Planning on a move to FL within the next few years, and my son is 17 and a junior in high school. He doesn't know what he wants to do for a living yet.

He doesn't want to be tied to a desk and doesn't want to get into health care. Unfortunately it looks like he would get a fraction of the pay for trade jobs working in FL than he would get in PA. Example, heavy machine operator in PA can make 6 figures, in FL it looks more like $18/hr.

Any tradesmen in FL have some insight into some fields he could look into? We were perusing indeed.com last night, and it seems like irrigation techs can make decent money. Anything else come to mind?

Crane operators make great $
A/C techs (a must in Fla.)
Fire Apparatus Manufacturers

I keep telling him HVAC is the way to go, but he isn't really fired up about it.

That's something that you can get good at, and then start your own business, which is where you can really write your own ticket...

welding.....we had a smaller gas pipeline running through the northern part of the state. Seemed like those guys did ok. Talked to a few other welders on different projects construction and energy they seemed happy. Construction and energy sectors are strong here and should continue even if the country takes a dump economically folks and business keep moving here  favorable tax structures and cheap labor. Construction and related subs are slammed now it seems waits for small projects can be months. The only strong unions in Florida are government employee unions and even they don't have any teeth really as Florida is a right to work state.  

HVAC always in demand.

LEO, it's a vo-tech certificate but most places will hire you and put you through training and he has a couple years before he can get hired.

Nothing here is going to pay what they pay up north.

Yeah, that's what we've been seeing. That's why I'm encouraging him to do what he thinks he would like to do, but also to maybe lean towards something that he could go into business for himself with. When we get relocated, I'm going to be looking at rental properties as well, and let him know about those kinds of options as well for additional income and spreading out the risk.

I know it sounds weird but chimney sweep/dryer vent technicians are in demand as well

HVAC

Agree with most here......
Welding is big.  If you can really weld, & can get in with a company that has county/city contracts...$$$$$$
HVAC
Forget about electricians & plumbers, too many & they compete.

My BIL has had his own AC business as long as I can remember. He does residential and commercial.

He seems to have problems KEEPING good people... he says the job is brutal May-Aug. My other BIL worked a short while and couldn't deal with the heat. I suppose central and south FL would be hard on you heat/humidity wise. Central and south FL outdoors can be dangerous at times, especially if you're not in good shape.

Crane operator

Had another idea........ I decided to play with cars and guns if I had went with hoses and trucks..."firefighting" I may have had a lot more time on my hands. They have a very unique schedule 24 and 36 on and similar times off. May of these guys have all types of side gigs and businesses and time to run them part time. They get paid to sleep, work out and cook...it's hard to beat that deal except when I saw two of them dive damn near headlong through a window into a fully involved house fire where I was unable to make past the front door to try and get two sleeping kids. Figured they earned their pay after that. Still never seen them save a mobilehome though.

Government jobs have have great healthcare benefits and some retirement options and great job security the firefighting gig can lead to EMT and Paramedic certs and can lead to healthcare jobs for additional income.

Linemen for power companies seem happy and decently paid lots of companies around but no real training program.

Another side note most of us know and have tried to instill in our kids. If they show up 10 minutes early every day, clean, neat, properly dressed, make eye contact, yes mam and yes sir they have defeated have 60-70% of the entry level job market prospects.  

Was waiting on you to show up.  

I work with a bunch of trades, and if I was going to do it, I'd be an operator.  I know guys that worked hard as oilers for a few years, and moved up to operators of nice new rigs quickly.  They make good money, stay dry, and work in the a/c.  

some outfits run much nicer equipment than others.

Thanks guys, I am reading all your replies and taking notes. And my son came over and read everything so far as well.

I appreciate your help! It sure seems like an altogether different beast when it comes to what makes a good living in FL compared to here in PA. Luckily my wife and I both have fully remote positions so the move won't affect us at all. It just makes me nervous that our move has the potential to negatively impact my son's future...

i made decent money when i was welding in FL but the companies i worked for were a bunch of cocksuckers.


i dont make shit for money as a gravedigger but the job is pretty relaxed...i spent today shooting old pieces of granite we needed to get rid of with a 10/22

Hvac but be prepared to work. It's a daunting job with all the mobile homes. Carpentry is decent pay and needs good guys. I'm in tile and Laminate and refused to conform to the local prices and I'm booked solid. I guess certain sectors are still willing to pay for higher quality work.

Every sheriff department in FL does paid training for correction guards. They then offer the ability to cross over to full leo then. Some Fire departments have paid firefighter training. FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL also does paid training.

My buddy is a firefighter/emt in central florida. 4 days on, 4 off. If you are able to perform the requisite tasks and be in shape, its a pretty easy lifestyle. And with 4 screaming kids running around....its perfect for his family situation.

I did not hear that your son wants to move here.  Just that his helicopter dad wants him to move here and pick his job.  That is a recipe for a disaster.

HVAC here, i work on the Distribution level, so the tech at your house calls me for tech support/pricing/lead times etc..

I deal with many many techs in their early 30's that are making 6 figures.

So... once he is 18 he can work for the state, get a job as a janitor or grounds keeper or whatever at a college or university (we've got almost 40 in the state to choose from...)  

Why?  Well, one is the state benefits.  Two is that every educational institution in the state offers free/minimal cost classes for employees, their spouses, and their dependents.  My BAS cost me about $1200 out of pocket total.  I know someone who put himself through engineering school at UF doing this - starting at Santa Fe mowing lawns, then moved to UF after he got an AA degree and cleaned classrooms at night and did coursework during the day.

Once he qualifies for free courses, then look at the votech programs from the former community colleges (legal naming thing...) - I'd say go welding or electrician or automotive repair (then branch out to fancy/expensive stuff like certified Porsche mechanic or marine diesel, etc).  But if he does something trades-like (like electrician) and stay working for the college in the facilities department, then he'll be set for basically as long as he wants to be.

One of the other big benefits to working at a college as a young male (or hell middle aged and gettin' older...) is the eye candy.  Especially the first few weeks of the Fall term .... good lord.  Could raise the dead.

Up a little further north many of the county EMS/Fire units are 24 on 48 off.  I know a guy who was able to work through to retirement from Ocala FD and be a commercial grouper fisherman at the same time.

Umm, no, not at all. He loves it there, he has a set of grandparents there, he said if we don’t move there he’ll go there himself as soon as he can.

Having discussions about his future and bouncing ideas back and forth and TALKING isn’t helicoptering, it’s called being a good parent who communicates with his son. I’m not picking his job, he is frustrated because he can’t figure out what he wants to do and is looking for ideas beyond the flow chart that his high school guidance office gives everyone. I’m simply reaching out to a resource he doesn’t have to try to find more options that he isn’t aware of.

Thanks for playing though.

Where does he work. I am a firefighter in central FL and no department I know of has that schedule. We all are 24hrs on 48hrs off.