I Didn’t Think Plumbers Were A National Security Risk? | Jason Altmire #481 | The Way I Heard It

Let’s not forget that there are no Trades being taught in high school anymore. What happened to the automotive, wood working and welding classes that were available to students in the 80s and 90s.. I was motivated to get into the construction industry and made a decent wage because right out of high school I already had experience. I then joined the military and went to the Gulf War. But when I got out I was able to find jobs in construction immediately. Until I became a police officer and retired. But I have gained the knowledge to fix anything in my home including plumbing,electrical and automotive without having any college debt.

I went to culinary school when I was 19 years old I had a 15 year career, my daughter was born and I thought to myself I don’t wanna do this anymore. 12 hours a day every day and my wife said well what do you wanna do I didn’t know….. but my father was in the trades so I said let me try to become a plumber and now I’ve done it for 25 years and I am a journeyman plumber. A foreman and I specialize in finish work. Best decision of my life.

I paint. I frame. I sling roof shingles. I wire houses, I pour concrete, I hang gutters. I can hit bullseye several times out of ten, either hand. I can grow my own food, raise animals, plant trees, build a fire break in the forest, I dig ditches to run utilities. I can run a sparkle wrench, a jackhammer, a chainsaw a forklift, a front loader, a backhoe, a steamroller, even a Zamboni machine. I haul heavy salt water in the oil field. I fit men's suits. I sell this and that, bath towels and silk ties. I hang solar panels. A direct traffic. I fix cars 2007 and older. I build porches, skylights, hot tubs, treehouses, mailboxes, bird baths, greenhouses, muscle, relationships and character. Mike is one of my biggest influences as a grown man doing my thing.

That man is a definition of a statesman not a politician. Most voting individuals do not know the difference between the two..

Im 31, had a drug addiction problem for 12-13 years, went to prison for about 3 years and since I got out ive been doing electrical work for the majority of that time, worked my way up for a while and 2 years later now im working at a Locomotive repair/overhaul shop. Its never to late to do the right thing, or at the very least trying to do the right thing.

The fact that the government lists truck driver's as unskilled labor is a travesty

As an aging tradesman the only “regret” I have is not working harder to hone my craft sooner. I spent too long being complacent in the middle of the pack where now, as my body slowly starts to betray my mind, it gets harder year by year to do the demanding parts of my job. My advice to anyone entering trades now is to have a plan that gets you out from under the “work” part of the trade as you get older. Own your own company… transition to building inspector… or at the very least learn your trade so well that a company values what you know more than how well you can do it because eventually the “doing it” part becomes harder and harder to actually do well.

My daughter is a baker, owns her own business and now employs others! AMAZING!

As a single mother I've had to learn DIY. It's been a great pleasure and I'm proud of myself. My son has seen that, chose a blue collar job and is doing very well for himself.

Bring back Home Ec and Industrial Arts programs in the schools, not in stand alone centers or programs. People who work with their hands will always be able to secure stable wages.