Advice for entering into trade

DennisS

I currently work in the oil heat industry and want to enter the plumbing industry and purse my journeymens license in MA. What I would like to know is what does the average jouneyman plumber earn a year? Should I work for a large or small shop?
Pros and cons to commercial or residential work? Where is the big focus now a days if any?

Any advice or insight at all would be great.

-Joe

masterplumb

Advice

In Westchester County N.Y. the average Journeyman Plumber can make up to 40/hr plus benefits. As far as working for a large or small shop I would suggest a bigger shop because there are more people/ideas to learn from, better benefits, longer rotation on the on call schedule, etc. I prefer residential work over commercial. I would also try to get into a company that does A/C as well. The more you learn, the more valuable you become, the more money you can make. Good luck to you, its a long but fun "journey". Chris

Mark Wolff

Res/Comm

I prefer commercial myself. You can really get into a job and not deal with short cycling (unload tools, work, load tools, etc) you get on a job and you stay on a job a lot longer. Also the skills aquired on commercial work leave you more adequately prepared for any situation you could encounter. Residential work limits you knowledge base and point of reference. Not to slam residential, everybody has their own preference; just remember that asking people doing each type will help you understand what the pros and cons are, which will help you make a more informed decision.

P.S. Commercial always makes more money than residential.

clammy

do everything

learn everything you can and listen to what and why guys do things the way they do and never stop reading because no one ever woke up and knew it all nobody and as for what type of work to do do what you get the most enjoyment out of do what turns you on and do what at the end of the day gives you satisfaction and strive to do work that you could tolerate to look at in your home or commerical building s and try to become a master of all aspects of the trade and know when you have to call in for reforcements but always take pride and realize it's not all about the money it's about entering into a honarable trade that's usally not true apprecitated by the people you serve and as for what type of comapany to work for one that stands and takes care of there employes not just profiters using and exploting there workers and another thing never doubte yourswelf cause you is all you got out there good luck out there it's all good all of it from a/c to plumbing to strickly heating to servicing it all good luck but just remenber ya got ask question along the way nobody did ity nall alone peace