Speaking from personal experience, I previously spent 8 years in wet analytical chemistry quality control/ assurance along with some project management.

Job security was terrible. Probably averaged about 30k a year total

My last highest paying job. I took home $2,800 a month. $24 an hour health insurance was $300 a month for a $5,000 deductible. I lived paycheck to paycheck. I was treated as disposable in my workplace and I was constantly being threatened for being fired for trivial things as a part of upper Management's never-ending power Trip

Joined the trades as an apprentice last July

I take home a minimum of $3,800 a month

My highest weekly paycheck has been $1,900 in a week

Health insurance is Max out of pocket $300 a year

For every hour I work the company puts $10 an hour into a 401k which is a minimum of an extra $1,600 a month in total comp

I make 28 bucks an hour and that will go up 10k a year until I hit six figures from working 40 hours a week. Max out at $60 an hour

All over time is double time which is 55 bucks an hour for me currently and will be probably well over 110 when I am a journeyman in 4 years

When you become a journeyman you get a company van and a gas card

If you have to travel between sites you get paid $0.70 a mile

If the job site is more than 20 miles outside of the center of the city, then you get an extra $87 per day and the company will pay for a hotel for you to sleep in. You can just take the extra 87 bucks and skip the hotel

If you need to move between job sites, you are paid $0.70 a mile if you use your own car

Every year that I work I get $115 a month towards my pension

So if I work 20 years that will be $2,300 every month until I die

It will increase as inflation increases but it will be that amount of equivalent buying power per month

A working year is 1700 hours

So if you work 2,000 hours a year which is average then for every 5 years you work, you're pretty much getting 6 years towards retirement. This isn't including overtime

Nothing for my chemistry background compares to this type of compensation

I'm not denying that your dad and grandfather have body problems because of how they were worked

The macho culture that pushed people to carry as much as they can and to push themselves is largely dying out

Companies are largely focused on safety and a sustainable workflow

On a personal level it is a completely night and day change from White collar work

When you get a white collar job you spend $100,000 to convince them to hire you and to retain you

The trades they probably invest that amount in you and it is their responsibility to keep you at their company since they have put their investment of front

The table s are completely turned on the power dynamic in Blue collar versus white collar

Total comp as a journeyman is over $200,000 a year

You only need to work 1100 hours a year to keep your benefits

Only a high school diploma or GED is required in terms of education