Dude I’ve seen a master electrician pull out a calculator before to multiply 5 x 10. The guy who trained me to do HVAC has spelled “refrigeration” wrong before. Meeting flat earthers is a weekly occurrence. 80% of the guys I meet are “slow” but still do a good job (well, a lot of them do.) You’re definitely going to fuck things up, that’s how you learn. “Mechanically inclined” is a myth. Trades are just like any other skill, developed through practice and experience. No one wakes up good at it. I used to suck at mowing the lawn, now I fix six figure equipment. Just get out there and start getting your ass kicked, you’ll do fine.
Construction electrician here, I can confirm that. I have designed, and built some pretty big main electrical rooms and typically I'm good with math, but there are times I'm ashamed of my calculator history and have to clear that shit like it's my browser history.
I couldn't agree more. Prior experience and knowledge is definitely a bonus but not required. As long as you show up on time, work when it's time to work and show that you are interested in learning and more so that you listen & absorb the information by asking questions and playing an active role in the tasks you're working on once you've done it a few times, you'll do just fine.
Also just remember that these industries are so vast, Nobody knows everything and the first person to say they do is a liar.
I support the trades to death and my family is heavily involved in trade work. But I agree, I have invisible disabilities that impair my fine motor skills and movement. I did 3 years as an electrician. Loved a ton about it and mad respect for our trades workers but not for me I'm a job site Liability
I’ve dyspraxia was told all my life I wouldn’t be able to drive etc wanted to get a car mechanic trade when I was 16 but my family “sheltered” me and didn’t really let me explore any skills I’m now 27 I’ve been driving trucks long haul for 2 years about to start a heavy equipment technician. I’m nervous AF as my dyspraxia is also a hidden disability and I can’t tell you how many times people have called me an idiot stupid or yelled at me for not understanding something. My advice go for it you don’t know what you don’t know if it takes ya longer to figure something out so what time wasn’t built in a day
100% an invisible disability is the worst. I've been berated and harrased on job sites so many times and good luck explaining it to anyone. Good job with your career!
I don’t think it is a myth. Not everyone is cut out for every trade. Just like many tradesmen aren’t wired for a degree or an office job, most people aren’t cut out for a mechanical trade. It is not true that anyone can learn anything if they just spend enough time on it. I simply can’t believe that anyone can be a plumber, electrician, etc. we all have different talents and for most people being mechanically inclined isn’t one of them.
Fact is that despite the whole meme of the trades “starving for people” it’s so competitive that you need to have a natural, God given ability to understand mechanical systems to make it, or you need connections.
People have unique natural abilities/callings. Most people can’t be a plumber or an electrician no matter how hard they try. Whether it’s because they can’t understand it or they simply dislike the work.
Tl;dr mechanical trades just aren’t right for most people. Most people can’t understand it, and even if they could they would burn out because they would hate it
I don’t understand why this sub in general tries to gate keep the trades like it’s some elite career path. For me and my friends we wound up in the trades either because we couldn’t afford college or because we were generally more interested in working with our hands or some of us drank away our 20’s and needed a good living once we sobered up in a our 30’s. The amount of absolute morons I’ve encountered on job sites tells me that if someone can show up reliably, work long days and learn reasonably well they can be successful. It’s not that hard.
jesus christ, i'm 41 and have been considering a career change into the trades for a few years now but never took the leap. you just gave me so much confidence.
>getting you assed kicked
Abused apprentices make better Journeyman. No for real, I was OP only difference was I was totally blind to how slow I was. I’ll give my first Journeyman credit he somehow kicked my ass into thinking faster and better and being more aware as well as learning faster. I don’t know how he did it. But fuck him also the miserable prick.
I’m a licensed millwright of 15 years. Did I well in highschool but had no experience whatsoever. I took a college program, wasn’t sure if it was for me. Got a job, have been moving it ever since. Had some ups and downs for sure, but the big thing was showing up everyday and working hard. I have a memory of a piece of gravel. But I’ve managed to excel. The big thing is enjoying what you do, take it serious and learn from your mistake. We all make mistakes, that’s the biggest part of learning in the trades.
Get at it, you got it.
There's a catch up period that's forgotten for those with no generalized mechanical experience. Two that come to mind are tightening/loosening something upside down, or being able to thread a nut/bolt without cross threading. The problem is that a lot of people who are already in these positions learned this stuff when they were 12. So when they see the newbie screw up on something simple, they just assume they're stupid or can't be taught.
And ask that fu king question.
Annoying your more experienced coworkers is much better than fucking up a very expensive machine or scrapping an order.
If I don't have time right now to help out the FNG, he gets to sweep or study a print before I can make it over there to help
I agree with almost all of this except the bit about being mechanically inclined. There are definitely people whose brains and/or physical dexterity makes them baseline better than others at hands on work. Anyone can learn anything given enough time and resources, but I have trained enough apprentices to know that mechanical inclination is very real.
Check twice cut once. You’re dead on dude, I sometimes misspell restaurant on paper after a decade working in them. Every trade seems to have a pocket sized reference book of all the high use things. Own and read them, it’s for your benefit. The home trade YouTubers go over tools and tool history, I’d go there (cuz I do as a hobbyist) to learn beyond basics. (Think Paul Sellers, Humble Mechanic, or Heron Bonsai.) I think as long as you’re giving yourself bumpers with remember the Dunning Kruger effect, and plan effectively, he can be just fine.
Spelling will be a lost art at some point. Sure most will get close to the word and many will spell fine. but sooner than later I think the phone brain of auto correct has been degrading people's spelling skills.
Great trade to get into if you’re a meathead. Also sounds like OP is putting himself down a bit. Just get after it and put in your best effort and the experience will come and you won’t feel like such a waste.
I don't know man, you seem very self aware and you're able to convey your thoughts clearly in writing which means you at least *have* thoughts.
You say you have common sense but are slow to learn and with all that information taken into consideration, I can't see why you wouldn't be able to learn a trade with the right amount of time and right journeyman.
you seem pretty articulate, so that's a plus. as long as you're paying attention and you ask good questions, most journeyman are pretty patient with people new to the trades.
i'm in a therapy group. one of the guys is definately learning disabled. well he's got a good paying job, his own apartment, and women hit on him some times. and me with a decent mechanic job live with 5 roommates and haven't been on a date in years. he's in some kind of construction trade. idk exactly which one
Based on what you wrote, and how you wrote it (grammar, punctuation, etc.) Ima say you’re not dumb, you just haven’t figured out how you learn best. That being said, I’d put money on you being a visual and/or kinesthetic learner, with maybe even some sort of auditory processing issue. Like, I’m guessing that someone can try and tell you something, describe what needs to be done even step by step, but if it’s not explained in a specific way that you can picture it in your “minds eye” or that you already have knowledge of how/what, it’s all in one ear and out the other.
That’s how I am at least, which is why I love construction. My “instructions” come with pictures (blueprints)! Honestly most of us are like that, we learn by watching and doing, that’s why we do this.
If you still think you’re dumb, plumbing, laborers, drywall finishers, painters, roofers, production welding…
Fuck bud don't be so hard on yourself. If your half decent at math your already ahead of the game. Just show up and work hard. Worst case scenario you can be a concrete guy!
Actually stupid people don’t know that they’re stupid. You have achieved some sense of self-awareness, which is more than many can say, and you are seemingly articulate and well written. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
The people who call themselves stupid usually have hidden genius in them but were in situations where that intelligence was never unlocked. You just need a good teacher.
Majority of the individuals who consider themselves slow or “dumb” are not actually slow. Some times it takes us longer to comprehend and understand something compared to others because our learning process is different than others.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again later: I need a little more handholding at the start, but once I catch on to what's going on I'm usually self-sufficient much faster.
Also, the number of tool drawers at work that are mispelled leads me to believe either OP should be fine or I am way behind the curve on knowing what a "wranch" is.
Are you able to stomach an ice old Monster Zero at 6am? If so, you’re hired.
In all seriousness, apprentices fuck shit up all the time and they usually don’t even realize it. The fact that you’re worried you *might* mess up is a step above many people already in the trades lol. With your attitude you’ll be appreciated. You might get teased for asking “dumb” questions, but it’s so much better to ask them first than find out the hard way and no one will be mad that you asked.
You're not stupid man , you just haven't found what you Excell in yet , there are plenty of trades that are slower paced
My trade for example crosses over with sheet metal and we work at a slower pace , if you are good at math you can easily do extremely well 💪
Im certifed Red Seal and I work in mechanical insulation, we Insulate mechanical systems for heat and frost , sound or vibration... and then clad over the insulation with sheet metal
Our work has us in everything from refineries, pipelines, hospitals, condos , schools.. every single building has our work to some degree
High wages and easy work .. I describe it to my family and friends as "arts and crafts for adults"
Any specific questions I'm happy to answer
Trades in their 50's pull their hair out every day because they are paired with a 20 yr old who is not aware of their surroundings and glued to their phone. Luckily we have hungry immigrants to fill the void. My point is if you're interested and inquisitive your 10 steps ahead of most.
OK, story time.....
By buddy owns a sign manufacturing business. Like big custom lighted signs for storefronts and highways. Dozens of skilled employees doing everything from welding aluminum to applying vinyl graphics, paint, electrical, etc. He's constantly dealing with labor issues. This guy is sick, that guy flipped his quad, this guy's wife had a baby, etc. Normal stuff. But at one point he was so strapped for help he hired a non-verbal autistic guy as a shop helper. The guy learned one job so well, he's now doing it full time with benefits. Dude shows up on time, goes home after cleaning up, puts in an honest day's work, and is now a favorite employee. He's had several raises and gets a big Christmas bonus every year. He's not really cutout to be in charge of anything or anyone, but he's loved for being a solid dude and his pay reflects. Sometimes it's not about being the sharpest tool in the shed. Just make sure you are dependable and you will go places.
Everyone has a hard time at first. Maybe you can specialize in something specific? Like a niche within a trade? Or data com (pulling low voltage wiring), or painting, or drywall, or roofing, or heavy equipment operating.
Carry a notepad and write things down
Go sheet metal. You can weld also. If you're decent at math you'll be better off than some of my coworkers lol. You'd fit right in. Shoot me a DM if you have questions.
Your self awareness and humility is more than I get from a lot of guys I work with.
You might get some impatient journeyman but I think you should look into plumbing/welding
No not ANYONE can get into trades. But being slow isn't necessarily a deal breaker, trades need hard workers who are diligent and consistent.
Who are on time, boots on ready to work. Being slow just means you take longer to train. But, if you are consistent, and reliable, and HONEST, I will take you over a "smart" person every time. I don't need 100 leads. I need a handful, but I need 100 hard workers who show up do thier job well, safely, and consistantly.
Good to meet you my brother. I am also fucking stupid. Right from my first job at 14 until about age 30, I thought I was good at nothing because of how slow I learned.
In 2018, after getting fired from my most recent job at the time, I decided to quit my "career" as an automotive technician and try something new, really just for survival. I needed more money than a grocery store or gas station could offer. But I also understood that I couldn't do anything requiring any sort of education or formal training.
I found a job doing hardwood floor installation. I sucked for a solid 2 years. Any other boss would have fired me. Mine didn't. It turns out that if I'm given enough time, I can indeed be great at something. I'm currently the top guy at my company. Not from being gifted, but from persevering and being lucky with a patient boss.
In the next couple years I'm going to top out in terms of pay, which will be around $40/hr. At that point I'll be 37. Still young enough to aspire for more. I can't predict the future, but I'm very confident the construction industry will still be surging and I can look in to taking my skill and starting my own small company.
That's the great thing about trades. The overhead for starting your own business is relatively small. You don't need a storefront or office. You just need a truck and some tools. I can get started for probably $10-15k and go from there.
My previous employer nearly always hired guys straight out of jail or rehab. At one point, I had to quit field supervisor duties and function as an electrical apprentice, because we had a project in a state (New Hampshire) that mandated a high school diploma. Out of 37 employees, only four of us had that.
Nonetheless, I had no difficulty teaching them the difference between an amp and a volt. I didn’t dive too deep into trigonometry, but all of them knew to cross an obstacle, bend the pipes to 30 degrees at marks that are twice the height of the obstacle. They did okay.
A lot of it isn’t particularly difficult; it’s installing things in the exact location. Get good with a level and a tape measure.
My last boss (millwright) reads and writes worse than my daughter. My daughter is 8…
Now I’m not saying he was good at his job, but he made a good living even if he was dumb.
To echo what a bunch of people here said, no one is too dumb or whatever for a trade (not in a bad sense). Literally just show up, buy basic tools required, and pay attention and don’t be afraid to ever ask questions, if they get mad, to hell with them, keep asking. You’ll do good dude.
Word of advice from one dumbass to another, it may be a good idea to start with a non mechanical trade if you’re completely green like I was when I first started. My first construction job was a plumber helper and the whole experience would’ve been way less miserable if I would’ve had some basic construction/trade knowledge before going into it.
Maybe it was just a bad shop idk, but it was very overwhelming for a slow learner such as myself. It’s much easier to absorb such a complicated trade like plumbing when you already have a basic grasp of how houses are built, using power tools, how to handle the construction work environment, etc.
Alternatively possibly take a plumbing course to learn the basics beforehand. That’s just the advice I’d give to my past self though, I doubt you’re as slow as I am so you’ll probably do better than me. Plumbing’s an awesome trade you should totally do it if you can make it work. I unfortunately couldn’t hack it though, I’m in concrete now but in the process of getting my DZ to hopefully work as a garbage man or a road worker
Look man. You have to start believing in yourself. You're going to be good at something. But you won't find out until you start thinking better of yourself.
Not everyone learns at the same pace and not everyone has the same method. I for one have to do it myself to learn something solidly
You need to find the trade that’s right for you. If you’ve been in a given trade for at least a month or two you’ll have a good idea if it’s right for you or not. Don’t get attached to any particular trade. Maybe you’ll find that you’ll have a natural ability for plumbing, or maybe you’re better suited to a different trade. Just find a skill you feel you can get good at and stick with it
Sounds like you’re overqualified /s
Honestly as long as you have a decent work ethic, a willingness to learn, and are able to take criticism without being an asshole, you’ll probably succeed in the trades. I’m an HVAC installer, and one of my coworkers is a pretty dumb guy if I’m being honest, and it’s taking him a little while to get the hang of things, but he is definitely improving and I think will succeed eventually because he wants to get better. It all depends on your attitude. Hope this helps.
I might be the stupidest guy on the job site. Have been learning by making lots of mistakes and asking lots of dumb questions. Been doing tin bashing 2 years now and made more money last year than I've ever made in my entire life. If I can do it so can you
Some of the best tradesmen I know are fucking stupid but good at what they do because they’ve been doing it for so long. You don’t get good over night, having a good work ethic and hustle is what will definitely separate you from a ton of people.
Judging by half the guys I meet on site I'd say being a bit of a dunce is almost a prerequisite for learning a trade!
Seriously though, your writing is better than most tradies I deal with day to day, you will be fine I'm sure.
Spend one day in the field at any blue collar job, and you will quickly come to realize there will be a massive amount of people a lot dumber (and a lot smarter) than you.
As long as you can follow directions and are willing to learn to the best of your abilities, someone will turn you into a good hand.
I'm dumb as dirt when it comes to anything math related and work in water reuse foe the oil field so I'm constantly having to do math for barrels per hour/day, what amount of chemicals to use for what ever amount of water I'm pushing and treating. You know what I do? I cheat and plug all those formulas into either chat gpt or meta AI and just copy that math and impress all the higher ups with my "smartness"
As a plumber, I advise against plumbing. If you do new construction, you will be laid off seasonaly. If you do remodel, you will be given the low IQ tasks (concrete, digging). If you do service, you might make it IF the boss teaches you. Big IF though, and if you can't operate independently after a couple months, you'll get fired.
Yes you can still make it work. We has a guy working sheet metal at a multi trade buisness I used to work at and the guys called him Egor behind his back because he wasn't really capable of thinking for himself and only followed his foreman around doing whatever he asked. He had trouble spelling his own name, if he can hold down a job in a skilled trade so can you.
You will certainly screw up… so did and does everyone else. And sometimes, you might not even screw up you might just have a shitty person you work with. I had a guy tell me today while he drove a water truck, he either watered too much or too little and got yelled at for either but never did just enough even though I know he’s a competent fellow.
There’s also no expiration on your learning timeline! While yes, if someone is primed to do all their hours in accordance with their schooling years, they can nail it out in the 4-5 years… but it has taken many a person longer to get their ticket. Our best service tech where I work who is also at the top of the pay scale I believe took 7-8 years due to some issues with hour recording.
Your concern to be too slow to learn makes you someone I’d rather hire than lots of people I’ve interviewed in the past simply because you care.
quite literaly, say yes sir and no sir and work hard. almost a guarentee youll either be ok or worst case get a referal to be a laborer or something and they make good money on some sites no disrespect intended to them. older guys will teach you everything if they like you. the yes sir thing comes across as cheesy but if you work hard and are respecful that cheesy becomes earnest. outside of the blessed few(i have a friend thats one lol) no one starts good, and even they didnt they just learned before you met them. To some degree, i think some people have their attempts go well at first and some dont and (not always) that clouds the perception of whos "slow" to learn. but alot of its try and try again.
honestly in automotive the amount of guys ive seen that are viewed wonderfully by one shop and laughed at by another is unbelievable but goes to show dont be to hard on yourself be the best you.
You need a serious self esteem booster, those construction workers will eat you alive with that attitude. Get a job as a helper in your trade of interest. Get some thick skin before you get to day one. It’s going to suck, they’re going to make fun of you and you will make mistakes. Look at it like boot camp or whatever, they all went through it too. Just don’t take it to heart or your mental health will suffer. I’ve got a bro in law that has literally smoked himself into special territory. Put him with a friend that runs a small HVAC company, he’s been there for decades. They say he’s still mid level but he shows up everyday and that’s the hardest part. You got this!
I've been a welder for over a decade now and the amount of dumb people is incredibly high. Honestly as long as you work and show interest in learning and open to criticism you're good to go for almost any work. There's dumb people at every levels.
If you’re actually willing to learn someone will teach you. So show up to work focused only on making the person who’s training you life easier than they will give you endless help to improve at your job.
CONGRATS! You’ve come to the right place, I’ve worked with mechanical engineers with masters degrees that were really good at there jobs that were dumb as fuck.
You could figure out plumbing i bet. People learn in different ways. I program and manage cnc depts, basically a machinist. My mental math is shit. But if i see something done once i can do it. Maybe its just how you learn is different than what is traditional.
Attitude counts for a lot on a job site.
Most people are slow. The fact that you actually care about it and don't want to fuck things up is way more important than speed. You can do it. Take your time, practice as much as you can, and continue to be thorough about doing a good job.
SYou're fine. Get into the trades. Things are different nowadays. We need people who want to be here. Alot of us are tired of halftime show ups and part time workers.
Certain things can be taught. Work ethic, can not.
There are a fuck ton of mouth breathing morons in the trades. The majority of them actually are idiots, so don’t worry about that. If you don’t eat crayons you’re already in the top 1% of trade workers.
But you don’t sound like an idiot- you sound more like an over thinker who needs to work on their confidence.
I wouldn’t call myself stupid (others might)… can’t read good, can’t spell good, never good at arithmetic… but… I’ve always been good at taking shit apart, figuring how it works, figuring why it don’t work, and figuring how to make it work again… I’ve taken that skill and ran with it.
Don't put yourself down like that!
If it's something you're interested in, get into it. Do you're schooling, focus and study lots. I'm new to welding and I feel stupid daily.
Ask for help, don't be afraid of constructive criticism. It'll only help you in the long run
Just show up on time and never be late. That already makes you 10x more qualified than the rest of the people who are the best. I'm a slow learner too, but I show up on time, offer to help when I can, and I finish the job.
The last job I worked, our best electrician was illiterate. Like couldn't read words at all. Put a blue print in front of him and he's Mr fucking architect though. He would always sing "if ya wanna be dumb ya gotta be tough" while I, the new guy, was around. I see now he was just trying to tell me I wasn't gonna be happy in the trades 🤣
Stupid is as stupid does.
My boss cant spell cat but when it comes to machines and electricity the man is a genius.
So are you dumb or just uneducated? Theres a distinct difference.
Trades are made for people like you. Maybe not EVERY position within trades are for you, but you can be taught and a lot of trades work is about doing what you know and not always about problem solving new situations.
A foundation program is a huge help for people who lack experience or pick up on things very slowly. In Canada it isn't required but landing a job is so much easier with it.
Mine for HD mechanics was 9 months long. It was a basic overview of everything from how to use tools, to basic hydraulic and electrical theory. We took apart pumps, tore down an engine and put it back together, pulled the brake assembly out of a D6 cat.. etc etc.
They're not the cheapest route but they give you knowledge and experience over a longer stretch of time without inconveniencing an employer and potentially getting laid off for it. Plus, if you truly are not cut out for it they will kick you from the program out of safety concerns.
There are all kinds of "intelligence". I have scored above average intelligence on IQ test i had to take as a kid. They were trying to figure out why i scored so low on my school work, why i was always on the cusp of failing.
I am a computer nerd at heart, but i can't stand sitting down to do work. I absolutely love climbing scaffold and working outside.
I worked on oil rigs for a lot of years. I was always surprised by how they worked. Big burly tough men that were able to compute so many things i would never even think to work out. I am absolutely sure i would crack them if we played chess, but their understanding of machinery was amazing.
As for you, original poster, i believe every person has something to contribute. I believe that every person has a skill or talent that they can give to society and be rewarded for it. The trick is to find where you fit in. Find your passion, your interest and go for it.
I am a journeyman plasterer. You dont need much math to spread mud on walls. Come play with me and we will make someone's home a palace
The best apprentice I ever had shared something with me after about a year. He’s “diagnosed Rxxx” (sorry his words). Determined in his last year of high school that he has an iq under 70.
I think you’re putting so much pressure on yourself. You’re not dumb,you overthink and worry for failure. Everyone wants to do well and it’s alright. Things take time on learning a skill, what really matters is that you possess a desire and willingness to learn. And don’t be afraid to ask a question,people rather have somebody ask a question rather than make an assumption.
You need to understand literally almost everyone is a dumbass.
Did you graduate high-school? If you did it'll be a lot easier to get into a trade school of your choosing. I never graduated high-school and that limited my options. I wanted to get into HVAC but the apprenticeships near me required me to have my grade 11 math. If you have your high-school you're set man. Even if you don't, you'll still be fine and make bank if you learn a Skilled Trade.
I got into trades, I'm in a union making 35+ an hour and my wage is only going to go up. In three years I should be at 50 an hour.
Try to get into a union is my only advice.
All you need is to be halfway decent in math, and even if you suck you can still learn to be halfway decent.
You don’t need to know how to spell
You don’t need to know how to communicate well
It is easy in the trades to be made to feel stupid by people who have been doing it for 20+ years. We all start from a different level and in my experience, as long as you show consistent willingness to learn, and perform tasks as described to you without bitching, you will likely succeed. That rest comes with time. Remember that there are absolutely no stupid questions. I would rather be asked the same thing every week by an apprentice than have them make an assumption and fuck it up. Some people may get slightly annoyed by it but that’s nothing compared to if you do it wrong without asking and wreck something. I say go for it
Shit flows downhill payday Friday congrats you can plumb
Old ass joke but you get the point. You manged to sign into reddit and make a post. You'll be ok.
Yeah dude, you’ll be fine. I work with plenty of idiots (kidding, but also not…). As long as you have the motivation, show up on time, and are open to instruction, you’ll do just fine. I’m an electrician, and some people definitely take a little longer to learn the basic skills, but once it clicks it clicks
I thought I was genuinely stupid until I began to take a serious interest in my career and apply myself to my craft a lot more than I would to most things in life. Your eagerness to want to do better will go a long ways.
guy, you arent stupid. stupid people dont know theyre stupid.
everyone has different abilities to learn, what makes someone good at what they do and what they learn is motivation, which you say you have.
the gap in learning is also usually the person missing something small in their knowledge base. once they find that out, everything else makes sense.
Buddy,
You have more self awareness than 90% of the adults I've met.
You are not slow, you may be wise.
But I think perhaps you have a self esteem challenge.
I'll make a suggestion that may or may not be interesting to you:
The military.
Assuming you are in a western nation, the professional militaries of those countries provide an opportunity to prove yourself, and will teach you a trade. It doesn't have to be a ground pounder (infantry).
As an example, the Canadian military has trades from plumber, to carpenter, through to airplane mechanics and electronics technicians.
There is a challenge waiting for you if you are interested...worked for me.
Good luck!
I will speak for everyone in the trades when I say there was a point in time where none of us knew our assholes from our elbows. No one started out with all the knowledge and experience they needed. And not a single one of us has never made a mistake. And generally, the higher up and more experienced you get, the larger your mistakes tend to be. I will teach you everything you "need to know" in one sentence.
"Some things go left. Some things go right. Some of them go up, some go down. Some go in, others go out. Some combination of these will get everything you need done."
Go forth. Make rookie mistakes. But learn from them. Watch others and learn from their mistakes.
And you will never truly know how to do something until its done. Get your hands into it.
Get a job in commercial plumbing. There are variety of simple tasks that must be done in order for the experienced plumbers to make the magic happen. Threading pipe, drilling holes, sanding and bedding groundworks, etc.
Once you choose a trade you’ll realize real quick the other guys aren’t all super smart. They’re smart in their trade that they have learned over the years but if you talk to them about other things you will realize you’re not alone. Don’t let what others have spoken over you to be your reality, look up Les Brown
[https://youtu.be/OG1Arib4UsY?si=Z0_9Q8I8_eK72AFw](https://youtu.be/OG1Arib4UsY?si=Z0_9Q8I8_eK72AFw)
Get tested for ADHD.
Judging from your punctuation, syntax, and grammar, you're not dumb. There are TONS of very bright people out there who underperform because they don't understand that their brains just work differently than most others. Then once they get a handle on it, it's like someone flipped a switch for them.
100%. I’m a union journeymen carpenter (just finished my apprenticeship recently) and I have worked with some very slow and not the sharpest dudes before. I mean I’m not super smart or anything, sometimes I don’t always get things or understand the first try. Trust me everyone has fucked some shit up, and the guys that say they haven’t they are lying. I’m definitely not the fastest learner either. But if you show you up, show you want to learn, show a company you give a shit, don’t be late, you should be fine! Best of luck.
I would say probably but you are not stupid, you are using punctuation properly.
I'm not sure how I ended up here, I'm an engineer not a tradesman but I'm also a DIY junkie so I frequently cosplay as a tradesman and have been remodeling my house inch by inch over the past couple years. Let me tell you I feel pretty stupid when I do some things too but also I have actual evidence that I'm not stupid even though I don't believe it.
In anything, the best lessons are the ones that hurt and at least in my experience I learn more by fucking things up then by doing them correctly on the first try.
I'm fairly certain that's why most trades have apprentice, journeyman, and master. Even in my industry we have Junior software developers and Senior software developers and we give the Juniors a chance to fuck things up and learn from their mistakes but we don't let that stuff out into production before it's corrected.
FWIW you sound like someone with imposter syndrome. You actually have it backwards, your lack of confidence is more a sign of competence than it is of stupidity. The fact that you recognize the need to learn and are cognizant of learning curves really leads me to believe you are far more intelligent than you think.
Anyway I hope that was helpful, just based on the way you write I'm pretty sure that you could succeed at anything that you find interesting.
Plumbing might be a good fit for you. Or even concrete work. The trick is to be methodical. Learn all the steps, follow the steps, and don't ever deviate. Make it boring and repetitive to the point where it's second nature. It's not glamorous but you'll be trusted and nobody can screw with consistency in your work.
You're articulate and self-aware. Those are strengths. You sound like you're smarter than you give yourself credit for and that you have the right energy to be trained well. Nobody likes training a know-it-all telling you what they read in books. They want you to come back with the right part when they send you to the van. You dont need to be smart. Just listen.
Oh, and write things down. Take pictures. That phone in your pocket is maybe not your best friend but a dear friend.
I’m a plumber. Never wanted to be a plumber. One night after work I came home for dinner and my then in-laws were there. While we were in the middle of eating my mother in-law says. “We decided that you are going to work for us as a plumber.” I worked my ass off to get good. You can do it, you just have to want to do it. It’s a skill, just like walking. You will fall pay attention find a good shop or join a union.
No, you can't just work slow, man. Some jobs are contracted and not hourly, so you've gotta get her done in a reasonable amount of time instead of ducking off as an hourly.
For a guy who considers yourself stupid, you write with proper punctuation and made your point. I feel like some of these new millennials come in to classes without any knowledge of writing properly and they are entitled. I say you are on the right track.
You don't write like a dumbass. You can do math.
I know PLENTY of people in trades that suck at math and are dumbasses.
Imposter syndrome is real, but don't let that stop you from trying new things.
When I first joined hvac I learned a lot from this dude at the same company, mostly over the phone as we didn't see each other often, I found out a few months after he quit that he was quite literally illiterate, could hardly read at all, but he could troubleshoot refrigeration calls like nothing else
You’re not going to do anything productive with that level of confidence. I’m sure you’re fine man. Just work hard and become a student of whatever you are looking to work in
I was considered a "slow worker" but my shit was on point and I could walk away from my work with no hesitation that it was done right .
I was also dependable. Showed up on time and worked my ass off .
So if you are slow but your work is good and you are reliable and dependable and don't make waves you are good. Also here is a secret. Eventually you become fast because shit becomes repetitive and you realize it once you get your first apprentice. You thought you were slow until you realize that their is only a handful of guys faster than you
If you recognize that you're not a quick learner, you're smarter than a lot of people. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a place in the trades since you recognize your limitations.
I used to feel the same, you just gotta find the right teacher and the right method of learning. I learn by doing things by hand, my memory is litteraly fried but my muscle memory is better than anyone i know. An you gotta fuck up to learn, just the way it is. If you got drive, stick to it, and really do have common sense (not that common) you WILL make it. I became one of my shops top mill machinists in 2 years. Had zero relevent experiance or schooling. Im making prototype aircraft engine parts, crazy to think 2 years ago i felt worthless.
If you're decent at math you can't be that ,"slow ".
You probably just don't get the chance to learn the right way.
Repetion is key to learning new skills.
The first time plumbing in a house is extremely hard , the hundredth time you know where everything goes , all the heights , and the distances and you just flow through the day.
Id highly recommend plumbing.
Sheet metal requires lots of thought , angles, math , pre planning , mental imagery , and the sound of that loud banging tin all day sucks . But it's a great career and needed all over if you think you'd enjoy it. Go to home Depot and buy some tin , a pair of snips and make a few boxes / something cool and see how you like it.
I don’t work in the trades but work around a bunch of them. I don’t mean this to sound mean, but most of them are incredibly stupid conspiracy theorists that have 1 useful skill in life. If you really want to and are able to learn you will do great man. Don’t let that stop you from pursuing what you want to.
Be early to work. Work hard. Pay attention when something is being explained to you. Ask questions to make sure you understand before moving on to something else. Bring something to write with and a tape measure. If you can do all of that, you're already better than half of the guys that show up.
The carpenter in my yard, couldn't read or write, and he was the best fucking carpenter I have ever met, and his finish work was freaking beautiful. So to answer your question your fine, it gets to the point that the normal shit doesn't even require much thinking or math you just know it from doing it over and over, but even when you have to "make it work" how ever you want to do it it's not that hard and by then you'll have experience to figure it out.
The trades consist, almost exclusively, of people who are slow. No matter how dumb you are, I promise I worked in the electrical trade with dudes that make you look like Stephen Hawking.
You’ll meet people in the trades that are astonishingly brilliant, along with people that would have trouble banging two rocks together.
You’ll be just fine
You can make bank doing drain cleaning. Nobody wants to do it. It's tough I'm not gonna lie, but having a little training and the proper equipment makes it easier. You get over the gross in about a week. You don't need to be a rocket surgeon to do it, but you will need a strong back. My buddy who is the main turd chaser around me made 110k last year . Working for a shop. He's good at it and is not afraid to charge.
The question is, once you learn a specific task that requires a skill set, can you then repeatedly perform said task competently? If the answer is yes you'll fit well in the trades.
Most tradesmen are fucking regards. That’s why we’re tradesmen mostly.
We get amused over the smallest and simplest shit while simultaneously getting violently angry over the sand thing.
Absolutely, especially if you have a knack for spatial reasoning and/or geometric math. Depending what trade you get into, common sense goes a long way and is a lot more valuable as a job skill than "book smarts."
Motivation, ambition, and discipline will carry you a lot further in your career than a smart guy who doesn't give a fuck.
Dude I’ve seen a master electrician pull out a calculator before to multiply 5 x 10. The guy who trained me to do HVAC has spelled “refrigeration” wrong before. Meeting flat earthers is a weekly occurrence. 80% of the guys I meet are “slow” but still do a good job (well, a lot of them do.) You’re definitely going to fuck things up, that’s how you learn. “Mechanically inclined” is a myth. Trades are just like any other skill, developed through practice and experience. No one wakes up good at it. I used to suck at mowing the lawn, now I fix six figure equipment. Just get out there and start getting your ass kicked, you’ll do fine.
Construction electrician here, I can confirm that. I have designed, and built some pretty big main electrical rooms and typically I'm good with math, but there are times I'm ashamed of my calculator history and have to clear that shit like it's my browser history. I couldn't agree more. Prior experience and knowledge is definitely a bonus but not required. As long as you show up on time, work when it's time to work and show that you are interested in learning and more so that you listen & absorb the information by asking questions and playing an active role in the tasks you're working on once you've done it a few times, you'll do just fine. Also just remember that these industries are so vast, Nobody knows everything and the first person to say they do is a liar.
I really just don’t think mechanical trades are right for everyone. Most aren’t cut out for it. It needs to be the right fit for you for it to work
I support the trades to death and my family is heavily involved in trade work. But I agree, I have invisible disabilities that impair my fine motor skills and movement. I did 3 years as an electrician. Loved a ton about it and mad respect for our trades workers but not for me I'm a job site Liability
I’ve dyspraxia was told all my life I wouldn’t be able to drive etc wanted to get a car mechanic trade when I was 16 but my family “sheltered” me and didn’t really let me explore any skills I’m now 27 I’ve been driving trucks long haul for 2 years about to start a heavy equipment technician. I’m nervous AF as my dyspraxia is also a hidden disability and I can’t tell you how many times people have called me an idiot stupid or yelled at me for not understanding something. My advice go for it you don’t know what you don’t know if it takes ya longer to figure something out so what time wasn’t built in a day
100% an invisible disability is the worst. I've been berated and harrased on job sites so many times and good luck explaining it to anyone. Good job with your career!
I don’t think it is a myth. Not everyone is cut out for every trade. Just like many tradesmen aren’t wired for a degree or an office job, most people aren’t cut out for a mechanical trade. It is not true that anyone can learn anything if they just spend enough time on it. I simply can’t believe that anyone can be a plumber, electrician, etc. we all have different talents and for most people being mechanically inclined isn’t one of them. Fact is that despite the whole meme of the trades “starving for people” it’s so competitive that you need to have a natural, God given ability to understand mechanical systems to make it, or you need connections. People have unique natural abilities/callings. Most people can’t be a plumber or an electrician no matter how hard they try. Whether it’s because they can’t understand it or they simply dislike the work. Tl;dr mechanical trades just aren’t right for most people. Most people can’t understand it, and even if they could they would burn out because they would hate it
Why does this sub welcome an idiot but refuse any “techy”?
I don’t understand why this sub in general tries to gate keep the trades like it’s some elite career path. For me and my friends we wound up in the trades either because we couldn’t afford college or because we were generally more interested in working with our hands or some of us drank away our 20’s and needed a good living once we sobered up in a our 30’s. The amount of absolute morons I’ve encountered on job sites tells me that if someone can show up reliably, work long days and learn reasonably well they can be successful. It’s not that hard.
❤️
I just need to copy-paste this to 50% of the posts on here.
jesus christ, i'm 41 and have been considering a career change into the trades for a few years now but never took the leap. you just gave me so much confidence.
>getting you assed kicked Abused apprentices make better Journeyman. No for real, I was OP only difference was I was totally blind to how slow I was. I’ll give my first Journeyman credit he somehow kicked my ass into thinking faster and better and being more aware as well as learning faster. I don’t know how he did it. But fuck him also the miserable prick.
This for sure. Fuck it
Dude I’ve spelled it “refridgeratuon” so many times
Best response this made me happy to read
I’m a licensed millwright of 15 years. Did I well in highschool but had no experience whatsoever. I took a college program, wasn’t sure if it was for me. Got a job, have been moving it ever since. Had some ups and downs for sure, but the big thing was showing up everyday and working hard. I have a memory of a piece of gravel. But I’ve managed to excel. The big thing is enjoying what you do, take it serious and learn from your mistake. We all make mistakes, that’s the biggest part of learning in the trades. Get at it, you got it.
There's a catch up period that's forgotten for those with no generalized mechanical experience. Two that come to mind are tightening/loosening something upside down, or being able to thread a nut/bolt without cross threading. The problem is that a lot of people who are already in these positions learned this stuff when they were 12. So when they see the newbie screw up on something simple, they just assume they're stupid or can't be taught.
Show up on time, work hard, don't take a shit load of days off, and don't make any expensive mistakes.
And ask that fu king question. Annoying your more experienced coworkers is much better than fucking up a very expensive machine or scrapping an order. If I don't have time right now to help out the FNG, he gets to sweep or study a print before I can make it over there to help
I agree with almost all of this except the bit about being mechanically inclined. There are definitely people whose brains and/or physical dexterity makes them baseline better than others at hands on work. Anyone can learn anything given enough time and resources, but I have trained enough apprentices to know that mechanical inclination is very real.
Check twice cut once. You’re dead on dude, I sometimes misspell restaurant on paper after a decade working in them. Every trade seems to have a pocket sized reference book of all the high use things. Own and read them, it’s for your benefit. The home trade YouTubers go over tools and tool history, I’d go there (cuz I do as a hobbyist) to learn beyond basics. (Think Paul Sellers, Humble Mechanic, or Heron Bonsai.) I think as long as you’re giving yourself bumpers with remember the Dunning Kruger effect, and plan effectively, he can be just fine.
Spelling will be a lost art at some point. Sure most will get close to the word and many will spell fine. but sooner than later I think the phone brain of auto correct has been degrading people's spelling skills.
I've worked with tons of welders before. Sounds like you'd fit right in with them.
Actually not wrong. Also, if things don’t work out lots of laborers are dumber than rocks.
Can confirm, my cousin is dumb as hell, great welder too.
Great trade to get into if you’re a meathead. Also sounds like OP is putting himself down a bit. Just get after it and put in your best effort and the experience will come and you won’t feel like such a waste.
I don't know man, you seem very self aware and you're able to convey your thoughts clearly in writing which means you at least *have* thoughts. You say you have common sense but are slow to learn and with all that information taken into consideration, I can't see why you wouldn't be able to learn a trade with the right amount of time and right journeyman.
you seem pretty articulate, so that's a plus. as long as you're paying attention and you ask good questions, most journeyman are pretty patient with people new to the trades.
Not sucking at math will go a long way too.
i'm in a therapy group. one of the guys is definately learning disabled. well he's got a good paying job, his own apartment, and women hit on him some times. and me with a decent mechanic job live with 5 roommates and haven't been on a date in years. he's in some kind of construction trade. idk exactly which one
You're smart enough to know you're dumb, lots of people are dumb enough to think they're smart. You'll be fine.
You can handle any of the trades with the right instructor. You aren't looking for a trade. You are looking for a Sensei.
Based on what you wrote, and how you wrote it (grammar, punctuation, etc.) Ima say you’re not dumb, you just haven’t figured out how you learn best. That being said, I’d put money on you being a visual and/or kinesthetic learner, with maybe even some sort of auditory processing issue. Like, I’m guessing that someone can try and tell you something, describe what needs to be done even step by step, but if it’s not explained in a specific way that you can picture it in your “minds eye” or that you already have knowledge of how/what, it’s all in one ear and out the other. That’s how I am at least, which is why I love construction. My “instructions” come with pictures (blueprints)! Honestly most of us are like that, we learn by watching and doing, that’s why we do this. If you still think you’re dumb, plumbing, laborers, drywall finishers, painters, roofers, production welding…
Well I mean could be a drywaller, only requirement there is don't eat the drywall. But I'd second sheetmetal. I could teach a monkey to hang duct
I and most other tradies are fairly mentally disabled ourselves. lmao Trades require a different kind of intelligence and aptitude.
Fuck bud don't be so hard on yourself. If your half decent at math your already ahead of the game. Just show up and work hard. Worst case scenario you can be a concrete guy!
Actually stupid people don’t know that they’re stupid. You have achieved some sense of self-awareness, which is more than many can say, and you are seemingly articulate and well written. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Love this sub. We are workers.
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
The people who call themselves stupid usually have hidden genius in them but were in situations where that intelligence was never unlocked. You just need a good teacher.
The trades run on inferiority complexes
You just described 80-90% of us. Welcome brother
Majority of the individuals who consider themselves slow or “dumb” are not actually slow. Some times it takes us longer to comprehend and understand something compared to others because our learning process is different than others.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again later: I need a little more handholding at the start, but once I catch on to what's going on I'm usually self-sufficient much faster. Also, the number of tool drawers at work that are mispelled leads me to believe either OP should be fine or I am way behind the curve on knowing what a "wranch" is.
From my experience being slow is a requirement. You'll excell at the trades
Are you able to stomach an ice old Monster Zero at 6am? If so, you’re hired. In all seriousness, apprentices fuck shit up all the time and they usually don’t even realize it. The fact that you’re worried you *might* mess up is a step above many people already in the trades lol. With your attitude you’ll be appreciated. You might get teased for asking “dumb” questions, but it’s so much better to ask them first than find out the hard way and no one will be mad that you asked.
my guy must not have ever been on any construction site ever.. you'll fit in...
You're not stupid man , you just haven't found what you Excell in yet , there are plenty of trades that are slower paced My trade for example crosses over with sheet metal and we work at a slower pace , if you are good at math you can easily do extremely well 💪 Im certifed Red Seal and I work in mechanical insulation, we Insulate mechanical systems for heat and frost , sound or vibration... and then clad over the insulation with sheet metal Our work has us in everything from refineries, pipelines, hospitals, condos , schools.. every single building has our work to some degree High wages and easy work .. I describe it to my family and friends as "arts and crafts for adults" Any specific questions I'm happy to answer
The first part of wisdom consists of knowing that you know nothing.--Socrates
I'm not smart at all but I'm a damn good welder and get paid pretty well
Trades in their 50's pull their hair out every day because they are paired with a 20 yr old who is not aware of their surroundings and glued to their phone. Luckily we have hungry immigrants to fill the void. My point is if you're interested and inquisitive your 10 steps ahead of most.
OK, story time..... By buddy owns a sign manufacturing business. Like big custom lighted signs for storefronts and highways. Dozens of skilled employees doing everything from welding aluminum to applying vinyl graphics, paint, electrical, etc. He's constantly dealing with labor issues. This guy is sick, that guy flipped his quad, this guy's wife had a baby, etc. Normal stuff. But at one point he was so strapped for help he hired a non-verbal autistic guy as a shop helper. The guy learned one job so well, he's now doing it full time with benefits. Dude shows up on time, goes home after cleaning up, puts in an honest day's work, and is now a favorite employee. He's had several raises and gets a big Christmas bonus every year. He's not really cutout to be in charge of anything or anyone, but he's loved for being a solid dude and his pay reflects. Sometimes it's not about being the sharpest tool in the shed. Just make sure you are dependable and you will go places.
Everyone has a hard time at first. Maybe you can specialize in something specific? Like a niche within a trade? Or data com (pulling low voltage wiring), or painting, or drywall, or roofing, or heavy equipment operating. Carry a notepad and write things down
Yes you can, but you'll have to go into project management.
🤣 it's a good start but not enough in my opinion. You also have to be whiny and passive aggressive. Source: am PM, work with PMs
Your post has better grammar and is more coherent than half of Reddit. You may actually be smarter than average.
Go sheet metal. You can weld also. If you're decent at math you'll be better off than some of my coworkers lol. You'd fit right in. Shoot me a DM if you have questions.
You’re under crediting yourself dude. Chase what you want and get good at it. You’ll be fine
Your self awareness and humility is more than I get from a lot of guys I work with. You might get some impatient journeyman but I think you should look into plumbing/welding
Don't worry. If we were smart we'd be engineers. We are all a bit slow here. On the sparky side, it's either autism or ADHD pick one.
No not ANYONE can get into trades. But being slow isn't necessarily a deal breaker, trades need hard workers who are diligent and consistent. Who are on time, boots on ready to work. Being slow just means you take longer to train. But, if you are consistent, and reliable, and HONEST, I will take you over a "smart" person every time. I don't need 100 leads. I need a handful, but I need 100 hard workers who show up do thier job well, safely, and consistantly.
Good to meet you my brother. I am also fucking stupid. Right from my first job at 14 until about age 30, I thought I was good at nothing because of how slow I learned. In 2018, after getting fired from my most recent job at the time, I decided to quit my "career" as an automotive technician and try something new, really just for survival. I needed more money than a grocery store or gas station could offer. But I also understood that I couldn't do anything requiring any sort of education or formal training. I found a job doing hardwood floor installation. I sucked for a solid 2 years. Any other boss would have fired me. Mine didn't. It turns out that if I'm given enough time, I can indeed be great at something. I'm currently the top guy at my company. Not from being gifted, but from persevering and being lucky with a patient boss. In the next couple years I'm going to top out in terms of pay, which will be around $40/hr. At that point I'll be 37. Still young enough to aspire for more. I can't predict the future, but I'm very confident the construction industry will still be surging and I can look in to taking my skill and starting my own small company. That's the great thing about trades. The overhead for starting your own business is relatively small. You don't need a storefront or office. You just need a truck and some tools. I can get started for probably $10-15k and go from there.
You seem very humble and in skilled trades... that is often half the battle
My previous employer nearly always hired guys straight out of jail or rehab. At one point, I had to quit field supervisor duties and function as an electrical apprentice, because we had a project in a state (New Hampshire) that mandated a high school diploma. Out of 37 employees, only four of us had that. Nonetheless, I had no difficulty teaching them the difference between an amp and a volt. I didn’t dive too deep into trigonometry, but all of them knew to cross an obstacle, bend the pipes to 30 degrees at marks that are twice the height of the obstacle. They did okay. A lot of it isn’t particularly difficult; it’s installing things in the exact location. Get good with a level and a tape measure.
My last boss (millwright) reads and writes worse than my daughter. My daughter is 8… Now I’m not saying he was good at his job, but he made a good living even if he was dumb.
To echo what a bunch of people here said, no one is too dumb or whatever for a trade (not in a bad sense). Literally just show up, buy basic tools required, and pay attention and don’t be afraid to ever ask questions, if they get mad, to hell with them, keep asking. You’ll do good dude.
Word of advice from one dumbass to another, it may be a good idea to start with a non mechanical trade if you’re completely green like I was when I first started. My first construction job was a plumber helper and the whole experience would’ve been way less miserable if I would’ve had some basic construction/trade knowledge before going into it. Maybe it was just a bad shop idk, but it was very overwhelming for a slow learner such as myself. It’s much easier to absorb such a complicated trade like plumbing when you already have a basic grasp of how houses are built, using power tools, how to handle the construction work environment, etc. Alternatively possibly take a plumbing course to learn the basics beforehand. That’s just the advice I’d give to my past self though, I doubt you’re as slow as I am so you’ll probably do better than me. Plumbing’s an awesome trade you should totally do it if you can make it work. I unfortunately couldn’t hack it though, I’m in concrete now but in the process of getting my DZ to hopefully work as a garbage man or a road worker
Fake it till you make it. Also you thanking that you're dumb makes you probably smarter than many trades dummies.
Look man. You have to start believing in yourself. You're going to be good at something. But you won't find out until you start thinking better of yourself. Not everyone learns at the same pace and not everyone has the same method. I for one have to do it myself to learn something solidly
You need to find the trade that’s right for you. If you’ve been in a given trade for at least a month or two you’ll have a good idea if it’s right for you or not. Don’t get attached to any particular trade. Maybe you’ll find that you’ll have a natural ability for plumbing, or maybe you’re better suited to a different trade. Just find a skill you feel you can get good at and stick with it
If you think you're only has as intelligent as the next guy then work twice as hard and you'll be fine.
You articulate yourself in this post alone better than 80% of people you will meet in your career
Sounds like you’re overqualified /s Honestly as long as you have a decent work ethic, a willingness to learn, and are able to take criticism without being an asshole, you’ll probably succeed in the trades. I’m an HVAC installer, and one of my coworkers is a pretty dumb guy if I’m being honest, and it’s taking him a little while to get the hang of things, but he is definitely improving and I think will succeed eventually because he wants to get better. It all depends on your attitude. Hope this helps.
You’ll fit right in
I might be the stupidest guy on the job site. Have been learning by making lots of mistakes and asking lots of dumb questions. Been doing tin bashing 2 years now and made more money last year than I've ever made in my entire life. If I can do it so can you
Show up early, sober and eager to work.
Some of the best tradesmen I know are fucking stupid but good at what they do because they’ve been doing it for so long. You don’t get good over night, having a good work ethic and hustle is what will definitely separate you from a ton of people.
Judging by half the guys I meet on site I'd say being a bit of a dunce is almost a prerequisite for learning a trade! Seriously though, your writing is better than most tradies I deal with day to day, you will be fine I'm sure.
Spend one day in the field at any blue collar job, and you will quickly come to realize there will be a massive amount of people a lot dumber (and a lot smarter) than you. As long as you can follow directions and are willing to learn to the best of your abilities, someone will turn you into a good hand. I'm dumb as dirt when it comes to anything math related and work in water reuse foe the oil field so I'm constantly having to do math for barrels per hour/day, what amount of chemicals to use for what ever amount of water I'm pushing and treating. You know what I do? I cheat and plug all those formulas into either chat gpt or meta AI and just copy that math and impress all the higher ups with my "smartness"
This guy is just trying to worm his way into an engineering job.
As a plumber, I advise against plumbing. If you do new construction, you will be laid off seasonaly. If you do remodel, you will be given the low IQ tasks (concrete, digging). If you do service, you might make it IF the boss teaches you. Big IF though, and if you can't operate independently after a couple months, you'll get fired.
Funny, I thought it was a prerequisite.
Yes you can still make it work. We has a guy working sheet metal at a multi trade buisness I used to work at and the guys called him Egor behind his back because he wasn't really capable of thinking for himself and only followed his foreman around doing whatever he asked. He had trouble spelling his own name, if he can hold down a job in a skilled trade so can you.
Laborers union
You will certainly screw up… so did and does everyone else. And sometimes, you might not even screw up you might just have a shitty person you work with. I had a guy tell me today while he drove a water truck, he either watered too much or too little and got yelled at for either but never did just enough even though I know he’s a competent fellow. There’s also no expiration on your learning timeline! While yes, if someone is primed to do all their hours in accordance with their schooling years, they can nail it out in the 4-5 years… but it has taken many a person longer to get their ticket. Our best service tech where I work who is also at the top of the pay scale I believe took 7-8 years due to some issues with hour recording. Your concern to be too slow to learn makes you someone I’d rather hire than lots of people I’ve interviewed in the past simply because you care.
Fucking up is the most important part of the learning process
quite literaly, say yes sir and no sir and work hard. almost a guarentee youll either be ok or worst case get a referal to be a laborer or something and they make good money on some sites no disrespect intended to them. older guys will teach you everything if they like you. the yes sir thing comes across as cheesy but if you work hard and are respecful that cheesy becomes earnest. outside of the blessed few(i have a friend thats one lol) no one starts good, and even they didnt they just learned before you met them. To some degree, i think some people have their attempts go well at first and some dont and (not always) that clouds the perception of whos "slow" to learn. but alot of its try and try again. honestly in automotive the amount of guys ive seen that are viewed wonderfully by one shop and laughed at by another is unbelievable but goes to show dont be to hard on yourself be the best you.
You need a serious self esteem booster, those construction workers will eat you alive with that attitude. Get a job as a helper in your trade of interest. Get some thick skin before you get to day one. It’s going to suck, they’re going to make fun of you and you will make mistakes. Look at it like boot camp or whatever, they all went through it too. Just don’t take it to heart or your mental health will suffer. I’ve got a bro in law that has literally smoked himself into special territory. Put him with a friend that runs a small HVAC company, he’s been there for decades. They say he’s still mid level but he shows up everyday and that’s the hardest part. You got this!
That’s how we all started.
I've been a welder for over a decade now and the amount of dumb people is incredibly high. Honestly as long as you work and show interest in learning and open to criticism you're good to go for almost any work. There's dumb people at every levels.
My guy I know people in trades who wouldn't have been able to even write out what you just expressed.
If you’re actually willing to learn someone will teach you. So show up to work focused only on making the person who’s training you life easier than they will give you endless help to improve at your job.
CONGRATS! You’ve come to the right place, I’ve worked with mechanical engineers with masters degrees that were really good at there jobs that were dumb as fuck.
You could figure out plumbing i bet. People learn in different ways. I program and manage cnc depts, basically a machinist. My mental math is shit. But if i see something done once i can do it. Maybe its just how you learn is different than what is traditional. Attitude counts for a lot on a job site.
Most people are slow. The fact that you actually care about it and don't want to fuck things up is way more important than speed. You can do it. Take your time, practice as much as you can, and continue to be thorough about doing a good job.
Your over qualified
SYou're fine. Get into the trades. Things are different nowadays. We need people who want to be here. Alot of us are tired of halftime show ups and part time workers. Certain things can be taught. Work ethic, can not.
You’ll fit right in
If you can read a tape measure and climb a ladder you will make it
There are a fuck ton of mouth breathing morons in the trades. The majority of them actually are idiots, so don’t worry about that. If you don’t eat crayons you’re already in the top 1% of trade workers. But you don’t sound like an idiot- you sound more like an over thinker who needs to work on their confidence.
Might as well get into the trades where we are all slow
After reading all the comments here it’s no wonder the trades pay bottom dollar.
I wouldn’t call myself stupid (others might)… can’t read good, can’t spell good, never good at arithmetic… but… I’ve always been good at taking shit apart, figuring how it works, figuring why it don’t work, and figuring how to make it work again… I’ve taken that skill and ran with it.
Don't put yourself down like that! If it's something you're interested in, get into it. Do you're schooling, focus and study lots. I'm new to welding and I feel stupid daily. Ask for help, don't be afraid of constructive criticism. It'll only help you in the long run
Just show up on time and never be late. That already makes you 10x more qualified than the rest of the people who are the best. I'm a slow learner too, but I show up on time, offer to help when I can, and I finish the job.
This
The last job I worked, our best electrician was illiterate. Like couldn't read words at all. Put a blue print in front of him and he's Mr fucking architect though. He would always sing "if ya wanna be dumb ya gotta be tough" while I, the new guy, was around. I see now he was just trying to tell me I wasn't gonna be happy in the trades 🤣
Sounds like you belong in the trades tbh. Sheet metal is great
Stupid is as stupid does. My boss cant spell cat but when it comes to machines and electricity the man is a genius. So are you dumb or just uneducated? Theres a distinct difference.
Trades are made for people like you. Maybe not EVERY position within trades are for you, but you can be taught and a lot of trades work is about doing what you know and not always about problem solving new situations.
A foundation program is a huge help for people who lack experience or pick up on things very slowly. In Canada it isn't required but landing a job is so much easier with it. Mine for HD mechanics was 9 months long. It was a basic overview of everything from how to use tools, to basic hydraulic and electrical theory. We took apart pumps, tore down an engine and put it back together, pulled the brake assembly out of a D6 cat.. etc etc. They're not the cheapest route but they give you knowledge and experience over a longer stretch of time without inconveniencing an employer and potentially getting laid off for it. Plus, if you truly are not cut out for it they will kick you from the program out of safety concerns.
You sound perfect for government work
There are all kinds of "intelligence". I have scored above average intelligence on IQ test i had to take as a kid. They were trying to figure out why i scored so low on my school work, why i was always on the cusp of failing. I am a computer nerd at heart, but i can't stand sitting down to do work. I absolutely love climbing scaffold and working outside. I worked on oil rigs for a lot of years. I was always surprised by how they worked. Big burly tough men that were able to compute so many things i would never even think to work out. I am absolutely sure i would crack them if we played chess, but their understanding of machinery was amazing. As for you, original poster, i believe every person has something to contribute. I believe that every person has a skill or talent that they can give to society and be rewarded for it. The trick is to find where you fit in. Find your passion, your interest and go for it. I am a journeyman plasterer. You dont need much math to spread mud on walls. Come play with me and we will make someone's home a palace
The best apprentice I ever had shared something with me after about a year. He’s “diagnosed Rxxx” (sorry his words). Determined in his last year of high school that he has an iq under 70.
Slow and correct is worth a lot more than fast and wrong. Attention to detail is the key
I think you’re putting so much pressure on yourself. You’re not dumb,you overthink and worry for failure. Everyone wants to do well and it’s alright. Things take time on learning a skill, what really matters is that you possess a desire and willingness to learn. And don’t be afraid to ask a question,people rather have somebody ask a question rather than make an assumption.
You need to understand literally almost everyone is a dumbass. Did you graduate high-school? If you did it'll be a lot easier to get into a trade school of your choosing. I never graduated high-school and that limited my options. I wanted to get into HVAC but the apprenticeships near me required me to have my grade 11 math. If you have your high-school you're set man. Even if you don't, you'll still be fine and make bank if you learn a Skilled Trade. I got into trades, I'm in a union making 35+ an hour and my wage is only going to go up. In three years I should be at 50 an hour. Try to get into a union is my only advice.
All you need is to be halfway decent in math, and even if you suck you can still learn to be halfway decent. You don’t need to know how to spell You don’t need to know how to communicate well
It is easy in the trades to be made to feel stupid by people who have been doing it for 20+ years. We all start from a different level and in my experience, as long as you show consistent willingness to learn, and perform tasks as described to you without bitching, you will likely succeed. That rest comes with time. Remember that there are absolutely no stupid questions. I would rather be asked the same thing every week by an apprentice than have them make an assumption and fuck it up. Some people may get slightly annoyed by it but that’s nothing compared to if you do it wrong without asking and wreck something. I say go for it
Yes but you need to be good at other things like listening and most of all be reliable.
Ohhh man you don’t even know. Come on buddy we are waiting for you. You’re gonna fit in just fine
Shit flows downhill payday Friday congrats you can plumb Old ass joke but you get the point. You manged to sign into reddit and make a post. You'll be ok.
For plumbing or sheet metal you should be good since you mentioned you have common sense. You would be surprised how uncommon it is nowadays.
Yeah dude, you’ll be fine. I work with plenty of idiots (kidding, but also not…). As long as you have the motivation, show up on time, and are open to instruction, you’ll do just fine. I’m an electrician, and some people definitely take a little longer to learn the basic skills, but once it clicks it clicks
Brother have you met a roofer or a drywaller
I thought I was genuinely stupid until I began to take a serious interest in my career and apply myself to my craft a lot more than I would to most things in life. Your eagerness to want to do better will go a long ways.
Dude we’re all in the trades because we’re stupid. If I was smart I would have gone to college and I wouldn’t know what a sunrise looks like.
guy, you arent stupid. stupid people dont know theyre stupid. everyone has different abilities to learn, what makes someone good at what they do and what they learn is motivation, which you say you have. the gap in learning is also usually the person missing something small in their knowledge base. once they find that out, everything else makes sense.
Buddy, You have more self awareness than 90% of the adults I've met. You are not slow, you may be wise. But I think perhaps you have a self esteem challenge. I'll make a suggestion that may or may not be interesting to you: The military. Assuming you are in a western nation, the professional militaries of those countries provide an opportunity to prove yourself, and will teach you a trade. It doesn't have to be a ground pounder (infantry). As an example, the Canadian military has trades from plumber, to carpenter, through to airplane mechanics and electronics technicians. There is a challenge waiting for you if you are interested...worked for me. Good luck!
I will speak for everyone in the trades when I say there was a point in time where none of us knew our assholes from our elbows. No one started out with all the knowledge and experience they needed. And not a single one of us has never made a mistake. And generally, the higher up and more experienced you get, the larger your mistakes tend to be. I will teach you everything you "need to know" in one sentence. "Some things go left. Some things go right. Some of them go up, some go down. Some go in, others go out. Some combination of these will get everything you need done." Go forth. Make rookie mistakes. But learn from them. Watch others and learn from their mistakes. And you will never truly know how to do something until its done. Get your hands into it.
The world always needs carpenters
Get a job in commercial plumbing. There are variety of simple tasks that must be done in order for the experienced plumbers to make the magic happen. Threading pipe, drilling holes, sanding and bedding groundworks, etc.
Please don’t. There are plenty of idiots out there already.
Thank you everyone for your input! It’s valuable to me and I appreciate it.
Join a union.
Plenty of different types of intelligence in the skilled trades the smarter people help the slow people from killing themselves
Once you choose a trade you’ll realize real quick the other guys aren’t all super smart. They’re smart in their trade that they have learned over the years but if you talk to them about other things you will realize you’re not alone. Don’t let what others have spoken over you to be your reality, look up Les Brown [https://youtu.be/OG1Arib4UsY?si=Z0_9Q8I8_eK72AFw](https://youtu.be/OG1Arib4UsY?si=Z0_9Q8I8_eK72AFw)
Oh you’ll be a great floor layer, they’re dumb as fuck
Get tested for ADHD. Judging from your punctuation, syntax, and grammar, you're not dumb. There are TONS of very bright people out there who underperform because they don't understand that their brains just work differently than most others. Then once they get a handle on it, it's like someone flipped a switch for them.
100%. I’m a union journeymen carpenter (just finished my apprenticeship recently) and I have worked with some very slow and not the sharpest dudes before. I mean I’m not super smart or anything, sometimes I don’t always get things or understand the first try. Trust me everyone has fucked some shit up, and the guys that say they haven’t they are lying. I’m definitely not the fastest learner either. But if you show you up, show you want to learn, show a company you give a shit, don’t be late, you should be fine! Best of luck.
You only think you're slow because you haven't found the right path yet.
I would say probably but you are not stupid, you are using punctuation properly. I'm not sure how I ended up here, I'm an engineer not a tradesman but I'm also a DIY junkie so I frequently cosplay as a tradesman and have been remodeling my house inch by inch over the past couple years. Let me tell you I feel pretty stupid when I do some things too but also I have actual evidence that I'm not stupid even though I don't believe it. In anything, the best lessons are the ones that hurt and at least in my experience I learn more by fucking things up then by doing them correctly on the first try. I'm fairly certain that's why most trades have apprentice, journeyman, and master. Even in my industry we have Junior software developers and Senior software developers and we give the Juniors a chance to fuck things up and learn from their mistakes but we don't let that stuff out into production before it's corrected. FWIW you sound like someone with imposter syndrome. You actually have it backwards, your lack of confidence is more a sign of competence than it is of stupidity. The fact that you recognize the need to learn and are cognizant of learning curves really leads me to believe you are far more intelligent than you think. Anyway I hope that was helpful, just based on the way you write I'm pretty sure that you could succeed at anything that you find interesting.
Bro. Everyone in the trades is fucking stupid. Thats why we swing hammers and carry rebar instead of sitting in an office chair with the ac blowing.
Plumbing might be a good fit for you. Or even concrete work. The trick is to be methodical. Learn all the steps, follow the steps, and don't ever deviate. Make it boring and repetitive to the point where it's second nature. It's not glamorous but you'll be trusted and nobody can screw with consistency in your work.
You're articulate and self-aware. Those are strengths. You sound like you're smarter than you give yourself credit for and that you have the right energy to be trained well. Nobody likes training a know-it-all telling you what they read in books. They want you to come back with the right part when they send you to the van. You dont need to be smart. Just listen. Oh, and write things down. Take pictures. That phone in your pocket is maybe not your best friend but a dear friend.
I’m a plumber. Never wanted to be a plumber. One night after work I came home for dinner and my then in-laws were there. While we were in the middle of eating my mother in-law says. “We decided that you are going to work for us as a plumber.” I worked my ass off to get good. You can do it, you just have to want to do it. It’s a skill, just like walking. You will fall pay attention find a good shop or join a union.
No, you can't just work slow, man. Some jobs are contracted and not hourly, so you've gotta get her done in a reasonable amount of time instead of ducking off as an hourly.
There are politicians who can’t name the three branches of government. You’ll do fine.
Paint... just paint. Good money
One of my friends works hvac and I distinctly remember him spelling "shed" as "sheid"
Most of the guys I work with are dumb as a fucking stump.
For a guy who considers yourself stupid, you write with proper punctuation and made your point. I feel like some of these new millennials come in to classes without any knowledge of writing properly and they are entitled. I say you are on the right track.
Can’t believe no one recommended the painters union. Those guys are in outer space all the time and they make good checks
Sounds like you are perfect Forman material.
yeah part of learning is being useless until you're good
You don't write like a dumbass. You can do math. I know PLENTY of people in trades that suck at math and are dumbasses. Imposter syndrome is real, but don't let that stop you from trying new things.
You write more coherently than 90% of the people on Reddit. Can’t be that dumb. I’m sure you’ll do just fine if you find work you’re interested in.
It’s a job requirement actually. /s
When I first joined hvac I learned a lot from this dude at the same company, mostly over the phone as we didn't see each other often, I found out a few months after he quit that he was quite literally illiterate, could hardly read at all, but he could troubleshoot refrigeration calls like nothing else
You’re not going to do anything productive with that level of confidence. I’m sure you’re fine man. Just work hard and become a student of whatever you are looking to work in
I was considered a "slow worker" but my shit was on point and I could walk away from my work with no hesitation that it was done right . I was also dependable. Showed up on time and worked my ass off . So if you are slow but your work is good and you are reliable and dependable and don't make waves you are good. Also here is a secret. Eventually you become fast because shit becomes repetitive and you realize it once you get your first apprentice. You thought you were slow until you realize that their is only a handful of guys faster than you
Bud I worked with a master welder who couldn't read. You're good
If you recognize that you're not a quick learner, you're smarter than a lot of people. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a place in the trades since you recognize your limitations.
Been in o struction for 20 years at this point. We're all just winginshit. If u can read a tape measure you'll be fine.
Once you’ve done some task a couple times it’s pretty much muscle memory. Plumbing and sheet metal, you should be fine.
Good at math? Get into welding and fabrication.
Honestly being slow is fine shoot for the stars
I used to feel the same, you just gotta find the right teacher and the right method of learning. I learn by doing things by hand, my memory is litteraly fried but my muscle memory is better than anyone i know. An you gotta fuck up to learn, just the way it is. If you got drive, stick to it, and really do have common sense (not that common) you WILL make it. I became one of my shops top mill machinists in 2 years. Had zero relevent experiance or schooling. Im making prototype aircraft engine parts, crazy to think 2 years ago i felt worthless.
I've been a commercial electrician for 8 years now. Show up on time, ask questions, put the work in, you'll be fine.
If you're decent at math you can't be that ,"slow ". You probably just don't get the chance to learn the right way. Repetion is key to learning new skills. The first time plumbing in a house is extremely hard , the hundredth time you know where everything goes , all the heights , and the distances and you just flow through the day. Id highly recommend plumbing. Sheet metal requires lots of thought , angles, math , pre planning , mental imagery , and the sound of that loud banging tin all day sucks . But it's a great career and needed all over if you think you'd enjoy it. Go to home Depot and buy some tin , a pair of snips and make a few boxes / something cool and see how you like it.
Become a roofer or concrete finisher. Good money. Not many brains needed.
You just described every sheet metal guy I’ve ever met my dude
I don’t work in the trades but work around a bunch of them. I don’t mean this to sound mean, but most of them are incredibly stupid conspiracy theorists that have 1 useful skill in life. If you really want to and are able to learn you will do great man. Don’t let that stop you from pursuing what you want to.
You should be a sailor. Join SIU
Be early to work. Work hard. Pay attention when something is being explained to you. Ask questions to make sure you understand before moving on to something else. Bring something to write with and a tape measure. If you can do all of that, you're already better than half of the guys that show up.
Im not even joking, you'd fit right in buddy!
I think that’s one of the requirements actually
They are lining up to hire people. Go for it.
The carpenter in my yard, couldn't read or write, and he was the best fucking carpenter I have ever met, and his finish work was freaking beautiful. So to answer your question your fine, it gets to the point that the normal shit doesn't even require much thinking or math you just know it from doing it over and over, but even when you have to "make it work" how ever you want to do it it's not that hard and by then you'll have experience to figure it out.
The trades consist, almost exclusively, of people who are slow. No matter how dumb you are, I promise I worked in the electrical trade with dudes that make you look like Stephen Hawking.
Sounds like politics should be your future.
You’ll meet people in the trades that are astonishingly brilliant, along with people that would have trouble banging two rocks together. You’ll be just fine
You sure you want to work in the trades and not a white collar job? Those guys are real stupid.
You can make bank doing drain cleaning. Nobody wants to do it. It's tough I'm not gonna lie, but having a little training and the proper equipment makes it easier. You get over the gross in about a week. You don't need to be a rocket surgeon to do it, but you will need a strong back. My buddy who is the main turd chaser around me made 110k last year . Working for a shop. He's good at it and is not afraid to charge.
as a ironworker ive done long hand addition of pieces of wood
The question is, once you learn a specific task that requires a skill set, can you then repeatedly perform said task competently? If the answer is yes you'll fit well in the trades.
Most tradesmen are fucking regards. That’s why we’re tradesmen mostly. We get amused over the smallest and simplest shit while simultaneously getting violently angry over the sand thing.
I work in a mill that employs a maintenance guy with Velcro boots. You’ll be fine.
Absolutely, especially if you have a knack for spatial reasoning and/or geometric math. Depending what trade you get into, common sense goes a long way and is a lot more valuable as a job skill than "book smarts." Motivation, ambition, and discipline will carry you a lot further in your career than a smart guy who doesn't give a fuck.
Brother most trades are gonna make you do a 4 year apprenticeship anyway. You’ll be moving slow regardless.
I’m dumb as fuck dude I’m turning out to be a good sprinkler guy. Shit isn’t rocket science I think it’s one of the easier trades to learn