dying trades

[Nicky S]

well it is not looking good for me then i havent finished collage yet and the jobs are going. never gonig to be a sparky

I'm thinking of joining forces with a mate and going out repossessing vehicles and equipment on behalf of finance companies. My mate has done it before, during the last recession, and says it's good money. He's currently a loans manager, and when things take a turn for the worst in that business he turns to the other side and pulls in what hasn't been paid for.

Sounds ideal to me.

I personally think there's a difference between dying 'careers' and dying 'trades'.
Let's face it, the idea of a 'job for life' within a company began to go the way of the Dodo a fair few years ago, even the Forces was a far less secure career even 15 years ago.

Trades, by that I mean those that imply a level of craftsmanship, have been heading that way since the Industrial Revolution - it just has taken some more than others.
What is sad is that it only take's one generation for vital knowledge and experience to be lost. If it's not passed on to an apprentice, it's gone - and yet it can take many more years and research to try to get it back...
... even then we aren't sure we are right.

See - come the appolocalypse we are going to need these craftsmen so we need to preserve their knowledge now...
... I suggest we freeze them in carbonite.

[G]

It certainly not good for trades in construction at the moment.

Lots and I mean LOTS of jobs are being put on hold, not going past planning or being scrapped altogether even if they are on site.

I have heard of people being made redundant and then going to london to get in with one of the contractors on the olympic framework and earning twice what they were earning though.

My Dad is a site manager and is getting calls from agencies every couple of day's offering him jobs, so things can't be too bad. It's mainly government stuff- schools, hospitals etc.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Bibio

blacksmithing is going down the pan too... bloody chinese rubbish..

just cant compete ... price of steel is threw the roof.. ppl wont pay for quality craftsmenship any more.

I met a farrier the other weekend - theres return work for a blacksmith - shoeing horses every 6-8 weeks - he reckons he is shoeing 30 horses a week!

this yr has been the busiest ever ...untill now.
Everythin has slowwed down,but its a good job I am a tight wad and have saved to cover me on times like this.
Now where did I leave my bike keys

[timwilky]

Talking to a neighbour yesterday who owns a plant glazing company. He is telling me they are about 1000 quid a month down on last year with the run down on construction sites and the associated broken windows his company fixes. So he is covering wages at present. But bonuses are a no no.

Originally Posted by Wideboy

so anyone want to take on a joiner?

The Royal Engineers

[Wideboy]

Originally Posted by TonyS

+1

My cousin is a joiner in Newcastle and he's earning £200 per day shop fitting (you need to work through the night though).

i was a shop fitter a while back, money is good but hours are stupid, shop fitters are either young, alcoholics or divorced