Tradies - Do they really want the work?

[peternorth]

 

[MarcusP2]

Don't have to be a professional trade to be handy.

It's more common in older blokes of boomer generation or even older Gen X, but plenty, plenty of men who have never been paid to get on the tools in their life are more than capable of doing projects of various size and scope.

My dad isn't a tradesperson but can build things to a high quality comparable to many trades.

I think that's a thing that's being lost to society for a variety of different reasons.

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No sheds, no tools, no space, no time.

 

[edgie]

No sheds, no tools, no space, no time.

Pretty much.

Also way more distractions.

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[Scotland]

Plus people don't know what they don't know. If you are raised in an environment that if something is broken you either bin it and get a new one or get a man in to fix it then you'll never learn how to fix anything. I'm always shocked to meet people who drive cars that can't even change a tyre.

I wonder if DIY type stuff will turn a corner. When I was mid to late teens and doing woodwork at school, mucking around with cheap cars etc. I had an old second hand service manual covered in greasy fingerprints. So you could read the words and look at dodgy black and white photos and go from there. Now you can search YouTube for pretty much anything and some neckbeard has made an instructional video for you. And tools are cheap. 30, 40 years ago you wouldn't just go and buy a drill from Bunnings to do one job. Now you can get one (admittedly not a great one) for $50 while it will cost you $100 call out fee just to get a tradie to your house.

 

[edgie]

Plus people don't know what they don't know. If you are raised in an environment that if something is broken you either bin it and get a new one or get a man in to fix it then you'll never learn how to fix anything. I'm always shocked to meet people who drive cars that can't even change a tyre.

I wonder if DIY type stuff will turn a corner. When I was mid to late teens and doing woodwork at school, mucking around with cheap cars etc. I had an old second hand service manual covered in greasy fingerprints. So you could read the words and look at dodgy black and white photos and go from there. Now you can search YouTube for pretty much anything and some neckbeard has made an instructional video for you. And tools are cheap. 30, 40 years ago you wouldn't just go and buy a drill from Bunnings to do one job. Now you can get one (admittedly not a great one) for $50 while it will cost you $100 call out fee just to get a tradie to your house.

The flipside of youtube however, is kids and even adults aren't watching DIY, they're watching Fortnite video, and Pewdipie, etc. It's another distraction.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Probably true. In a similar vein I've also heard that many gourmet chefs will come home and have baked beans on toast.

Yeah my brother's worked at Taxi, Rockpool and similar high end places (not as a chef, but I'm pretty sure he can get a feed if he wants) and would routinely come home and have a McCain's frozen pizza.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Plus people don't know what they don't know. If you are raised in an environment that if something is broken you either bin it and get a new one or get a man in to fix it then you'll never learn how to fix anything. I'm always shocked to meet people who drive cars that can't even change a tyre.

To be honest, I'm getting to the point that I've been driving for as long as I haven't and I have a vague recollection of changing a tyre shortly after getting my licence, but I don't even think it was my car. Apart from that, I've never HAD to change a tyre. I assume I still could, it seemed like pretty much common sense at the time. But hand on heart, I don't know and I'm not sure that I'd be above calling roadside assistance now that I'm not driving a standard 18 year old's shitheap.

Of course you should be able to do it, like you should be able to cook something that's mildly challenging, you should be able to make a speech or presentation in front of a number of people, you should understand basic strategy in blackjack and you should know how to run a two on one fast break. But you can probably get by without having any of those skills in your locker. I feel like it's a pretty overrated skill to be honest.

 

[revo333]

The main thing to remember with changing a tyre is to loosen the screws before you start jacking up the car. I have had to change 2 tyres in my life and thankfully both times I could take my time and wasn't in a hurry.

I think everyone should atleast know how to do it, If you are driving someone to the hospital who needs medical attention and you get a flat tyre then time wasted waiting for someone to change the tyre could take their life.

 

[ZEV]

The main thing to remember with changing a tyre is to loosen the screws before you start jacking up the car. I have had to change 2 tyres in my life and thankfully both times I could take my time and wasn't in a hurry.

I think everyone should atleast know how to do it, If you are driving someone to the hospital who needs medical attention and you get a flat tyre then time wasted waiting for someone to change the tyre could take their life.

Maybe instead of using your mobile to call someone to change the tyre maybe call an ambulance?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Has anyone else noticed the disturbing phenomenon of tradies going all E from Entourage and calling their business '<<name>> plumbing group'? This is related to the people on LinkedIn who give themselves the title of 'Founder and Director' of their accounting business that employs 0.5 FTEs besides themselves.

I know tradies who've gone the 'group' route with their business name when they've never so much as employed an apprentice. I don't know about other people, but all other things being equal, I'd rather give my business to Simmo's Building rather than something that sounds like a law firm.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Has anyone else noticed the disturbing phenomenon of tradies going all E from Entourage and calling their business '<<name>> plumbing group'? This is related to the people on LinkedIn who give themselves the title of 'Founder and Director' of their accounting business that employs 0.5 FTEs besides themselves.

I know tradies who've gone the 'group' route with their business name when they've never so much as employed an apprentice. I don't know about other people, but all other things being equal, I'd rather give my business to Simmo's Building rather than something that sounds like a law firm.

It's not just tradies. I know more than a few people who, on being made redundant, set their LinkedIn profiles to something like "CEO and Founder, Bill Bloggs Consulting". Bloody strange. The more savvy ones put a firm end date on their previous role and describe themselves as "Seeking New Opportunities".

One of the more floggish flogs on Bay13 outed himself by having his LinkedIn job set as "MD <Username> Enterprises", complete with a photo that looked like a deranged child molester.

He also, famously, couldn't change a tyre.

 

[Hawk Dork]

It's not just tradies. I know more than a few people who, on being made redundant, set their LinkedIn profiles to something like "CEO and Founder, Bill Bloggs Consulting". Bloody strange. The more savvy ones put a firm end date on their previous role and describe themselves as "Seeking New Opportunities".

One of the more floggish flogs on Bay13 outed himself by having his LinkedIn job set as "MD <Username> Enterprises", complete with a photo that looked like a deranged child molester.

He also, famously, couldn't change a tyre.

His online pool was exceptional though

 

[revo333]

Maybe instead of using your mobile to call someone to change the tyre maybe call an ambulance?

No mobile reception.

 

[ZEV]

No mobile reception.

PLB or sat phone.

 

[Gralin]

Kind of funny how school doesn't teach everyone basic things like first aid, basic finance, basic cooking, how to change a tire etc

Sure you might learn how to make spaghetti in year 7 but where's the useful stuff for moving out of home for the first time in years 10-12 when kids might actually remember it as adults

 

[ioppolo]

Kind of funny how school doesn't teach everyone basic things like first aid, basic finance, basic cooking, how to change a tire etc

Sure you might learn how to make spaghetti in year 7 but where's the useful stuff for moving out of home for the first time in years 10-12 when kids might actually remember it as adults

They teach you to be a good, compliant worker first and foremost

 

[PT Bar None]

Not sure when I last changed a tyre. '98 perhaps? Had a good run.

Can't remember who taught me either. I remember my Dad summoning me to the garage to learn when I was a teenager, but I already knew by then. Might've been a mate's older brother when I was in grade 5/6?

 

[Catfish Alley]

I had to change a tyre a few weeks ago. Might have been the first time since my Dad taught me 20 years ago. I remember learning all the other stuff in school though. Not sure if that’s changed.

 

[Gralin]

I had to change a tyre a few weeks ago. Might have been the first time since my Dad taught me 20 years ago. I remember learning all the other stuff in school though. Not sure if that’s changed.

You did proper first aid, finance, not math but like compound interest and how credit works?

We did home economics which was cooking in year 7 and maybe year 8 but how much of that do you remember 6 or 7 years later?

I remember making spaghetti that's about it

 

[Catfish Alley]

You did proper first aid, finance, not math but like compound interest and how credit works?

We did home economics which was cooking in year 7 and maybe year 8 but how much of that do you remember 6 or 7 years later?

I remember making spaghetti that's about it

In year 11 we got to pick what we wanted to do but, yeah, 7 to 10 we had Home Ec, Commerce and Health that did that stuff.

 

[Hawk Dork]

You did proper first aid, finance, not math but like compound interest and how credit works?

We did home economics which was cooking in year 7 and maybe year 8 but how much of that do you remember 6 or 7 years later?

I remember making spaghetti that's about it

We were the first year that boys cooked and sowed and did wood work so did the girls
I kept the skills of all three and expanded the knowledge to be able to cook anything and everything and build anything, I can still sow basically.
I also did economics at high school which was useful ,I did more in uni.

 

[PT Bar None]

We were the first year that boys cooked and sowed and did wood work so did the girls
I kept the skills of all three and expanded the knowledge to be able to cook anything and everything and build anything, I can still sow basically.
I also did economics at high school which was useful ,I did more in uni.

I had to sew a button back onto a shirt only this year!

My Mum taught me to sew before I left for the Air Force. It was a handy skill because everything needed name tags on it. The Air Force taught me how to iron clothes. Literally. We all huddled in the laundry and the drill SGT yelled at us, demonstrated, and then yelled at us some more. We were then told, to wash, dry and iron and starch our entire kit to the required standard by 8AM the next day. Any item of clothing not to the required standard was removed from the hanger and draped over you. It was called being "Christmas tree'ed". As in decorated like one. It was quite shit, but you learned. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though.

 

[Hawk Dork]

I had to sew a button back onto a shirt only this year!

My Mum taught me to sew before I left for the Air Force. It was a handy skill because everything needed name tags on it. The Air Force taught me how to iron clothes. Literally. We all huddled in the laundry and the drill SGT yelled at us, demonstrated, and then yelled at us some more. We were then told, to wash, dry and iron and starch our entire kit to the required standard by 8AM the next day. Any item of clothing not to the required standard was removed from the hanger and draped over you. It was called being "Christmas tree'ed". As in decorated like one. It was quite sh*t, but you learned. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though.

My dad taught me how to sow
He was a magician in the veggie patch

Bloody spell check


My wifes cousin taught me this phrase

From his time in the Merchant Navy

If you are having a disagreement
You ask does your mother sew ?
Then its the Glasgow kiss and get her to put a stitch in that

 

[Catfish Alley]

I forgot how to sew and could have definitely used lessons on ironing. I suck at it and have given up.

 

[revo333]

PLB or sat phone.

No phones around, the person ended up dying.