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Comment by graton | Hacker News Reader

Tangentially related is the lack of young people entering the "trades" (plumbing, electrical, construction, etc).

Can't help but think that now is probably a good time to enter a "trade" due to the lack of people who are doing that.

Everyone I know who got an apprenticeship after school instead of going to uni are absolutely raking it in and have enjoyed a significantly better quality of life than their uni going peers. I personally can’t see how the uni goers will end up having a better time in the long run as the official narrative goes. The majority of the tradies seem to end up buying multiple houses and going the landlord route for early retirement.

Ask them about their back and knees when they’re 50.

Not as much of an issue if you can transition by mid 30s to being a landlord. You’re almost in the same boat as professional athletes then, rigorous toll on the body for 15/20 years and then chill for the rest of it. These guys normally go straight into an apprenticeship at 16, have qualified by 19 and have bought their first house by 21. If they stay over here they’re normally on at least £60k, if they go abroad they can earn six figures easily, especially if they’re willing to go places like Middle East and Africa. But they can also hit that back home or in developed countries like Australia if they’ve got the right tickets and experience and are willing to travel where the work is which most of them do.

America is almost 50% obese and average lifespan is dropping. “No one is healthy”

Sitting in a chair is really unhealthy, so it isn't like the programmers have dodged selling their bodies for a nice salary.

Do you really think sitting in a chair is even comparable to move hundred or thousands of pounds of work materials at a time, being bent or twisted into access holes, being exposed to various construction dusts and materials, or even just working in often excessively hot or cold environments?

I think it's worth looking at, rather than making an assumption. Tradespeople are a lot more physically fit than the median office drone. I had abs when I worked on the factory floor, when I was promoted to the offices, I put on 40 lbs.

Thanks for at least considering it!

It looks like jobs which have lots of physical labor are generally correlated with other traits that tend to lower lifespan, so people who do lots of physical labor do end up dying earlier. Mea culpa.

On the other hand, if you control for lifestyle, the people who do physical labor live longer.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/02/well/move/work-exercise-h...

Among Norwegian men at least.

Stranding desks and treadmill desks also exist. Employers might even buy you one if you ask!

"really" unhealthy

Quotes for emphasis?

Quotes are because you are comparing damage from sitting in a chair that can be mitigated by walking around, standing, and working out, to inevitable damage from inhaling fumes and particles, lifting objects, and repeatedly contorting one’s body and putting pressure on joints that have a far higher probability of irreversible damage.

When I see videos of Ben Mallah on Youtube with juicy contracts on maintaining his properties, it is fantastic for people who are in the trades. A talented person can easily graduate to earning a firm.

In my area trades are almost impossible to enter if you do not have family/friend that's willing to take you on as an apprentice. It pays well but is also heavily gated by nepotism.

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