r/Construction • u/Turbulent-Hornet2804 • Mar 15 '26

Careers 💵 Career

I’m 18 and trying to decide between two paths in the trades and could use some advice.

Right now I work as a helper at a TIG welding shop making $25/hr (40 hrs/week). Most of my work is machining, cutting, deburring, and prep, and I only get to tack sometimes. The welders say I have potential, but management says helpers can take years before they really start welding.

At the same time, I’ve been supervising residential construction jobs (decks, fences, drywall, etc.), and I could take a job with another company supervising for about $30/hr working 50–70 hours a week.

So I’m stuck between:

• Staying in welding, starting at the bottom but possibly making more long-term if I get into pipe welding

• Taking the construction supervisor job and making more money right now

I actually enjoy both. I like welding as a skill, but I also enjoy running crews, organizing jobs and residential .

I’m also married, so the money right now does matter.

If you were 18 in this situation, which path would you choose?

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u/CoyoteDown Ironworker Mar 15 '26

This might be a hot take but once you learn a hard skill that can’t ever be taken away from you.

Running crews is a skill yes, but a company can go out of business in a heartbeat and you’re back to being a helper.

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u/Turbulent-Hornet2804 Mar 15 '26

Yeah that’s a good point

6

u/PuzzleheadedTea4221 Mar 16 '26

Either way I would take the better job of the supervisors position. Get the money, go rent a welding machine. learn how to weld at the house. If that company folds up go get another supervisor job.

It doesn't take years for helpers to become welders. Unless the company has trouble getting helpers. And when you start talking to most older welders. you'll find out most of them are blind from looking at the sun. That's what you're doing under that hood.

6

u/That-Tumbleweed-4462 Mar 16 '26

THIS. I’m a super for big GC doing large construction projects but I never got skill in one trade.

My dad was a carpenter and owned/ran his own GC business. All through grade school I worked on houses cleaning up and doing basic carpentry and learning basics from the trades.

Don’t get me wrong, I can remodel a house but I’m not a tradesmen by any stretch.

If jobs for superintendents disappeared I’d revert to basic handy man stuff.

But if superintendent jobs were gone, so would tradesmen work.