A while back I posted about being 40 and unable to pick a trade. Kash has been mentoring me since then, and he helped me line up a ride-along in each trade, so here's the report.
Plumbing: a day on a repipe in an old Colonial in Metuchen. Loved the problem-solving, hated my knees by 2pm.
HVAC: a changeout in a split-level in Edison in August. The attic was brutal, but the diagnosis part was interesting.
Electrical: a service upgrade in Highland Park, panel swap, PSE&G had to come out to pull the meter. That was the one where I lost track of time.
So I'm leaning electrical, and maybe the low-voltage side later because of my knees. Two questions: did anyone else pick partly because of their body? And is it crazy to plan around knees at 40?
Vo-tech instructor, plumbing & HVAC · 28 years · Passaic County, NJ
Mentor
Love this. One thing my older students tell me: the first year is harder on the body than any year after, because you're doing everything the slow way. It gets easier as you get efficient. So don't judge your knees by one day on a repipe.
Mechanical contractor (HVAC + plumbing) · 24 years · Burlington County, NJ
Mentor
Planning around your body at 40 isn't crazy, it's smart. When I hire someone in their 40s, the ones I keep know their limits and tell me up front. That's worth more to me than someone who says yes to every attic and gets hurt in a month.
HVAC contractor, owner · 25 years · Middlesex County, NJ
Mentor
Good process. If you go electrical and later want low voltage:
- Get your OSHA 10 early
- Ask every shop you interview with whether they do any controls or fire alarm work
- Keep notes on every panel and service you touch
For anyone wondering if they let you do anything on these: mostly watching. On the electrical one he had me land a couple of breakers with the power off, after he tested it, him standing right there. Probably why I liked it lol.
Appreciate everyone. Not deciding yet: the HVAC startup day last Saturday threw me, more on that in its own post, and I'll look at the low-voltage side once I know what I'm doing.
edit: two interviews set up already.
As a vo-tech kid who thinks about this way too much: a panel swap was the best day of my whole summer too, and the meter pull part is wild the first time you see it.