I am working for a mechanical contractor in Hartford county, our most experienced pipe fitter retired and we are having trouble finding a replacement. We have posted in career builder, indeed, etc. I know we have a few guys in the HVAC field here, are there any other site we could post on to get more applicants? We have gotten a few replies but not as many as we would like.

Not saying it's the case, but the Oxford Power Plant construction has soaked-up a good portion of the areas qualified pipe fitters. My neighbor is a union steward, for that job, and said they were in short supply (at one time or another).
Maybe try an poach one from a competing shop

This is what happened to us with electricians in MA. The casino going up has soaked up a lot of the qualified labor. We've resorted to asking competitors when we see them getting gas or eating lunch etc.

Our car dealers are having the same trouble with skilled, experienced technicians. Hell they can't even find anyone who is willing to learn. Skilled trades are not pushed by schools and guidance counselors make the kids feel like losers if they want to work for a living.

Linkedin is one place I get a ton of job offers. The younger crowd, under 35, looks to Facebook for stuff like this.

I can lay some serious pipe, fitting is another problem

Same here. I may not run deep, but I can beat the shit out of the sides!

How does someone get into union work wether its carpenting or pipe fitting or iron working?

Go to the union hall (for your trade) and take the placement test.
They'll get you work and send you to trade school.

Just went out to the shop to help weld some fittings.
Do I pass?

Wow.  Not bad.

You looking for work?

Thanks everyone for the input, I will try some of the things mentioned but it sounds like we're SOL for now.

No one in my generation wants to work. Hence the lack of skilled labor

Which generation is that?

Has to be Millenials. They are so lazy and have no ability to think and use logic.

WWII generation = greatest generation

Millenials = Worst generation

I'm a millennial

It started before millennials....I'd say the internet age is what caused the downfall of the laborer.

By mid to late 90's, schools were telling kids that they were peices of shit if they wanted to work with their hands, and that being taught in colleges by the 1960's hippie generation was the "right" decision.  No wonder our society is where it is.......

After graduating college, and watching everyone I knew(graduates) get jobs at bars/restaurants/retail....I went to trade school at night (while working during the day).  They're still working those jobs....and the skilled trades are dying to hire good, young guys, but they don't exist because they're in colleges learning about the liberal arts and holding each other in their "cry rooms".

It's really sad what's happening to our society though, but it almost seems like it's being forced on everyone.  It's already happening....the old timers are retiring and there isn't anyone to replace them in the skilled trades.

Says the guy who can't make good on a $10 debt.

I graduated 2004 and Enfield High was very labor oriented. Metalworking classes, welding, automotive, wood shops, home repair classes, robotics, electronics etc. We poured/forged aluminum, learned to run milling machines and lathes, worked on our cars. Hell, we built a solar race car that used to race at limerock.

I think by the time I graduated I had something like 16 elective hands on classes (some of them were photography 1&2 etc).


I think there's two major factors.
I personally think there are just more people now and everything is amplified. I'll take this opportunity to note millenials did not invent the "hippy", nor do I think there are more hippies now than in the 60s/70s.

I think what we're really seeing is a new industrial revolution. Skilled labor is still and will always be necessary, but a lot of work is becoming automated. There are also a lot more exciting ways to make money now, and a fuck ton more easy ways. I know someone who is a legitimate drone photographer. He gets paid to fly drones and take pictures all over the world. What the fuck is that shit. It's gotta be tempting when opportunities are like that all around you.

There is a lot wrong with the labor market.

Some is the general attitude of Millenials. They can't make a decision, do not put effort into being good at their job/career and are general lazy. They use excuses like "nobody told me" or "how am I supposed to know". They want to make $15/hr but they offer no usable skill. These idiots come in with blue beards, face tattoos, saucers in their ears, piercings that make you want to rip it out and wonder why they get no respect. Look in the mirror, you are ridiculous and we question your sense of judgement.

Some is employers do not make working in a trade a positive experience. Take the automotive service business which I know. Employers do not give decent benefits, if any. The technicians work "flat rate" which is a form of commision. No work, no pay. The employer feels no obligation to pay his employees when they can't provide enough work. Then the employers expects employees to be loyal and work extra hours when they are busy for the same rate, not time and half with flat rate. Shops are hot in the summer, cold in the winter. Technicians spend upwards of $25,000 for tools most spend much more than that. No 401k match, no co-op health insurance. Then they expect them to work 6 full days a week.

Some is employers are not willing to pay for proper continuing education.

Some is the new technologies are siphoning the smart people.

Schools make students feel inferior if they want to work in a trade vs. a corporate office.

Someone has to fix the cars, trucks and buildings. Robots are replacing people but someone needs to make the robots work.

The average age of the auto technician is creeping up and in the next 10-15 years all the guys of my vintage will start to retire. What is left can't handle the technology unless a miracle happens.

If the auto service business ever required a license to work on vehicles 50% of the guys working in the field now would be out of work. They could not pass a simple test. I rotate through cars every 8-15,000 miles. I cringe when I have to have a service. More often than not the work performed is less than stellar and I usually have an issue. I try to time a visit to a certain dealer for a service because the technician does a great job.

This country is fucked and at the current rate of decline we will be speaking Chinese or Russian within 25 years.

It should also be noted that 10 years ago the construction industry took a large hit due to the recession. Many of the people graduating high school at the time saw this and avoided trades because there just weren't jobs to be had. Technology on the other hand was getting better everyday and there were jobs in those fields. These two things combined to create the shortage were seeing now. I think a lot of people are starting to realize the growing need for skilled workers and schools will push labor fields more in the future.

Now this says nothing about all the dipshits enrolled in bogus degree programs but eventually they too will enter the workforce and realize their faults. Hopefully some of them turn to the trades when they can't find work in their degree field.

ETA:

The early 2000s also saw many HS graduates enlisting in the military and once out using their benefits to go to school and earn degrees. Just one more thing pulling people away from trades.

Another thing is the hours.

People want to have normal hours. In the old days you needed your car repaired, plumbing work done, electrical work done, etc. It was done M-F 8-5 and maybe until Noon on a Saturday. Now these same companies offer late hours, full day Saturdays and even Sundays. They want one employee to work all these hours. This is why good people are leaving the trades.

Corporate life is not the wonderful utopia guidance counselors sell it as but you get paid and work way less hours. Most corporate gigs have decent benefits too.

Semi-relevant:

Bobs Clothing store in Manchester is closing and they have a ton of Carhartt work pants for ~$30/pair. I stocked up last night.

Boots were 40% off also, but they seemed marked up first and the deal wasn't that great. I was hoping to score some uninsulated Chippewas.

They also had 50% off 5.11 gear. They had a couple decent coats and some nice polos.

I might need to stop for that

What I'm noticing is alot of people only want to put in their 40 and go home, they'll bitch that they aren't making "enough money" but when OT is require no one wants to work. We mainly work construction so for the most part its M-F 7-330, things do change depending on job. They will also complain when we are too busy but when we "make work" for them when it is slow they don't complain that they still have food on the table and aren't getting laid off.

All my guys are pissed that I can't get them MORE than 40 hours.

Ive got a great crew, though.

We've had good luck with Zip Recruiter. It blasts your ad across a lot of places and seems to result in the most applicants AND the most qualified applicants. It isn't free, or even particularly cheap, until you compare it to other options on the basis of cost per good applicant. At this point we basically maintain a 3 listing subscription and just change the listings as needed. We may not always be actively NEEDING new people, but in certain positions we're always interested in good people.

I was working at stopandshop and my brothers friends dad was looking for people to work at his machine shop.

So I went there and am now a programmer/ machinist.

There's a shortage in this trade too

I woork with my hands. I am in the sex toy industry.

I do shows and personal training.

I woodnt trust you with a banana