Mechanics, electricians, and plumbers are finally gaining the respect—and pay rates—they deserve. Career counselors no longer automatically funnel students toward four-year colleges. Many companies offer apprenticeship programs that allow students to graduate as a mechanics, electricians, or plumbers with minimal debt. The hands-on training allows young people to start earning a respectable income while their former high school classmates are still accumulating debt in a four-year college.
But here’s a consideration that career counselors may not mention: blue-collar, greasy-handed jobs will wear out your body. All the climbing, crawling, lifting, and lugging that are part of trade careers beat you up. Every day, all day.
By the time a tradesman is in their 40s, Tylenol is not optional. A 50-year-old tradesman makes a lot of noise when they stand up, either from the literal creaking of their joints or the involuntary grunt inspired by those aching joints. As a mechanic approaches retirement age, every move and every lift needs to be carefully planned to minimize pain and reduce the risk of injury.
That’s not to say there aren’t mechanics in their 60s and 70s who scamper up and down ladders and crawl into machines without significant pain. But those ironmen are rare. The majority of mechanics have exceeded their maintenance interval by the time they reach 60.
With luck, 50- and 60-year-old mechanics have acquired enough practical experience and knowledge to migrate into management positions that require less physical effort. Maybe they find a niche doing delicate or highly technical bench work. Becoming an expert in GPS and computerized systems is a viable path, considering all the electronics now used in heavy equipment.
The trick is to plan ahead. Young mechanics in the prime of their physical health should survey their company, or their profession, and identify where they might want to work when their bodies begin to complain about the daily grind. Specialize in skills that use your brain more and your back less as you grow older. Being a mechanic is a great career, but it’s not a desk job where the only risks are paper cuts and eye strain.
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Service Truck Magazine.