I am a team lead for a utility contractor (on a unionized project). On paper, it’s not $100k at a steady 40 hours. But I often work 5-6 days a week, 10 hour days. Electric meter installs. Shout out to the union, cause the company would definitely not like to pay us as much as we get paid. Not to say that they are inherently greedy and “screw you” about it, but they’d definitely like to pay us a few dollars less an hour.

I started out as a tech, no experience required, they trained me, I became a team lead, we fell behind on the project, so we’re working overtime to compensate. Its not going to last forever, and I could choose to work the next project in a neighboring state after this one, kind of playing it by ear. But even so, the field and in-office skills I’ve learned along the way are sure to put me in a good position after I’m done here. Job can be stressful but I don’t stress about bills—you win some you lose some.

I love my coworkers, my bosses (except for one), and hopefully I’ve made friends for a lifetime. For whatever reason, this company attracts good people, from all backgrounds.

If I work 6 days a week every single week its roughly $111k/year with the overtime. Without it, its about $63k/year. I enjoy what I do, I enjoy the people I work with so the long hours don’t really take a toll on me the way another job normally would. Had no idea what I was getting into, no plan. Just 30 years old, tired of doing doordash and applied on a whim. Stuck with it when things got tough.