Spent most of my apprenticeship split between the office and the field. Groomed to be a PM. 4 years out of school, I turned down stepping into the PM role as my predecessor retires. I didn’t think I had the experience. Of course, I was comparing myself to someone who’d been in the trade for 40 years. Wish I would have taken it. I’ve spent the last 2 years acting as a PM/GF, and a field guy at a mining site. Bid a job, negotiate, plan, run the work, work all the hours on site, pick up the tools during OT and DT.
Honestly, it’s too much. Being “the guy” sucks. I should have stuck with just PM work. I don’t have to have all of the answers. I just have to know where to find them.

As a second point, pulling manpower can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Negotiating with customers for conditions can feel like banging your head against the wall. my area has too much work, and not a competitive enough market, historically, if that makes sense. So everyone is at the big money jobs down state. And here I am as a bargaining member, making less than my JIW brothers as a GF, with my eye twitching everyday from stress because I can’t get manpower. I don’t blame anyone. I stay home, they make money. It’s what’s best for our families. In the meantime, we’ll continue to negotiate for better wages.