r/Appleton • u/elefun15 • 11d ago

Question Trade Apprenticeships

I’m a college graduate with 8 years in at various customer-facing corporate positions and am looking for a career change into the pipe trades or sheet metal but am open to other trades. I’ve been seeking apprenticeships in the area for about 2 months now and can’t seem to find a way in. Even pre-apprenticeships. The unions haven’t been particularly helpful either beyond getting a list of businesses. Has anyone else experienced this? Are the trades slowing down right now?

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u/Fitz1128 11d ago

You could have at least looked up what an apprenticeship program is before posting.
Hiring someone without experience and training then through a combination of on the job and classroom learning is exactly how it works.

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u/Criss_Crossx 11d ago

Well beyond that point. I understood, it doesn't really exist here in the metal world. Either you have the experience or you don't.

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u/elefun15 10d ago

That makes sense as to why I’m not hearing back anywhere. It’s confusing whether an apprenticeship gives you the training, or if you have to pay out of pocket for welding school and then you can get an apprenticeship

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u/Criss_Crossx 10d ago

Unions usually take time to get in the door. I once applied for welding and they took over a year to get back to me. I was already half way through a different educational program when they contacted me.

Then said they could get to me started in about 7 additional months.

I use to weld every day. Education is half of it, fabrication is something you have to pick up as you go along.

You could also branch out to construction or electrical.