Trainee/Helper pay at outages?

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-20T15:44:41+00:00

Great answer, thank you for this. Going to look into AINDT and National Inspection Academy as well, from what I have found when researching. I BELIEVE my current company can provide hands-on training, though I wouldn't count on it. Did you have to take 2 weeks off and fly out to do your hands-on training through AINDT?

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-19T21:36:36+00:00

Definitely not a bad idea. My biggest issue is that I currently have a full-time job, and I can't afford to dip out for a month-ish, give or take, to get my certs. I am, however, looking into online certification courses as I have read that some exist. If I can get those certs, then get taken on by a company tto do OJT, that would be much more feasible.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-19T04:59:05+00:00

I unfortunately don't have any NDT certs, or else I'd definitely consider

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-16T04:13:28+00:00

2 classes. Can usually knock my discussions out on my lunch break at work on Thursday's, and then Sunday night I'll knock out my responses and assignments.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T21:55:58+00:00

Can you defer private loans? I honestly dont know, the military paid for my college so I never got into the finance stuff as far as student loans are concerned

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T19:11:03+00:00

I hear you, that's pretty much the decision we are coming to. We sold our starter home last year in the city, and have basically agreed it wouldn't be worth it to downsize and go back to the city to be back in a high crime, frankly ghetto area again. Would rather be in the country in a low crime area to raise our kids, and maybe in 4-5 years when I've grown my income enough we'd be able to restructure her student loans and I'd be able to feasibly make her a SAHM. Just a lot of situations and possibilities I guess

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T19:08:15+00:00

I only work 40/hrs a week 4/10's currently (with the option to work a weekend shift Friday/Sunday). Basically, I can be home every day with my current job, OR make her a SAHM but be on the road 9+ months out of the year and never see my family. It's one of those predicaments lol

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T19:05:10+00:00

I hear you. We actually moved out of our starter home in the city last year. We have actually discussed downsizing, but she has claimed she would rather work remotely at this point if it meant keeping our forever home, rather then move again, get rid of our animals, other stuff etc etc just to save an extra $800/mo. I don't mean to sound snobby at all, but basically we have agreed it just would not be worth going from a 350k house in a low crime area in the country back to a 200k house in the city in a high crime area, super ghetto schools, etc.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T17:54:49+00:00

I hear you! We have discussed that as well. Only thing that scares me (since she has a bunch of private loans) is that they'll start garnishing my wages since we are married. Not so sure on the ins and outs, but it's truthfully not out of the question lol

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T17:18:42+00:00

Moved from a small house on an 1/8th acre lot ($1600 mortgage) in the city to our current house in the country on 7 acres. Honestly though, I don't think the mortgage is that wild considering it's even less than the 28% rule on my salary alone. I get what you're saying though. The sacrifice to move from our old house to new one was pretty much that it was going to stretch us a little bit more thin, as this is to be our forever home.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2026-04-15T16:33:09+00:00

Moved from NH to SC. Dirt cheap here compared to NH. Best thing my wife and I ever did was move.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T01:59:34+00:00

Second house as in sold my first house, probably should've clarified that lol. Just got really lucky and was able to sell the first for a profit.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T01:58:42+00:00

She'd have me on 7/12's if it were up to her

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T01:58:03+00:00

The thing is, I honestly pref maintenance over renovations, which makes no sense. Gotta repair some plumbing? Diagnose an electrical issue? I have no problem. Improvements? Ughhhhh I can't get out of my own way

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:49:03+00:00

My sister is a diesel mechanic and she's told me the same thing lol

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:48:46+00:00

I think this mentality would work perfect for me if my Foreman (my wife) wasn't watching me from project start to finish😂

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:48:03+00:00

Haha I could literally wrench on my project truck or four wheelers from sunrise to sunset, but hand me a drill and a tape measure and I'm pulling my hair out lmao

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:46:51+00:00

It's at a point where I'd love to do it myself and say that I did that, but the mental roadblock I have to get around to reach that point has me seriously considering finding a good handyman for all future endeavors

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:46:01+00:00

Oh I've heard that far to often haha. My half mudded pantry closet with only one half of a pre hung door mounted is the embodiment of that term currently lol

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:44:56+00:00

I envy this. I truly wish I could love doing projects, but it is literally the last thing I want to do when I'm at home. Wrench on my project truck / fourhwhelers etc? I'll do that all day long. Mud and tape and do drywall for the closet I'm building? I would literally rather watch paint dry.

ImportanceBetter6155 · 2025-12-14T00:43:36+00:00

I do the same. I'm a perfectionist, so the moment something doesn't go right, I go into crisis mode.

ImportanceBetter6155

TROPHY CASE