Harsh Truth About being a Plumber Apprentice

#construction #dayinthelife #commercial #plumbing #commercialplumbing #plumber
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If you read this comment, light work. I’ll respond with where, lol.

[@americanfirst913]

My first 3 days of plumbing I had the glorious job of scooping raw sewage out of a trench (that I dug myself) into 5 gallon buckets and walking them 2 at a time through a quarter mile of warehouse to dump in a dumpster. It was a literal shit job, I’m now in year 12 and have started and am running my own plumbing business. No matter what trade you get into and no matter how good or how long you’ve been doing it there will ALWAYS be days your gonna be shoveling shit into buckets. BUT becoming a plumber has been the most rewarding experience of my life! Stick with it buddy! The work will get harder but your experience will make it easier to do! Good luck and God bless you!

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Dude that sounds absolutely terrible but it sounds like it was worth it. I’ll see it through, thank for that :)

[@donaldrothenberger4412]

Wait until you’re about a 5 year journeyman. Most days you’ll wish you could be an apprentice again. Soo much easier. Labor ain’t nothing. Wait until you have the responsibility of figuring the whole mess out. I’ve been a Master Plumber for over 30 years and sometimes I would rather just hand dig a trench than to deal with all the stress that comes with total responsibility. Good luck!

[@PM.PLUMBING]

I’ve seen it y’all look so stressed you have to manage how and what everyone is doing but honestly the management position of construction has always been super impressive to me

[@kule510]

Keep the videos coming!

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Thank you I will :)

[@Delta5744]

Get video 7 years in as a lead guy i still have these kind if days . It seems like a nothing jobs digging of pipes, making hangers, lugging tools and materials, but it's all important to making the job get done. It goes get easier before you know it your body get stronger and used to it and you pick up tricks. Keep at man one day you'll think back on a lunch break with a new apprentice and think back to theses days lol

[@PM.PLUMBING]

The future is taking to long, but your right I appreciate the words of advice!

[@AlbertFrederickLarun]

This is the best documentation of apprentice level work on a commercial jobsite that I ever remember seeing. Outstanding! This is the apprentice-level work of so many trades. Believe it or not, I dug a lot as an apprentice electrician! You must get yourself a respirator. Please order it immediately. Get a 3M 6502 size medium a box of 2091 (P100) filters. You'll use the 2091 filters most because they filter particulates. Hopefully you already bought one.

[@farrierhoofs6354]

You always have to start at the bottom, every journeyman had to go through the same thing

[@berderk2796]

Also in the service and repair side of plumbing theres a bunch of digging! It all pays off in a few years though keep it up bro

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Needa Timelapse those years, but thanks man I appreciate that :)

[@23tracy91]

Come to the service side. You can add getting covered in poop to the list 😂

[@PM.PLUMBING]

😶

[@durianlawn3801]

4th commercial plumbing in Australia. I know what those day are like gets better tho

[@PM.PLUMBING]

In Australia that’s crazy, hi from the states!

[@yarrdayarrdayarrda]

Another way of looking at this is you're getting paid to dig up dirt. I see nothing terribly physical, but it is a task related to your position. It makes no sense to pay journeyman rate to do that job, and at least you aren't up to your elbows in fecal matter. Those days are ahead of you, and you'll long for the easy task of hand shoveling some odorless dirt.

[@PM.PLUMBING]

I don’t think I’ll ever have to deal with poop bc it’s commercial but fingers crossed. I like you POV

[@youtubecontractor]

Very hard work‼️‼️Charge well $$$‼️‼️

[@PM.PLUMBING]

We get paid by the hour 🥲

[@Minecraftangle]

hey bro, get some snickers workwear pants, they have built in knee pads, they're great Snickers 6271 AllroundWork Full Stretch Trousers Holster Pockets

[@PM.PLUMBING]

I’ve seen pants like that but always assumed they were a gimmick so that’s why I got the fully dedicated knee pad, they get hotter than normal pants?

[@TonywiththeTommy818]

I love being an apprentice, 2nd year n ik this gonna be my career, if you can’t have fun at work even if you’re ass to balls in a trench, plumbing isn’t for you. Go be an electrician

[@andrewcrosby8792]

I know this video is a bit older, but people should always wear masks around silicate dust. That heartburn in your chest, dry nostrils, thats lung cancer. There ain’t no pension or annuity in the world gonna get you your lungs back. Stay safe, stick with it. 2nd year apprentice, Detroit local 98

[@TonywiththeTommy818]

Boyyy gtfoh w that gay ass shit

[@coolone7100]

@@TonywiththeTommy818it’s called taking care of your body stupid

[@caseyschmidt6532]

A plumbers helper is the worst job in the world. A plumber isn’t much better. Both will destroy your body and make you think twice about doing this everyday.

[@PM.PLUMBING]

That is the unfortunate reality, but the job satisfaction is so great.

[@brucestorey917]

You are smart to wear the mask while breaking concrete. The silica dust is very bad for you. I’m surprised you haven’t been told this by your company and been provided the proper PPE and equipment to mitigate silica inhalation.

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Yea I need to get another mask the company provided one initially but I haven’t asked for a replacement I will do that in the very not so far future!

[@joelvelez2538]

When I entered my 2nd year, my supervisors saw that I could hang and keep up with them and decided to see if I could do the same with HVAC. Attics get to 140° EASY. Sometimes I step out of them and have to hold onto something because my vision gets blurry and I feel like I’m in a bit of a trance. The insulation is a bitch and you have to put on this huge fake smile for the custy. And for what? $20 an hour😂 I’m likely killing myself and for what? So that my kids can eat.

[@cophater298]

whats your rate im make 17 in new york 6 month apprentice

[@PM.PLUMBING]

I make 18 in TX going on my 8 months. Seems a bit low for NY. You open shop?

[@BetterThanYesterday69]

@@PM.PLUMBINGI make 18.50 in a factory after 3 years for a family company but what’s your top pay expected to be?

[@cophater298]

@@PM.PLUMBINGyes open shop. just got raised to 18 🤙

[@um8440]

Most trade owner are at least a millionaire. A million is that that much now day because of inflation.

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Million bucks is still a million bucks 😅

[@jerrywells5551]

Have you ever heard of somebody being an apprentice for entire career? Somebody with great work ethic just not able to become a journeymen?

[@PM.PLUMBING]

Yea a lot of people in that company apprentices for 8 years don’t be them!

[@AlbertFrederickLarun]

This would happen in a couple of scenarios. The first is that the person has a learning disability that cannot be overcome. It's very rare. The second scenario would involve the person not being able to pass a background check or FBI fingerprinting in states that require it. This situation would most likely happen with an employee working at a company in which there were not well-established expectations regarding registration of the apprentice. In other words a poorly-managed company AND/OR an unmotivated employee. It amounts to exploitation of the apprentice if there is an expectation of advancement in the trade and the company does not uphold their end of the agreement. As soon as it happens, depart the company for another who will do their part. Do not engage in extended negotiations with a company who misleads you. You have to leave. Remember that management tends to avoid direct confrontation with employees. In this case, it is more of a risk for a company to tell an employee that he/she isn't worthy of advancement than it is to say nothing. Some companies do exploit people, even in the building trades. Always observe action/inaction instead of listening to words. Apprentice work is rough a lot of times. Some people have personal issues or situations that prevent them from advancing in life--they may be temporary or long term. Someone who is reliable but only wants to do/or is content with apprentice-level work is somewhat desired. This person's pay is low and they do a lot of the necessary work that encumbers higher-level employees. I would also argue that this type of person is rare--personal issues and reliability rarely cohabitate.