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Where will the carpenters of the future come from?
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I'd like us to remember that immigrants built this country. There's nothing wrong with carpenters of any extraction or orientation, so long as they can and will build to code, builder specs, and homeowners' (yes, them again) wishes.
But as for the future, Keith and all concerned should delight at the fact that universities are turning out plenty of trainable and reliable though unskilled laborers. This may sound odd at first. I, my own self, didn't exactly aspire to be a carpenter at that time. But after toiling away in various degrees of misery for a number of years at office jobs and similarly dissatisfying work, I signed onto a small remodelling company and haven't regretted it once, excluding the all times I got mineral wool down my shorts during tear-outs (I know, I know, I'm doing something wrong). It all sounds so hokey, "work with your hands" and all that. But it is real, honest work that serves a tangible purpose, and that's what keeps me going every time I staple my finger to someone's roof.
More than anything, though, I'm gald I never took an architecture class in college. Talk about walking the short road to ruin!
-DS
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I used to do construction and remodeling and I was good at it. I still get calls 15 years later begging me to remodel a kitchen or build a deck. Then my Dad convinced me that it was dirty grueling work best left to those with less education and lower IQs. Now here I am, stuck in an office all day. I just don't get that feeling of satisfaction I got from actually building something. I'm planning to build a house I designed next year and it's really stressing me out that I won't be able to build it myself. My goal is to save up enough money so I can take an early retirement and go back to doing what I really love.
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I would like to know if the "carpenters" of the
future will know how to hand nail, or if they will
rely on nailguns only. Also, will there be any"old
timers" around to show them the tricks that a lot
of us learned ( and are still learning) . It seems
that most people are worried about time, and don't
take the time to show any tips, or teach
craftsmanship, just how to get it done.
*I agree that construction is sometimes dirty and often grueling and you dont need a college degree to be a carpenter . But as far as the low IQ goes , all the really good carpenters I've known and worked with were definitely sharper than the average person . One in particular probably bordering on genius . Thats one of the problems contributing to the current skilled labor shortage , the belief that all it takes to be a carpenter is a strong back and a weak mind .If you read this board for awhile I think you'll see that there are some very bright regular contributors that could do anything they chose for a living . Chuck
*Here, Here!
*Glad to read all of these postings. Have had the internal battle of "should I be doing something more "professional"? What a bunch of crap that is. There will be many motivatied young people gravitating towards the trades. I am 28 and most of my "collegiate" friends are fascinated with construction but can't get a nail to sit still. The future looks bright to me and I can't imagine doing anything else.
*Thanks for all the input guys, but I was really asking where and how everyone got or will get training. As I said I teach vocational carpentry here in Oh. This is a high school class for 11th and 12 graders. Also the unions around here have a pretty good program. I got smoe of my training from old timers on the job and also served a formal 4 year apprenticeship. The problem I'm running into is that the ojt training sometimes falls way short. Two examples are this summer I watched two roofers attach their roof jack to OSB with roof nails, also Ihad to pull aboout ten thousand nails out of some hangers that some other idiot had nailed wit roof nails. Someone has got to start showing the kids the right way to do things.
*Keith,the problem is time.We had a bright young kid with us this summer he's leaving for college soon. He did everything I asked and more,was willing to learn and smart enought to learn.But I'm so busy, we've been moving back and forth between jobs and trying to get so many things done at once that its hard to spend the time to show someone how to do anything but the basics.Vince
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Where will the carpenters of the future come from?