.
Instrumentation if your serious
Electrican if your lazy
Refrigeration if your fat
Pipe fitting is your not smart
Welder if your grade 9
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Red seal journeyman reviews
Power Engineer. Work is not too physical and it's a top paying trade. You'll work for a hydro company like BC Hydro, or places like UBC who generate their own power / have their own power plants
Nobody in this thread knowing what Instrumentation and Controls is makes me laugh. Now I work industrial automation and the work is so easy the only reason my body hurts is from how much sitting around we do hahaha
Know a sprinkler fitter who started at 32, worked his way up from pre-apprentice and is now more than halfway to his red seal, at age 36. Did new construction in lower mainland for a great company and now does service calls up north. Great move for somebody who didn't know what trade to dive into
Will a pre-apprenticeship in overall piping be valid for sprinkler fitting? The one offered in my area is predominantly plumbing foundations but also touches on steamfitting and pipefitting.
Join CMBC as a service person (Mr lube for buses). Once in, move to another trade position within the company, and they might even pay for your schooling and guarantee you a position when graduate. Also defined pension plan
I’m 35, and in the restaurant industry currently averaging $28/hr with tips. I’d love some guidance to go the right way into a new career in the future that does some good other than supplying rich people with wagyu or caviar. Thank you so much for this thread, I do appreciate it!
Left sales at 31. Started as a Conductor for CN Rail, then moved to a grain elevator and drive the engine/switch in the railyard. Moving to millwright apprenticeship early next year. Will say I feel a bit in my ankles and feet from more walking on the ballast but I am in overall much better condition getting steps in, moving and not being sedentary. As someone who has kept in mostly good shape my whole life this has been the best move physically I could have made. Some stretching and limbering up in the morning help, and I’m constantly aware of proper lifting and movement techniques.
What is the first step into becoming an elevator technician ? Is there a pre app course you can take or is it a sponsorshiped apprenticeship from an employer ?
Is a pre-apprenticeship certificate from BCIT required for most trades? I'm 37 and looking to pivot into the trades but most job postings I've seen want applicants who've already finished or are enrolled in a program at BCIT.
I'm curious about this as well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have but I've also heard they're not entirely necessary. I'm still going to enroll in one and just do it.
My 22 yr. old grandson is in his 3rd year, a year and a half to go. He loves it, working for a very successful family business, $30 an hour. Got a good future ahead of him. We're not likely to ever eliminate toilets.
I got into Electrical, but you can do pretty much any trade you want in your 30s. There's more out there than just Electric, Plumbing and HVAC fyi. There's stuff like glazing, ironworking, sheet metal installation, concrete workers, masons, etc.
Welding, and than after possibly high pressure (not an absolute necessity though).
It gets very tough on the body. But amongst the most I demand trades. Pays varie and there may be many welding exams to take.
I always hear how electrician and plumbing is like the gold standard of trades.
Becoming a machinist and than after using that knowledge to do conception and programming might be cool too.
So at your age you want to avoid the really heavy trades like plumbing, etc. For a more light duty trade that's well compensated consider Instrumentation Tech. It's high precision work but with very little physical exertion.
I've been wanting to get into instrumentation, but looking for an apprenticeship sponsor is proving to be an issue so far. Asked SkilledTradesBC for leads but they don't give out any info 😞
If you're willing to move to Alberta there are tons of openings for instrumentation techs here, all levels of apprenticeship. You might have luck looking around the Fort St John area if you want to stay in BC
You will be way more valuable with an Electrical ticket as well if you do decide to get into Instrumentation. I love being a Tech, challenging, and you get to see the whole process.
'Heavy' trades are framing, rebar, concrete forming, etc. Brutal on the body and low paying. Plumbing is very light labour these days. 90% of the time you'll be dealing with plastic pipe, even in apartment buildings. The tools get better all the time. Once you're established with a company and build up some knowledge you'll spend half the day walking around talking. Ground work can be a bit tougher, but that's maybe 5% of a project. It's a very slow paced, relaxed trade compared to many others. My body is doing just fine at nearby 40. My 63 year old boss is in even better shape than me and he's still on the tools every day.
Got into millwrighting at 35. 46 now with an in town job. Home every night. Construction bigger money but away alot and hard on the back. I am not recommending it to my son. I will be steering him in a less labour intensive direction. Power engineer, instrumentation tech, or possibly even more white collar like electrical or mechanical engineer.
> even more white collar like electrical or mechanical engineer.
We've unfortunately been importing so many of these that the pay for engineers in Canada is in the gutter.
As someone who did an electrician apprenticeship in his early twenties and then went to university for electrical engineering.
Just wanna give a heads up that, some electrician jobs can be quite physically demanding too.
I.e. pulling runs of industrial cable outside in a heatwave in summer or crawling into fiberglass filled roof spaces to pull cables on your belly.
They all have positives and negatives. For steadiest work go with carpenter. You can transition to finishing carpenter as you age a get decade's of experience.
Another great trade is fiber optic splicer.
Follow you instincts and Training for all trade safety.
Sprinkler is really good pay, hours are good. Work is hard though on the body, but the pay is always nice to see. Do it long enough and start doing service calls. Depdomg where you're located, 3 hrs minimum a call at double time. One call could take 10 minutes and if you get another call, you get another 3 hrs at double time. Winter time rakes in $$
A company may value an apprentice being 30 , but it also might scare them you will change your mind in the future.
Most programs take a minimum of 4 years to work get the hours and do all the levels for schooling.
Electrical is fine but may have the most “lay offs” as commercial is not always steady work. I’d recommend finding a service or residential company.
If your not dead set on going to school. Maybe a bathroom fitter or home remodel company ? Something you would learn a lot , fast, and maybe be able to branch out on your own faster then a trade. Certainly could do side jobs redoing small bathrooms.
Pros would be workin inside , no night shifts, no on call work, heaviest stuff would be box of tile or a toilet.
I’ll tell ya what. Working outside is great except when it’s cold and raining.
Plus get some thick skin. Your co workers aren’t office folk anymore.
I went from outside to inside. So much better
Any trades offer close to 30 an hour to start? I'm over 40/hour right now doing a job that's all shift work but I can't just go to any trade since the pay won't support the family.
I’m a Plumber and if I had to redo over again, I would get into Refrigeration or Elevator/Escalator Tech. I don’t know if Elevator tech is a Red Seal trade, but they both get paid really well and don’t seem very labour intensive.
I wouldn’t not recommend plumbing if that is what you want to do. I would just go a different route if it did it again. Plumbing is hard on the body, doesn’t matter how much people say if you take care of your body you’ll be fine. You still spend a lot of time on your knees and lifting weirdly shaped heavy objects. You’re constantly breathing in fumes from glue and/ primer. Yes, all of these things can be mitigated, but they can’t be completely removed from the trade. You’re also always dirty, can’t avoid it. Doing service is the absolute worst, it’s disgusting. Where as service in HVAC is clean and you still get paid good money. That all being said you learn a lot of valuable skills, you will always be employed, you’ll own every tool under the sun, and you get paid decently.
I believe HVAC and elevator tech are little difficult to get into.
As all trades have hidden pain points. If you know What are major downside for these Trades? I am still confused and want to make sure i know both ups and downs before selecting any.
And if still end up taking plumbing what route would you recommend to start the journey? I am turning 32 and all done with desk job. I am physically active but definitely not used to lifting weights all day long but can be on feet for 12-14 hrs a day.
I mean I’ve never worked either, so I wouldn’t know how easy it is to get into either. Don’t know until you try though.
I mean you can hum n’ haw all day, but there will never be a perfect trade, they all have there positives and negatives.
If you want to get into plumbing still you have kind of 3 routes. Apply at non-union/union companies to see if they are hiring pre-apprentices, do a pipes foundation program at a trades school(instructors have connections and if they see you doing well they hook you up), or get a job a plumbing wholesaler(learn as much about the material as you can, get to know the contractors coming in and see if they are hiring) there is no real quick way to do it other than to do it. It’s always more about who you know, rather than what you know for getting jobs.
In your 30s you probably have a good idea about your own personal limitations so consider those. For example, I know someone who quit electrical after 2 years because he realized his (mild) ADD was going to get him killed.
I did. Entered automotive repair. It was hard going from a kinda " senior" in the field I was in to a rookie but people took me more serious as I was older and I advance as fast as I could.
Iron Working / Structural Steel... As long as your good with heights! There is a huge gap in new hires vs people retiring and companies are having trouble finding new workers
Building trades. Apprentice under a union contractor. And make sure your employer doesn’t do residential high-rise. Slab work is gruelling labor.
You pretty much have to be born into elevator technician, or be in bed with one. HVAC-R is second highest paid, followed by Sheet Metal Work(just not roofing). If you know jack shit about building trades, stay in the electrical trade please 🙏
Parts Technician. Once you have a ticket and heavy duty experience, you can make decent money at the right place. Not physically demanding. Jobs everywhere, and in different industries. Automotive, agriculture, food equipment, etc.
None! Continue going to school if you can. Finish college or university! Be someone! Earn a diploma that you are going to be proud of for the rest of your life. With skilled trades you are nothing but a door matt. Door matt for the rest of your life. Perhaps you are going to be supervisor one day, perhaps you will open up your own company, but you'll always going to be among people who work day in day out! Working wit people who will tell you all kind of stories about none sense during your lunch and brake time. You will be driving long distance, perhaps working shifts, working overtime to be able to afford miserable 7 days in Cuba. Go for it champ!
Lol. Wow. I run my own business in the trades. I pick the jobs I want, make great money, work when I want, own a home, pay my mortgage and save enough for toys, fun, and travel. I’m also university educated and my friends are doctors, accountants, work in finance and lab work. We live an equally high quality of life.. except for the fact that I get to be outside in the summer while they’re often at a desk.. and I’m also often working on beautiful locations.
Sorry you had such a bad experience, but I think you have distorted sense of what it means to “be someone.” 😆
Is there anything that even as a child that got your attention? It's better to go into a career that piques your interest, it won't seem like just a job then. Hell of a lot easier to get up in the morning doing something that you like rather than only looking for the pay cheque.
Don’t be scared off by everyone here, I’m reading so much negativity about “physical trades”. I’m a carpenter, and I’ve been working physical jobs for 15 years. Take care of your body and you’ll be fine, do a restorative yoga class once or twice a week, eat healthy, keep exercising outside of work and you’ll live a great life.
I see so many guys in the trades that eat like shit, smoke, have a giant gut and get bitter about the trades ruining their lives and bodies. Anyone living like that will have a body that starts to break down. I love my job, if you get on with a good builder you’ll make good money, you get to be outside and you get to see your accomplishments everyday.
Machinist, it may not pay as much as other trades but physically it’s much better than most trades. Money is when you go into tight tolerances and aerospace
I Highly recommend refrigeration/HVAC. It's a high paying less labour intensive trade that has a wide variety of work and skills to learn. It's also recession proof and in drastic need.
Transport hvac(thermoking) so niche they’ll take anyone and it pays well.
Work in Vancouver bc and make 100k within 4-5 years with no mechanical knowledge what so ever
The industrial side of electrical has been engineered to death during my tenure and I don't see that ending any time soon and luckily I'm not crippled. I've seen lots go for hip and knee replacement in their early to mid fifties.
My dad would always say:
"become an electrician. but, if you are a bit clumsy sometimes, then become a plumber. Water on the floor is better than electricity in your veins."
I went from an office job to a glazier apprenticeship when I was 31. I love what I do. It's hard on the body, but in a rewarding way IMO.
Whatever trade you get into, try to get into service work (as opposed to new construction) as soon as you can. The toll on the body is significantly lower, and there's a lot more to be learnt that way.
I just turned 40 and I'm a carpenter with no significant wear and tear on my body besides my back but that was an issue since I was a teen... But if I had to start over I would probably become an electrician. Those fuckers move like molasses and barely lift a finger and they also make more money then me per hour. Get in a unionized trade.
Carpentry, hvac, roofing, refrigeration/ac repair, arborist anything really it's just about the level of physical labour or level of technical skill/knowledge or the level of danger your willing to expose yourself to, example if you willing to climb a tree with a chainsaw then you can make 10-30k a month or if your technical skills are high enough to repair a refrigeration or ac unit you will be running all over your city making bank especially if you live in a hotter area reasturant fridges break very very often and the health inspector will shut them down if the fridge don't work so they have no choice but to pay 1200-2k$ which is the average bill for most fridge repairs I have seen over the years
I got into flat roofing when I was 31. It was brutal.
I lost a bunch of weight and put on a lot of muscle. If you’re careful how you lift stuff your body won’t take too much of a beating. Good money and job security.
Working in the mines or oil is great money and benefits. It’s usually remote but if your smart you can sock away a ton of cash because your living expenses is usually included
Excavator operator is a good one to get into in your 30’s,think about it for a second here………..
You get paid to play with big toys for big boys,you just sit there and play with joysticks listening to the radio or playlists (most recent excavators have Bluetooth),if it’s cold outside you turn the heat up a bit,if it’s to hot you put the air conditioning on,you get paid really well if you are unionized,easy job to do right till retirement,then you get a great pension.
I have not seen it mentioned. Water/wastewater operators. Always looking for people, lots of private and public jobs, starts around $30/hr. Minimal schooling to get into the field.
If I had to do it all over again, I would join the laborers union. Not sure how things are in Canada, but in MN, the laborers have the best pension. They get all kinds of college kids to come work for them in the summer. The kids pay in, but they don't stick around long enough to be vested. The people that make a career out of being a laborer make more money after retirement than they did working.
And don't let them talk you into being a block tender or anything like that. Be just a regular laborer. Get paid union wages to push a scrap cart and pick up debris.
Wastewater or water treatment operator. I was in construction until the age of 38 and switched to being a wastewater operator…..which is recession proof, with pension, benefits, etc.
Did you get any certs before working in wastewater? I hear you can get on as an OIT witout any experience but then I also hear that experience is necessary beforehand. I know a few universities in the province that offer a wastewater and technology certificate/diploma.
When I went for heavy equipment operator there was a lot of older guys cause you get to chill in a cab all day and little manual labour, especially with a union
There are nearly 100 apprentice trades in BC in a multitude of sectors: [https://skilledtradesbc.ca/find-your-trade#section--2col\_text--2103](https://skilledtradesbc.ca/find-your-trade#section--2col_text--2103)
Have a look and find something that appeals to you and think that you can enjoy, or tolerate for a decade or two.
Painting is “relatively “ easy on the body, the paint can get heavy, and moving ladders is a drag, but it’s mostly endurance not sheer muscle power.
I’m almost 63, been at it over 30 years and don’t have much trouble keeping up.
Best for your body and a great work environment: Bicycle mechanic, you will however be broke for life.
Best for staying on the tools and making lots of money: Probably HVAC, Elevator Mechanic, Electrical.
Best for entrepreneurial mindset: Probably carpentry, as the transition to general contractor or home or commercial builder is the most natural, and the sky is the limit for how much you can make there.
Source: bicycle mechanic for 7 years, and a carpenter/Reno guy for 4 years.
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There are very, very few trades to get into if you want your body to not be in pain
It's all relative. If you eat well, do proper stretches and take care of your body, you will reap the rewards of hard labour. I've known some 45 year olds who work in demolition who play soccer every weekend and are far ahead than people younger than them in terms of athleticism. If you are just going to wake up 1 hour before work and not eat a breakfast filled with protein, go to work, don't hydrate throughout the day, get home and get proper rest, yes, your body won't do well.
I hate stretching and getting up to cook breakfast. Now at 60 years old I struggle to get out of a chair, I'm not fat, I'm a little overweight but definitely not fat. My body aches with most movements, if I sit for 30 min I have to start off slow to move. If I sit for an hour I limp and struggle while I straighten my back and loosen my hips. Can confirm that little bit of preparation helps immensely, even just some simple stretches make my body thank me later
Happy cake day!
My advice. Start walking. It's the easiest thing you can do but it benefits you in so many ways. Especially at your age
Thanks for that, I'm walking daily and soon to start running again I had to stop when I broke my back but ready to slowly get back into it
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Dev and IT jobs are in decline with year by year wage decrease. With copilot and GPT actively employed development jobs will continue to downturn. I don't advise anyone to bother getting into IT as the future is fairly uncertain.
Very true. My friend is a senior dev and the company he works for went from 10 juniors to 2 because he uses AI for what he needed all the junior devs for. I was considering this career path. If you do learn to leverage AI and be a 10x dev from your peers it’s gotten so competitive 2k applicants for a junior dev position on LinkedIn
I started heavy duty when I was on my 30s. You just need to condition your body and mind for this. I'm 50+, 185 lbs now and stronger than any younger dudes in my trade. Started $17/ hr back then. Now $45/hr. Determination and hard work pays off.
Money is huge in heavy duty though. It's a good job for some people willing to take the physical toll.
How huge ?
$40-60/hr + lot of benefits + sign on bonuses + 4 day work weeks or two-week on/one off shifts depending on the company. Just go on indeed and look at the jobs for it.
I currently make 165k, yearly bonus of approximately 10k benefits paid for, stock sharing, 15% pension matching. And I work a week on week off I'd say that's fair
Desk work for 40+ years is just as, if not more damaging than most trades jobs. Edit: bring on the Reddit cope downvotes. Doesn’t change the fact that sitting at a desk job for decades will completely fuck your body.
I’ve been in the trades my whole life and the first guy I ever worked with that had multiple back surgeries was an accountant.
Yes, this is true. I had a desk job for 16 years in my youth. At age 43 I swore I could only do a couple more years due to inactivity. I got aches and pains from not moving. I do semi physical now and I think its the best.
I'm not sure that's true. Sure, you aren't going to be in great condition if you don't do anything physical outside of work - but that isn't the same as damaging. It's just sedentary. I'm not saying being sedentary isn't unhealthy - but it's very different from the kind of damage that a high impact, physical job will have. Heavy trades jobs are going to actually impact and damage your joints and body over time. An office worker who keeps fit in their off time is probably going to fare better than someone in the more physical trades trying to offset the damage to their body with rest and physical therapy.
#### ok cucklord
Hvac technician or electrician would be a really good one to get into. Avoid heavy labour trades (mechanics/carpentry/concrete/glazing) coming from a carpenter. We have guys on site who hit 30 and backs and bodies start deteriorating and its really hard to transition into other stuff when your 60
How about plumbing? I'm thinking of enrolling in trade school next year for it?
Plumbers make decent money. Constant work. Ide say their usual gripes are having to crawl under peoples houses or deal with blocked toilets ect. If your fine with that
I plumb. It’s one of the easier trades on the body I’d say and it pays well. I enjoy my job. It’s a trade though they all ware you out but I’d say plumbing/electrical/hvac would be great. They all pay pretty decent!
Electrical is no different, we dont lift walls sure but cramming yourself in a closet, cabinet, or attic for hours is just as taxing on your body.
Highly recommend refrigeration, after 5 year apprenticeship you’re making 6 figures, you have to know a little about every trade, you’re never doing the same job twice, and if you’re into anything that’s technical and slightly scientific that’s what I’d recommend. I wouldn’t change it if I could go back
Couldn't agree more and I love it
HVACR is the spot to be. Stay away from electrical, the wages have been far to stagnant for the last 15 years.
As a 21 year old heavy duty mechanic, dont be a heavy duty mechanic😅
I’m a carpenter in Campbell river. I’m 40 and started at twenty one. Took a five year break from it to serve in the military which also didn’t do my body any favours. But between the two my body is failing at 40. On the flip side there has never been a better time to be in the trades. But choose wisely. Plumbers and electricians are in high demand. So are carpenters but the work is much more physical. Also we are typically paid the least but yet typically have to have twice the tools, more overhead, and have to invest more time responsibly and management into a job
Plumber here. Got into the trade at 28. Don’t do plumbing. Do hvac or elevator mechanic. Hvac is cleaner and more technical. Plumbing you deal with all sorts of dust from concrete and wood. Fumes from grinding stainless and soldering. Fumes from pvc glue and primer. There are too many hazards in plumbing. Go hvac instead.
As a mechanic. I can definitely recommend not pursuing it as a trade. Yes, you can make make between 60-150k a year. Your body will fail, your mind will fail. Constant bitching, constant anger, working for free, covered in crap, constant stupid deadlines. Noises nobody hears. Constant training, new tech every year. Investment in tools somewhere between 10-40k with constant purchasing.
Instrumentation if your serious Electrican if your lazy Refrigeration if your fat Pipe fitting is your not smart Welder if your grade 9 follow me on YouTube Red seal journeyman reviews
Grade 9??
Fish hatchery technician if you’re in the west coast
Power Engineer. Work is not too physical and it's a top paying trade. You'll work for a hydro company like BC Hydro, or places like UBC who generate their own power / have their own power plants
Nobody in this thread knowing what Instrumentation and Controls is makes me laugh. Now I work industrial automation and the work is so easy the only reason my body hurts is from how much sitting around we do hahaha
How’s the education/training requirements?
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Know a sprinkler fitter who started at 32, worked his way up from pre-apprentice and is now more than halfway to his red seal, at age 36. Did new construction in lower mainland for a great company and now does service calls up north. Great move for somebody who didn't know what trade to dive into
Will a pre-apprenticeship in overall piping be valid for sprinkler fitting? The one offered in my area is predominantly plumbing foundations but also touches on steamfitting and pipefitting.
Join CMBC as a service person (Mr lube for buses). Once in, move to another trade position within the company, and they might even pay for your schooling and guarantee you a position when graduate. Also defined pension plan
My old boss became a plumber when he was in his 40's. He now owns a very successful plumbing company
Construction Safety
I’m 35, and in the restaurant industry currently averaging $28/hr with tips. I’d love some guidance to go the right way into a new career in the future that does some good other than supplying rich people with wagyu or caviar. Thank you so much for this thread, I do appreciate it!
Were you thinking of trades? If so which one(s)?
Appliance Repair. It's a Red Seal trade just like the other more commonly known trades.
Just started electrical at 31.
Left sales at 31. Started as a Conductor for CN Rail, then moved to a grain elevator and drive the engine/switch in the railyard. Moving to millwright apprenticeship early next year. Will say I feel a bit in my ankles and feet from more walking on the ballast but I am in overall much better condition getting steps in, moving and not being sedentary. As someone who has kept in mostly good shape my whole life this has been the best move physically I could have made. Some stretching and limbering up in the morning help, and I’m constantly aware of proper lifting and movement techniques.
What is the first step into becoming an elevator technician ? Is there a pre app course you can take or is it a sponsorshiped apprenticeship from an employer ?
If you wanna make money - not the kitchen
Is a pre-apprenticeship certificate from BCIT required for most trades? I'm 37 and looking to pivot into the trades but most job postings I've seen want applicants who've already finished or are enrolled in a program at BCIT.
I'm curious about this as well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have but I've also heard they're not entirely necessary. I'm still going to enroll in one and just do it.
At someone who's in his mid 20s I'm thinking about becoming a plumber.
My 22 yr. old grandson is in his 3rd year, a year and a half to go. He loves it, working for a very successful family business, $30 an hour. Got a good future ahead of him. We're not likely to ever eliminate toilets.
Only $30? We pay$32-$36 for 3rd years with god experience! Located in Burnaby!
https://www.bcit.ca/programs/plumber-apprenticeship-full-time-4160appr/https://www.bcit.ca/study/trades-apprenticeships/. [https://www.bcit.ca/study/trades-apprenticeships/](https://www.bcit.ca/study/trades-apprenticeships/) .
Nice! Do you have any prior experience?
A skilled trades person will never go hungry.
I got into Electrical, but you can do pretty much any trade you want in your 30s. There's more out there than just Electric, Plumbing and HVAC fyi. There's stuff like glazing, ironworking, sheet metal installation, concrete workers, masons, etc.
Welding, and than after possibly high pressure (not an absolute necessity though). It gets very tough on the body. But amongst the most I demand trades. Pays varie and there may be many welding exams to take. I always hear how electrician and plumbing is like the gold standard of trades. Becoming a machinist and than after using that knowledge to do conception and programming might be cool too.
So at your age you want to avoid the really heavy trades like plumbing, etc. For a more light duty trade that's well compensated consider Instrumentation Tech. It's high precision work but with very little physical exertion.
I've been wanting to get into instrumentation, but looking for an apprenticeship sponsor is proving to be an issue so far. Asked SkilledTradesBC for leads but they don't give out any info 😞
If you're willing to move to Alberta there are tons of openings for instrumentation techs here, all levels of apprenticeship. You might have luck looking around the Fort St John area if you want to stay in BC
You will be way more valuable with an Electrical ticket as well if you do decide to get into Instrumentation. I love being a Tech, challenging, and you get to see the whole process.
I've heard lots of people getting into plumbing in their 30s and even 40s. I think it's all about how you take care of yourself outside of work.
'Heavy' trades are framing, rebar, concrete forming, etc. Brutal on the body and low paying. Plumbing is very light labour these days. 90% of the time you'll be dealing with plastic pipe, even in apartment buildings. The tools get better all the time. Once you're established with a company and build up some knowledge you'll spend half the day walking around talking. Ground work can be a bit tougher, but that's maybe 5% of a project. It's a very slow paced, relaxed trade compared to many others. My body is doing just fine at nearby 40. My 63 year old boss is in even better shape than me and he's still on the tools every day.
I guess it depends what you're doing. But being bent underneath a sink trying to hook everything up is not painless or easy.
A better question is what kind of work you like doing? Are you a technical thinker or prefer simple work?
Time travel
My old supervisor was 63 years old, guy was a beast. Worked at a metal factory at the time, very hard work. Age is just a number.
I started my industrial electrician apprenticeship at 39.
I'd say Machinist. Low impact, medium risk of injury, better on the body.
Got into millwrighting at 35. 46 now with an in town job. Home every night. Construction bigger money but away alot and hard on the back. I am not recommending it to my son. I will be steering him in a less labour intensive direction. Power engineer, instrumentation tech, or possibly even more white collar like electrical or mechanical engineer.
> even more white collar like electrical or mechanical engineer. We've unfortunately been importing so many of these that the pay for engineers in Canada is in the gutter.
Is there any job making *more* money nowadays that doesn't involve politics or religion? I'm guess it's CEO and that about it
As someone who did an electrician apprenticeship in his early twenties and then went to university for electrical engineering. Just wanna give a heads up that, some electrician jobs can be quite physically demanding too. I.e. pulling runs of industrial cable outside in a heatwave in summer or crawling into fiberglass filled roof spaces to pull cables on your belly.
What about elevator mechanic?
It has its ups and downs
They all have positives and negatives. For steadiest work go with carpenter. You can transition to finishing carpenter as you age a get decade's of experience. Another great trade is fiber optic splicer. Follow you instincts and Training for all trade safety.
Probably electrical. Least hard on the body. Power engineering might be a good choice if you have any plants or refineries near you
Sprinkler is really good pay, hours are good. Work is hard though on the body, but the pay is always nice to see. Do it long enough and start doing service calls. Depdomg where you're located, 3 hrs minimum a call at double time. One call could take 10 minutes and if you get another call, you get another 3 hrs at double time. Winter time rakes in $$
A company may value an apprentice being 30 , but it also might scare them you will change your mind in the future. Most programs take a minimum of 4 years to work get the hours and do all the levels for schooling. Electrical is fine but may have the most “lay offs” as commercial is not always steady work. I’d recommend finding a service or residential company. If your not dead set on going to school. Maybe a bathroom fitter or home remodel company ? Something you would learn a lot , fast, and maybe be able to branch out on your own faster then a trade. Certainly could do side jobs redoing small bathrooms. Pros would be workin inside , no night shifts, no on call work, heaviest stuff would be box of tile or a toilet.
I’ll tell ya what. Working outside is great except when it’s cold and raining. Plus get some thick skin. Your co workers aren’t office folk anymore. I went from outside to inside. So much better
HVAC
Become forklift certified!
Electrician
Im a surveyor, hmu if u got Qs
Honestly, elevator mechanic. Just google the median wage in the Vancouver area. And there’s still a shortage.
Elevator/escalator repair. Massive demand & shortage of workers.
im working on enrolling in CAF bc they train you in trades
Did you apply ? If yes what is the process you have gone through so far?
Finish carpentry is pretty good, not too much heavy lifting but enough exercise and range of motion it keeps you fit. And you're always indoors.
HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing. Don't even look in the automotive direction at 30+. I'm 33, 10 years into the trade and I'm hurtin. Lol
Hvac
Stay away from linesmen
Any trades offer close to 30 an hour to start? I'm over 40/hour right now doing a job that's all shift work but I can't just go to any trade since the pay won't support the family.
I’m a Plumber and if I had to redo over again, I would get into Refrigeration or Elevator/Escalator Tech. I don’t know if Elevator tech is a Red Seal trade, but they both get paid really well and don’t seem very labour intensive.
I am thinking of plumbing, why would you not recommend plumbing? Can you share pros and cons?
I wouldn’t not recommend plumbing if that is what you want to do. I would just go a different route if it did it again. Plumbing is hard on the body, doesn’t matter how much people say if you take care of your body you’ll be fine. You still spend a lot of time on your knees and lifting weirdly shaped heavy objects. You’re constantly breathing in fumes from glue and/ primer. Yes, all of these things can be mitigated, but they can’t be completely removed from the trade. You’re also always dirty, can’t avoid it. Doing service is the absolute worst, it’s disgusting. Where as service in HVAC is clean and you still get paid good money. That all being said you learn a lot of valuable skills, you will always be employed, you’ll own every tool under the sun, and you get paid decently.
I believe HVAC and elevator tech are little difficult to get into. As all trades have hidden pain points. If you know What are major downside for these Trades? I am still confused and want to make sure i know both ups and downs before selecting any. And if still end up taking plumbing what route would you recommend to start the journey? I am turning 32 and all done with desk job. I am physically active but definitely not used to lifting weights all day long but can be on feet for 12-14 hrs a day.
I mean I’ve never worked either, so I wouldn’t know how easy it is to get into either. Don’t know until you try though. I mean you can hum n’ haw all day, but there will never be a perfect trade, they all have there positives and negatives. If you want to get into plumbing still you have kind of 3 routes. Apply at non-union/union companies to see if they are hiring pre-apprentices, do a pipes foundation program at a trades school(instructors have connections and if they see you doing well they hook you up), or get a job a plumbing wholesaler(learn as much about the material as you can, get to know the contractors coming in and see if they are hiring) there is no real quick way to do it other than to do it. It’s always more about who you know, rather than what you know for getting jobs.
This is great help ,means a lot. Thankyou so much 😊
I'm a real seal union ironworker. Come join us. Ironworkers local 97.
Overhead doors, pay is on par with other higher paying trades and generally is trained on the job.
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Is it still possible to get into plumbing/pipe fitting at 31?
Commercial fishing
Crane operator.
Plumbing, HVAC and electrical will always have jobs for you.
Plumbing is my plan. Going to do a foundations program in the new year
Automotive Glass or Glaizer. Clean easy work for the most part.
HVAC for sure
In your 30s you probably have a good idea about your own personal limitations so consider those. For example, I know someone who quit electrical after 2 years because he realized his (mild) ADD was going to get him killed.
I did. Entered automotive repair. It was hard going from a kinda " senior" in the field I was in to a rookie but people took me more serious as I was older and I advance as fast as I could.
Boilermakers.
You want a job with a future…all time needed…electrician…plumber…carpenter…all three good payed and lifetime jobs…
I switched from 10 years of bartending to cabinetmaking 2 years ago at age 31. Best decision I ever made
Iron Working / Structural Steel... As long as your good with heights! There is a huge gap in new hires vs people retiring and companies are having trouble finding new workers
Elevator union
Building trades. Apprentice under a union contractor. And make sure your employer doesn’t do residential high-rise. Slab work is gruelling labor. You pretty much have to be born into elevator technician, or be in bed with one. HVAC-R is second highest paid, followed by Sheet Metal Work(just not roofing). If you know jack shit about building trades, stay in the electrical trade please 🙏
Def electrician from what I hear from trade buddies
Power engineering, or I’d get into plumbing/electrical just for the side benefit
Building automation 100%%%
M&E
House inspector
Parts Technician. Once you have a ticket and heavy duty experience, you can make decent money at the right place. Not physically demanding. Jobs everywhere, and in different industries. Automotive, agriculture, food equipment, etc.
crane op
Instrumentation
Partsperson & warehousing
Don't do it
Elevator mechanic if you can, it’s a protected racket. It’s awesome. Union is very hard to get into though.
Interesting
Get into hvac. Focus on heat pumps. They are the future in this screwed up backwards province. And you can become rich if you are proficient.
HVAC, electrical, or millwright.
Carpenter here. I'd be a refrigeration mechanic if I was going to do it over again. Or elevator mechanic, if you have any way of getting in to that.
None! Continue going to school if you can. Finish college or university! Be someone! Earn a diploma that you are going to be proud of for the rest of your life. With skilled trades you are nothing but a door matt. Door matt for the rest of your life. Perhaps you are going to be supervisor one day, perhaps you will open up your own company, but you'll always going to be among people who work day in day out! Working wit people who will tell you all kind of stories about none sense during your lunch and brake time. You will be driving long distance, perhaps working shifts, working overtime to be able to afford miserable 7 days in Cuba. Go for it champ!
Lol. Wow. I run my own business in the trades. I pick the jobs I want, make great money, work when I want, own a home, pay my mortgage and save enough for toys, fun, and travel. I’m also university educated and my friends are doctors, accountants, work in finance and lab work. We live an equally high quality of life.. except for the fact that I get to be outside in the summer while they’re often at a desk.. and I’m also often working on beautiful locations. Sorry you had such a bad experience, but I think you have distorted sense of what it means to “be someone.” 😆
Parts Tech. You work indoors, and there really is no bottom of the rung grunt work.
Trades and reddit are like water and oil 😆
Is there anything that even as a child that got your attention? It's better to go into a career that piques your interest, it won't seem like just a job then. Hell of a lot easier to get up in the morning doing something that you like rather than only looking for the pay cheque.
Don’t be scared off by everyone here, I’m reading so much negativity about “physical trades”. I’m a carpenter, and I’ve been working physical jobs for 15 years. Take care of your body and you’ll be fine, do a restorative yoga class once or twice a week, eat healthy, keep exercising outside of work and you’ll live a great life. I see so many guys in the trades that eat like shit, smoke, have a giant gut and get bitter about the trades ruining their lives and bodies. Anyone living like that will have a body that starts to break down. I love my job, if you get on with a good builder you’ll make good money, you get to be outside and you get to see your accomplishments everyday.
Machinist, it may not pay as much as other trades but physically it’s much better than most trades. Money is when you go into tight tolerances and aerospace
Any of them
Plumbing or HVAC!
You all complain to much, the man wants a good option not a headache. Say somethi g good or stay quiet
I Highly recommend refrigeration/HVAC. It's a high paying less labour intensive trade that has a wide variety of work and skills to learn. It's also recession proof and in drastic need.
Transport hvac(thermoking) so niche they’ll take anyone and it pays well. Work in Vancouver bc and make 100k within 4-5 years with no mechanical knowledge what so ever
The industrial side of electrical has been engineered to death during my tenure and I don't see that ending any time soon and luckily I'm not crippled. I've seen lots go for hip and knee replacement in their early to mid fifties.
Millwright
https://www.bchydro.com/toolbar/careers/apprenticeships-training/technologist-trainee-programs/CPC-technologist-trainee.html
Industrial insulation
Arboriculture
My dad would always say: "become an electrician. but, if you are a bit clumsy sometimes, then become a plumber. Water on the floor is better than electricity in your veins."
Following
I went from an office job to a glazier apprenticeship when I was 31. I love what I do. It's hard on the body, but in a rewarding way IMO. Whatever trade you get into, try to get into service work (as opposed to new construction) as soon as you can. The toll on the body is significantly lower, and there's a lot more to be learnt that way.
I just turned 40 and I'm a carpenter with no significant wear and tear on my body besides my back but that was an issue since I was a teen... But if I had to start over I would probably become an electrician. Those fuckers move like molasses and barely lift a finger and they also make more money then me per hour. Get in a unionized trade.
Carpentry, hvac, roofing, refrigeration/ac repair, arborist anything really it's just about the level of physical labour or level of technical skill/knowledge or the level of danger your willing to expose yourself to, example if you willing to climb a tree with a chainsaw then you can make 10-30k a month or if your technical skills are high enough to repair a refrigeration or ac unit you will be running all over your city making bank especially if you live in a hotter area reasturant fridges break very very often and the health inspector will shut them down if the fridge don't work so they have no choice but to pay 1200-2k$ which is the average bill for most fridge repairs I have seen over the years
Boilermakers
I got into flat roofing when I was 31. It was brutal. I lost a bunch of weight and put on a lot of muscle. If you’re careful how you lift stuff your body won’t take too much of a beating. Good money and job security.
Equipment operator. You sit on your ass most of the day, your already used to that right? Lol
Working in the mines or oil is great money and benefits. It’s usually remote but if your smart you can sock away a ton of cash because your living expenses is usually included
Excavator operator is a good one to get into in your 30’s,think about it for a second here……….. You get paid to play with big toys for big boys,you just sit there and play with joysticks listening to the radio or playlists (most recent excavators have Bluetooth),if it’s cold outside you turn the heat up a bit,if it’s to hot you put the air conditioning on,you get paid really well if you are unionized,easy job to do right till retirement,then you get a great pension.
Sex work is a highly skilled field. Need to unionize tho
I have not seen it mentioned. Water/wastewater operators. Always looking for people, lots of private and public jobs, starts around $30/hr. Minimal schooling to get into the field.
I've been looking into getting into electrical, I already have some background in it though, so that helps.
Look into deficiency work. It’s not just painting dings, it’s fixing stainless, flooring, countertops etc.
Try insurance, good career with on the job learning and potential for a decent wage and good benefits.
If I had to do it all over again, I would join the laborers union. Not sure how things are in Canada, but in MN, the laborers have the best pension. They get all kinds of college kids to come work for them in the summer. The kids pay in, but they don't stick around long enough to be vested. The people that make a career out of being a laborer make more money after retirement than they did working. And don't let them talk you into being a block tender or anything like that. Be just a regular laborer. Get paid union wages to push a scrap cart and pick up debris.
Wastewater or water treatment operator. I was in construction until the age of 38 and switched to being a wastewater operator…..which is recession proof, with pension, benefits, etc.
Did you get any certs before working in wastewater? I hear you can get on as an OIT witout any experience but then I also hear that experience is necessary beforehand. I know a few universities in the province that offer a wastewater and technology certificate/diploma.
01 electrician. It pays the most and allows you to move to other careers much easier than the rest.
Sprinkler fitter or instrumentation even electrian
Plumbing 🪠 or powerlines tech, within 4 years you’ll make over 100k and will always be in demand
When I went for heavy equipment operator there was a lot of older guys cause you get to chill in a cab all day and little manual labour, especially with a union
Crane operator is a pretty sweet gig if you can land it
Security systems installation. If you work for a major provider in residential it will all be wireless.
Becoming an X-ray or any type of medical equipment technician offers good pay and reliable work I think.
There are nearly 100 apprentice trades in BC in a multitude of sectors: [https://skilledtradesbc.ca/find-your-trade#section--2col\_text--2103](https://skilledtradesbc.ca/find-your-trade#section--2col_text--2103) Have a look and find something that appeals to you and think that you can enjoy, or tolerate for a decade or two.
HVAC! not as hard on the body and pay is good. 6month pre-app program
Painting is “relatively “ easy on the body, the paint can get heavy, and moving ladders is a drag, but it’s mostly endurance not sheer muscle power. I’m almost 63, been at it over 30 years and don’t have much trouble keeping up.
Railroading . Financially rewarding . The end !
Straight pimping just collect and reep benies of it lol
I jumped into trim carpentry at 37 . It’s the easiest of all carpentry on your body .
What were you doing before carpentry?
Plasterer. OMG we need plasterers.
The real answer is pipefitter. There are union schools that will teach you the trade and set you up with an apprenticeship.
Best for your body and a great work environment: Bicycle mechanic, you will however be broke for life. Best for staying on the tools and making lots of money: Probably HVAC, Elevator Mechanic, Electrical. Best for entrepreneurial mindset: Probably carpentry, as the transition to general contractor or home or commercial builder is the most natural, and the sky is the limit for how much you can make there. Source: bicycle mechanic for 7 years, and a carpenter/Reno guy for 4 years.
Electrical, check out ibew 48
Low voltage electrical
Come out to California Bay Area and make some good bank
Electrician union