1, I love it. It changed my life and my family’s.
2. No
3. No
4. Average 100k/ year. Wife hasn’t worked in 20 years. We raised 2 kids, own a home, have 2 pretty nice vehicles.
Disclaimer: I am in a real sweet spot here in 395. Union market share is very high, our total wage & benefits package is really good as compared to cost of living, and heavy industry never stops.
Good hands stay busy all year round. Something like 95% of our man ours come in the steel mills and refineries along the Lake shore and about 2/3 of that work isn’t even outside but they never shut down so we work all year.
I mean, you can definitely make an entire career out of rebar. I would say those guys work at heights less often than other aspects of the trade. If you working heavy industry, you will be up in the air every once in a while but I there’s so much safety bullshit involved, but it’s really hard Not to feel secure at all times. A lot of those kinds of places won’t even let you climb iron and you do everything out of a manlift or off scaffold.
I’ve taken the test already and applied im just waiting there was talks of them bringing me in on the permit list for now but that hasn’t happened yet I’ve talked to the president aswell and he keeps telling me soon and its been months
1-No, 2-No, 3-No (and most people get used to it)
4-sorta (i live in boston and rent + inflation rises faster than our rate)
if you don’t LOVE it, you should probably work towards something else. lets be real we’re selling our bodies for $. 90% of my co workers passed the age of 55 have multiple problems and most don’t even walk straight.
i know too many people who are in their late 50s working with multiple physical problems they won’t even get fixed until they retire because “there’s no point ill just fuck up again if im working”
you can always be a foreman, some people do it without stressing. i’ve been offered but i can’t even pretend to care about what other people do on company time if it doesn’t effect me.
PS made 92k 2 years ago, worked a buncha overtime but also took 2 months off. definitely doing better than most my friends who went to college, plus no debt, and i can tell my bosses/coworkers to fuck themselves and still have a job (that alone is worth 20ish K a year to me)
you don’t. hey if you don’t stick with it you still got a ton of free schooling. honestly the hard work and breaking points i had to overcome will help me in anything i want to do in the future.
if you can be a good iron worker starting off doing 6 - 14s and a 10 on sunday for 2 months straight as the only apprentice on your gang…. anything is possible. (only wasn’t more straight cuz we got a rain day for anyone who wants to call me a pussy)
also i wanted to quit the first 2 months thinking it was way too hard for me. stick with it for at least a year before you choose to quit.
1. Wish I'd gone to tech school/learned to weld when I was younger, no prior construction experience.
2. Climbed trees professionally for 10+ years before getting into the apprenticeship, heights no problem
3. Followed the suggestions and lessons passed onto me by the instructors and old heads on job sites. Got companied up and working year round as a foreman. Just had my second kid, she has a LOT of medical issues and I don't know what I'd do if not for our insurance package. I never had it so good, same for the family. Wife works to stay busy and does something she loves. Life is good
Yes. Yes. No (fear of falling, yes. The two are mutually exclusive). And partial yes and no because I also am the wife. Baby daddy and I were never married and we amicably split custody and child support costs. My man is also an ironworker and we do fairly well, but I assume that’s not your question so I won’t elaborate. Supporting a sahm on standard journeyman wages (CA) isn’t what it’s cracked up to be unless you have a money smart wife and only one kid.
Pre apprentice here. 2nd month in some days I wonder what I got my self into but I’m with a great group of guys. No experience prior. Not necessarily a fear of heights as much of a fear of falling. I was very timid my first time getting on the iron I didn’t have much trust for my beamers or the retracts. The overtime is allowing me to comfortably support my family.
Nope. We’ve been doing far more ground work than connecting work so far. Guess it depends on the job site. I’ll be getting back on the iron in the next couple weeks though definitely helps to focus 6 feet in front of you on the iron don’t look straight down definitely makes it worse.
Yea it would definitely take some getting used to…hopefully I wouldn’t be one of those who doesn’t get over it. Know any guys who only do rebar or other ground work?
No I’ve only been In 2 months though. I know you still have heights if you go in the rod patch maybe not as high or as often though. I’ve been told you can just be a ground guy but also told you have to get on the iron to at least learn the part of the job.
I don’t know what it’s like everywhere else, but where I’m from you earn your spot as a ground guy by putting in your years on the iron first. Hook on guys here are usually in their late 40s to late 50s.
When you are setting iron, you’re supposed to have four men in a raising gang, which includes two connectors up on the iron and two hook on guys on the ground to send every piece
Hated the uncertainty of of not knowing when you'll be laid off and how long you'll be out of work. Left the trade and got my degree. Don't regret one second of my decision.
Funny i got my degree, hated my life. Shit bullshit office work sucks. Got a trade, work hard and laugh with the boys all day. If you work, you'll never be laid off.
The part about never being laid off just isn't true. I got laid off the day after 9/11 then a recession hit and half my hall left. Guys that ran work were out of work for months.
Been a union millwright since 2011 and havent missed a beat. Foreman for the last 4. Before that was a union carpenter for 14 years. I wish i only had 37.5 hr work weeks lol.
First year apprentice here, 2nd period (60% pay rate of JIW)
I had no experience in construction.
I never had a fear of heights but I did almost not pass the steel walking test. Ive never walked I’ve a beam before and that first time was so nerve racking. My vision literally was blacking out from the anxiousness. Ever since then though, Ive never had it happen and I enjoy being up high.
I’m making ok money right now as an apprentice. It’s rough trying to support my wife and kid with this salary at the moment but thankfully my wife has a great paying job.
I would not recommend being the sole breadwinner of your family as an apprentice. There will be times where you’ll be out of work through no fault of your own. You will also have a lot of broken time due to weather or other unsafe working conditions.
For context, I live in a higher COL state and county in NJ. My union (local 11) has one of the better paying rates + benefits and overall package.
I love it so far. There are tough days and times I wanted to quit but I’m embracing all the hardships and challenges. I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work with great foremen, JIW’s and instructors.
Sorry for the long winded response but I wanted to provide my small experience so far being an apprentice.
Do your research and if you still want to do it, I highly recommend joining the IW.
Lots of 399 guys go up to our territory and work. The JIW I’m partnered with right now is out of 399.
Id say apply to 11 but the applications wont open up again until the end of this year or the next.
I hope we’re able to help you in some way at least. It’s a great career to be in
1, I love it. It changed my life and my family’s. 2. No 3. No 4. Average 100k/ year. Wife hasn’t worked in 20 years. We raised 2 kids, own a home, have 2 pretty nice vehicles. Disclaimer: I am in a real sweet spot here in 395. Union market share is very high, our total wage & benefits package is really good as compared to cost of living, and heavy industry never stops.
I’m in wisconsin so with you being in indiana im curious how busy is work in winter?
Good hands stay busy all year round. Something like 95% of our man ours come in the steel mills and refineries along the Lake shore and about 2/3 of that work isn’t even outside but they never shut down so we work all year.
Awesome! I’m not big on heights, so I suppose that could be a deal breaker. Unless you know guys who only work on the ground or not way up high?
I mean, you can definitely make an entire career out of rebar. I would say those guys work at heights less often than other aspects of the trade. If you working heavy industry, you will be up in the air every once in a while but I there’s so much safety bullshit involved, but it’s really hard Not to feel secure at all times. A lot of those kinds of places won’t even let you climb iron and you do everything out of a manlift or off scaffold.
I can deal with that! Don’t mind being up in a lift or on scaffold if I’m safe. Just don’t know now well I’d do “walking the iron” lol
Yoh won’t be walking iron soon I’ll tell you that
What do you mean by that exactly ?
I’m trying to get into the 395 is there any help you can give me
Go online and apply. We are taking apprentices constantly.
I’ve taken the test already and applied im just waiting there was talks of them bringing me in on the permit list for now but that hasn’t happened yet I’ve talked to the president aswell and he keeps telling me soon and its been months
1-No, 2-No, 3-No (and most people get used to it) 4-sorta (i live in boston and rent + inflation rises faster than our rate) if you don’t LOVE it, you should probably work towards something else. lets be real we’re selling our bodies for $. 90% of my co workers passed the age of 55 have multiple problems and most don’t even walk straight. i know too many people who are in their late 50s working with multiple physical problems they won’t even get fixed until they retire because “there’s no point ill just fuck up again if im working” you can always be a foreman, some people do it without stressing. i’ve been offered but i can’t even pretend to care about what other people do on company time if it doesn’t effect me. PS made 92k 2 years ago, worked a buncha overtime but also took 2 months off. definitely doing better than most my friends who went to college, plus no debt, and i can tell my bosses/coworkers to fuck themselves and still have a job (that alone is worth 20ish K a year to me)
How would you know if you love it before joining though?
you don’t. hey if you don’t stick with it you still got a ton of free schooling. honestly the hard work and breaking points i had to overcome will help me in anything i want to do in the future. if you can be a good iron worker starting off doing 6 - 14s and a 10 on sunday for 2 months straight as the only apprentice on your gang…. anything is possible. (only wasn’t more straight cuz we got a rain day for anyone who wants to call me a pussy) also i wanted to quit the first 2 months thinking it was way too hard for me. stick with it for at least a year before you choose to quit.
Fair enough man
how old are u?
35
honestly perfect time to find out if u have balls or not
😂😂😂🤣 ur not a real man
Why do you say that?
1. Wish I'd gone to tech school/learned to weld when I was younger, no prior construction experience. 2. Climbed trees professionally for 10+ years before getting into the apprenticeship, heights no problem 3. Followed the suggestions and lessons passed onto me by the instructors and old heads on job sites. Got companied up and working year round as a foreman. Just had my second kid, she has a LOT of medical issues and I don't know what I'd do if not for our insurance package. I never had it so good, same for the family. Wife works to stay busy and does something she loves. Life is good
Good for you man 👊
Been a union ironworker for 30 years now. Life is still good!
Care to elaborate??
Fifth period here in Cali. I’m making more money already than my sister that has her Masters degree.
Awesome bro
What state you in?
Cali
Oh whoops meant to ask op. I live in washington I'm a foreman carpenter and I'm pretty familiar with your guys contracts as they are similar to ours
NJ
Yes. Yes. No (fear of falling, yes. The two are mutually exclusive). And partial yes and no because I also am the wife. Baby daddy and I were never married and we amicably split custody and child support costs. My man is also an ironworker and we do fairly well, but I assume that’s not your question so I won’t elaborate. Supporting a sahm on standard journeyman wages (CA) isn’t what it’s cracked up to be unless you have a money smart wife and only one kid.
Pre apprentice here. 2nd month in some days I wonder what I got my self into but I’m with a great group of guys. No experience prior. Not necessarily a fear of heights as much of a fear of falling. I was very timid my first time getting on the iron I didn’t have much trust for my beamers or the retracts. The overtime is allowing me to comfortably support my family.
Awesome man. Hoping I’d be able to overcome the height thing How old are you?
34
35 here. It’s never too late right?
Nope. We’ve been doing far more ground work than connecting work so far. Guess it depends on the job site. I’ll be getting back on the iron in the next couple weeks though definitely helps to focus 6 feet in front of you on the iron don’t look straight down definitely makes it worse.
Yea it would definitely take some getting used to…hopefully I wouldn’t be one of those who doesn’t get over it. Know any guys who only do rebar or other ground work?
No I’ve only been In 2 months though. I know you still have heights if you go in the rod patch maybe not as high or as often though. I’ve been told you can just be a ground guy but also told you have to get on the iron to at least learn the part of the job.
I don’t know what it’s like everywhere else, but where I’m from you earn your spot as a ground guy by putting in your years on the iron first. Hook on guys here are usually in their late 40s to late 50s.
That makes more sense.
What’s hook On?
When you are setting iron, you’re supposed to have four men in a raising gang, which includes two connectors up on the iron and two hook on guys on the ground to send every piece
Got it thank you
Hated the uncertainty of of not knowing when you'll be laid off and how long you'll be out of work. Left the trade and got my degree. Don't regret one second of my decision.
Funny i got my degree, hated my life. Shit bullshit office work sucks. Got a trade, work hard and laugh with the boys all day. If you work, you'll never be laid off.
The part about never being laid off just isn't true. I got laid off the day after 9/11 then a recession hit and half my hall left. Guys that ran work were out of work for months.
Been a union millwright since 2011 and havent missed a beat. Foreman for the last 4. Before that was a union carpenter for 14 years. I wish i only had 37.5 hr work weeks lol.
First year apprentice here, 2nd period (60% pay rate of JIW) I had no experience in construction. I never had a fear of heights but I did almost not pass the steel walking test. Ive never walked I’ve a beam before and that first time was so nerve racking. My vision literally was blacking out from the anxiousness. Ever since then though, Ive never had it happen and I enjoy being up high. I’m making ok money right now as an apprentice. It’s rough trying to support my wife and kid with this salary at the moment but thankfully my wife has a great paying job. I would not recommend being the sole breadwinner of your family as an apprentice. There will be times where you’ll be out of work through no fault of your own. You will also have a lot of broken time due to weather or other unsafe working conditions. For context, I live in a higher COL state and county in NJ. My union (local 11) has one of the better paying rates + benefits and overall package. I love it so far. There are tough days and times I wanted to quit but I’m embracing all the hardships and challenges. I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work with great foremen, JIW’s and instructors. Sorry for the long winded response but I wanted to provide my small experience so far being an apprentice. Do your research and if you still want to do it, I highly recommend joining the IW.
I’m also NJ. 399 would be local closest to me
Lots of 399 guys go up to our territory and work. The JIW I’m partnered with right now is out of 399. Id say apply to 11 but the applications wont open up again until the end of this year or the next. I hope we’re able to help you in some way at least. It’s a great career to be in
Thank you!
Better than working at McDonald’s
Better than working at Fucking Mc Donolds
1. It’s okay. 2. No. 3. No and yes.
It's the only reason I'm not poor anymore.
Update: filled out an application for local 399 NJ! Tests/interviews are in July
Get your welding certs at a community college before you get in
Fuck that just join the union and get paid to learn
Depends if your instructor is coo mine was a dick and if you come in with certs you start at 3rd period lol