residential heating and air
Monday, March 1st, 2010Too Old To Go Into A Trade? (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrician, Etc)?
I’m currently 40 years old and am considering going to a trade school for heating and air conditioning. While I think I’d be well suited for this trade, having basic electronic troubleshooting and some mechanical skills, my main concern is age.
I am in good shape but wonder just what niches in this field are more labor demanding and might be a bad choice for older workers. I’m not afraid of hard work but am thinking years down the road.
If I could be sure there are areas of the field that would be more suited to older techs it would greatly help my decision. That way I could migrate to a specific area later on if need be. For instance, commercial versus residential, store cooler work, A/C versus heat, or any other speciality area that I might not be aware of. Even input on geographic location in America would be of help.
Stories of older people going into another trade like the ones listed above as positive examples would also be of help to encourage me. Thanks.
I wish I could give you specifics, but I am not a tradesman. What I will say is that the world needs older people in trades because they are reliable, dedicated, hard-working, and mature. You would bring a lot to this line of work. I would hire an older guy in a second. BTW, 40 is not old!
Also, I would point out that a lot of tradesmen are over 40. They may have started younger, but they work into their 60s and beyond, possibly because the work makes them physically fit and also because, what the hey, who says they cannot do great work? 65 is not dead; it’s 65.
My plumber is in his late 50s; my father’s carpenter worked until his 70s, and his plumber did not retire until his 60s. I say go for it.
Maybe you can find someone at a trade union who you can talk to. Good luck.
PS I have a leaky PVC pipe in my basement that needs fixing.
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