133
What skill did you learn that was not worth the effort? (sopuli.xyz)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
135 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

There's often a skill that seem interesting, but I can't see doing anything for me in my day-to-day life. What have you learned that was a lot more effort than the payoff was worth?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 43 points 2 months ago (15 children)

I'm a trained electrician. Despite taking and passing a reputable school for it, I can't get licensed to do it in my state because you have to have 2 years apprenticeship. You get an apprenticeship you have to go through a school supported by the union. The only school supported is the one they own.

Despite being fully capable of wiring a building to code, installing a solar array or electric car chargers I can't do shit with the information and it way a year and $2k fucking wasted.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 15 child comments
    •
  • [–] 32 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    That's not useless, that's a corrupt state.

    Not your fault at all.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    If I'd taken the time to call around and figure this out beforehand or picked a school that arranged the apprenticeships, wouldn't be out the time and money.

    I'm not upset about it, I know more now and there's plenty of dubious electricians that will inspect my work and sign off on it if I need to do anything. Plus I'm in mental health now which is my real passion.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    The local schools exist, so why would anyone really think to check if a school is locally applicable? It's a type of problem I see often, in general: you wouldn't have known what precise things to research until you're faced with the actual problem. Sometimes kind and scarred souls will blast their warnings across the relevant initial source of information, but most people just move on.

    But, that being said, that's not a terrible amount of money for, presumably, a ton of relevant knowledge to any homeowner or home owning friends. I'd love some electrical knowledge and confidence, spent all my point son automotive. But I'm glad you found more passion in a different path, too.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 14 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    Any chance you could get licensed in another state using what you know (without an apprenticeship) then seek licensing in your own state via some kind of reciprocity agreement with your home state?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    That is fucked. Aren't apprenticeships usually paid? They expect you to pay for it instead?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    The apprenticeship is paid, but you can't have the apprenticeship until you finish school. But no, not that school, this other school that we have specifically formed a monopoly with.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [+] -7 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    are you anti union or just anti this one school?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago

    Unions are fantastic. The problem here is that after spending 2k and a year learning, I was told that the only way I could get the apprenticeship hours needed to get licensed is to spend another 2k and another year going to a different school for the exact same class using the exact same books because no one in my area will take you on unless you use this school.

    I cannot test out, I cannot transfer credit, I cannot skip it. Because this is the standard in place and going against it violates their agreements with the union, I cannot work in my city. I'm all for unions, but any organization can be corrupted and this is exactly what it is.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent