So sick of this job!

[bowhunter9841]

Man, I am sick of my job! I am only paperwork away from being a journeyman carpenter, and I'm tired of being a grunt labor worker! I started this job to get my hours for 4th year, well I'm done them, and even with the perks, I can't bring myself to enjoy this job anymore! If any of you out there need a deck built, or some small Renos let me know! Or maybe even one of you guys needs a good worker? I can frame, finish, drywall, tape and mud, paint, build small cabinets and counter tops, form flatwork for concrete. Among other things! I'm forgetting more than I'm learning at this current job! Anyways, my rant is over! Hope the mods don't delete this for any reason!

[Okotokian]

I would have thought that as a third or fourth year apprentice you would be doing carpentry, just perhaps supervised by a journeyman and not making quite as much. How could you be earning hours for credit if you are just doing general labour? Admittedly, perhaps I don't understand the apprenticeship system.

Anyways, hang in there. Hopefully you will be where you want to be soon.

[Nester]

Take some time off .........kick back and relax or at least slow down for a while.


Everyone gets burned out and needs a breather.

[Tundra Monkey]

Sorry to burst you bubble here Bowhunter but there is gonna be a be a lot more grunt labour in your future!!!!

You set the example for how the apprentices around you will work. Gone are the days of "you do it because you're a lowly apprentice". Don't forget how it made you feel when it happened to you and remember the j-men that you respected during your apprenticeship and how they treated you and worked. There is a time for you to do the "work" as well as the "labour" my friend......and there is a boatload of the latter to get a job done.

Trades get paid to use there backs as well. It's all part of the job....and has a lot of benefits that ya just don't get in the office. Punch 15yrs then move to a Superintendant or office job. You picked the right trade for that jump as you get knowledge of the overall project and how all the trades have to work together without screwin' each other over!! Stay in shape and enjoy the paychecks!!!!

tm

edit: good advice Nester.....ya need balance

[bowhunter9841]

It's not the labor and hard work I don't like, it's the pushing a broom and cleaning up after all the lazy trades that don't do anything extra!

I am doing some carpentry, but I find I push broom more than I would like! I don't have to use my brain for the stuff I do very often! I'm getting tired of it!

[Fisherpeak]

On my crew every one pushes broom and does cleanup when needed,even the owner of the company.We have a 7 man crew and 5 of them are ticketed carpenters.We have laid down the law to our sub trade though,clean up after yourself or find another job.We don`t get paid by them so we don`t do their ****e work.

[chuck0039]

Originally Posted by bowhunter9841

It's not the labor and hard work I don't like, it's the pushing a broom and cleaning up after all the lazy trades that don't do anything extra!

I am doing some carpentry, but I find I push broom more than I would like! I don't have to use my brain for the stuff I do very often! I'm getting tired of it!

I started my apprentice carpenter program right out of high school back in 97 I have now worked my way into the office estimating, project managing and I still pick up the broom every now and then or even haul garbage out with my truck. You will learn that subtrades and even the old school journeyman carpenters never clean up after themselves. You may encounter the odd trade that is clean but you will always have to pick up after others, escpecially if you work for a general contractor.

Hang in there things dont change overnight, as you prove yourselve as good carpenter and one that can take on more responsibliity you will find yourself doing more carpentry and less pushing broom, but don't think you will get away totally from cleaning it will always be there.

[Ken07AOVette]

Too bad you are 3 hours away, I have a garage that desperately needs mud and tape. I am ok building it, took me 30 days to put up 40x50x12 garage, but winter hit and I had to get everything inside. I absolutely hate and suck taping.

[Shaggy]

Pay your dues. Everyone above you did.
Good things come to those who wait.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Pay your dues. Everyone above you did.
Good things come to those who wait.

x2....i'm going on 6 years and i'm still the juniour man\ Grunt piece of chit with my company....

I think that most people hate there jobs at least a few times a year.

[bowhunter9841]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Pay your dues. Everyone above you did.
Good things come to those who wait.

Just because I just finished school doesn't mean I haven't been around it long enough to " pay my dues " as you say! 13 years in construction ought to be damn near long enough if you ask me! I think everyone is missing the point of what I'm trying to say! Basically, I'm tired of pushing broom and cleaning up after everyone else! I'm getting sick of working for a general contractor and doing just the $@#t work that nobody else wants to do!

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by bowhunter9841

Just because I just finished school doesn't mean I haven't been around it long enough to " pay my dues " as you say! 13 years in construction ought to be damn near long enough if you ask me! I think everyone is missing the point of what I'm trying to say! Basically, I'm tired of pushing broom and cleaning up after everyone else! I'm getting sick of working for a general contractor and doing just the $@#t work that nobody else wants to do!

Do something about it....Talking about it on here wont do you much good.

Next time your at work,tell the guy's who make all the mess to sweep up there own Chit. Give it too them!!!

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Nester

Take some time off .........kick back and relax or at least slow down for a while.

Everyone gets burned out and needs a breather.

That's good advice, Nester. That's exactly what I need right about now.

[600twin]

One thing about pushing a broom or running a shovel there ain't nobody going to come and tell you your doing it wrong let me show you how it's done.

[NSRfishing]

carpenters union would have you doing carpentry not not broom pushing

[Loper]

Less whining more sweeping.

[Tundra Monkey]

Originally Posted by NSRfishing

carpenters union would have you doing carpentry not not broom pushing

So who cleans up after them......or do they not make a "mess"

tm

[NSRfishing]

Originally Posted by Tundra Monkey

So who cleans up after them......or do they not make a "mess"

tm

you clean your own mess of coarse i am 2nd year carpenter and 3rd year scaffolder i love my job

[Tundra Monkey]

Good call.....so, he'd still be pushin' a broom

I'm a sparky.....and yup......ya clean up after yourself

tm

[James_B]

For a trade - Electrical is the only way to go! I just got my J-man 2 months ago.

[winged1]

over the years as a Millwight, I've preached a single priority to my apprentices, cleanliness. It's a key to success, from toolbox to shop to shafting. In the Electrical trade, it has a whole new meaning. With the little bit of carpentry I do, I can see it's no different. In my eyes, it's a measure of the man. I know many apprentices that know a hell of a lot more than many Jmen, and are treated accordingly, but never, I mean never, are they or anyone else, given a bye on cleanliness. That's a deal killer.

If you've risen (settled) to the top sweeper, it's says much. Your either a man amoung boys (which is wrong in many ways), or your still a boy. Man up if you want more.

[parfleche]

So you hate pushing a broom ?, How about coming into the patch and get to spend 20 hrs slogging through the mud? Time for coffee? Drink on the go IF you have some! Eight hours sleep? You,ll sleep when your dead! You want a day off? Christmas is coming! Your wifes in labour? Tell her to hold off! We got sh--t happening! Roll with the punches, The more you fight it the worst it gets, And that,s because of what Adam did to Eve , NOW if it had been Adam and STEVE , we would all be floating above on a carpet made of flowers!

[j m]

There will come a time in your future when you're running the show. When that happens there will be days you wish you were back behind a broom. Until then, remember that clean up is just part of the job.

[Fisherpeak]

I crib basements for a living,old school with 3/4 inch plywood forms and waler bar.Talk about a tough day at the office.Lots of packing and lots of cleanup after.Sucks but it pays the bills,I am 52 and keeping up,actually beating ,the 20 somethings on my crew.I used to run a grapple loader up north for 18 years,loading logging trucks but the azz fell out of that industry so I had to move and make a drastic change.
Point is.......you do what you gotta do.You can always go work for a better outfit.If you are good and work hard and sweep up when it`s needed you will go far.

[bowhunter9841]

Originally Posted by NSRfishing

carpenters union would have you doing carpentry not not broom pushing

How right/wrong you are! I know I'm bringing up an old thread here. I took the plunge towards the carpenters union hall in June of 2013. You're so right about pushing a broom, it is a rare occurrence that it happens to me now. However, since I joined in 2013, I've only done 6 months of carpentry. I have done a ton of scaffolding though, and in May of 2015 did my jman upgrader. Now a dual ticketed tradesman through the carpenters hall. I have to admit I'm enjoying the scaffolding a lot more. It keeps a guy out of the mud, the material is generally lighter to handle, and with tube and clamp, you have so much more freedom than building something off of a blueprint like in carpentry. I don't regret my decision at all, and have not said that I hate my job for a very long time!! I have a great crew and an awesome foreman right now. Hope it stays that way for awhile!

[35 whelen]

AT least your working only worked 6 weeks this year ,great for hunting season but time to find new job, cheers

[bat119]

Save lots of money for your retirement, the trades are hard on the body knees back start to ache around 55 or so its good to have a back up plan.

I thought I was 10 feet tall and bullet proof until my knees went

[deerguy]

Join the Carpenters Union. Also, stop complaining, I have been off work since July, going to Redwater starting January 6th. As a Carpenter do you expect to be the high,an on the totem pole with other trades around?

[bowhunter9841]

Originally Posted by deerguy

Join the Carpenters Union. Also, stop complaining, I have been off work since July, going to Redwater starting January 6th. As a Carpenter do you expect to be the high,an on the totem pole with other trades around?

Read the whole thread and comments before you reply next time thank you!!

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by deerguy

Join the Carpenters Union. Also, stop complaining, I have been off work since July, going to Redwater starting January 6th. As a Carpenter do you expect to be the high,an on the totem pole with other trades around?

He already is a UBC member, things are good now for him!
When I was on the tools as a Jman if I was told to count cat heads or stack ledgers , they'd get the best dam job done they could ask for - if they were willing to pay me to do that, so be it.
Cat