I am looking for a Job and some direction

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okiedokie405

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Joined
May 30, 2023
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Hello,
A bit about me: I am new here and I am from Moore, Oklahoma. I am 22 years old and am wanting to become a plumber. I am drug free and I have an OK driving record (I got a speeding ticket about 6 months ago and had an at fault wreck about 3 years ago). Since I graduated high school 3 years ago I have been a gig worker. I ran my own lawn company for awhile right up until covid hit and wiped out all my customers and I just never got enough back to make a living. After that I worked at a gas station for about a year and then left that for much better pay in gig work. I have been doing gig work since the gas station. My gig work is doing deliveries for Walmart Spark, Uber Eats, and Door Dash. The first six months it was great and I made around $25 an hour but for reasons unknown to me the last 6 months have been so bad I can barely pay my bills. I am tired of struggling and hustling and barely making ends meet, so it is time for a real career as a plumber or an electrician. I have a buddy who is starting the electrician thing and from what he says it don't sound like my kind of thing. I got shocked once as a kid and it wasn't fun at all.

Why I am here on this forum: Is anyone here from Oklahoma, specifically in the Moore or South OKC area that is looking to hire a complete new person who is reliable and trustworthy, has interest in the career and isn't afraid of hard work? I have looked at the Plumber program at Mid Del VoTech but it is 900 hours long and even after completing it I still have to get hired by a plumber so I can start the plumber apprenticeship. The Choctaw Nation would probably pay for it (I have my CDIB) but that don't help me pay my bills between now and the two years to complete that. I have spent hours looking online at indeed, ziprecruiter, glassdoor, and linkedIn at entry level plumbing positions and it don't make any sense. They all want active apprentices but to get and start an apprenticeship you already have to be employed somewhere? I got bills to pay and I want to do this but I need a little advice and direction. Thank you for your time.
 
Not sure what your regulations are there but I basically walked into a shop,got the job registered as an apprentice and started working, find a local shop on line walk in and talk to the owner,keep knocking on doors
IN PERSON, I think showing up at a shop rather than sending out resumes would make a better impression
 
It's always a pickle getting started in any field; we've ALL been there.
Keep knocking on doors, it's a percentages game:
You throw enough cooked spaghetti at a wall, and some of it will stick.
Your first job may not be the best of all possible jobs, but HOLD ON TO IT.
By the time you finally leave, you will have learned some valuable things.
 
At 22 years, and not a lot of experience, you have several options. Plumbing is a good trade, but don’t limit yourself to just that. I was a working student back then, and I did handyman work for a couple years. Part time while going to college, learned some electrical, plumbing, tile and grout, brickwork, basic framing, so forth.
Now that I’m retired, I’m renovating our properties and having loads of fun doing it. Very thankful for the early experience to open my mind in so many directions.
 
At 22 years, and not a lot of experience, you have several options. Plumbing is a good trade, but don’t limit yourself to just that. I was a working student back then, and I did handyman work through a contractor for a couple years. Part time while going to college, learned some electrical, plumbing, tile and grout, brickwork, basic framing, so forth. Yeah, I had the benefit of licensed journeymen who would assign tasks and, like you, I was a hard worker.
Now that I’m retired, I’m renovating our properties and having loads of fun doing it. Very thankful for the early experience to open my mind in so many directions.
As the others suggested, knock on doors, do personal phone calls, speak to the owner or at least a manager, sell yourself as being eager to do WHATEVER it takes. People who are trying to run a business are always on the lookout for good, sincere workers.
Good luck!
 
Follow up question. Should I also apply for the Local 344 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union here? Their site says they get you hired with a company with a 5 year contract and all your training is covered and you start at $15.87 and by the end of the program your at $31.73. That sounds almost too good to be true?
 
okiedokie405 said:
Follow up question. Should I also apply for the Local 344 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union here? Their site says they get you hired with a company with a 5 year contract and all your training is covered and you start at $15.87 and by the end of the program your at $31.73. That sounds almost too good to be true?
Click to expand...

If you’re getting your info from the union then it’s probably not accurate.
 
Twowaxhack,
I have freinds and family members that are electricians and they are union. Is a plumbers union not trustworthy and a good thing for plumbers? I asked them and they didn't know since they are electricians, but they spoke highly of their electrical union.

TomFOhio,
I don't mind traveling at all, that might be kind of cool too so long as I don't have to move and live permanently somewhere and that room and board is provided or covered up front cause I am poor AF right now and barely able to pay my bills.
 
When I read something online I hate not ever seeing someone follow up, so now I am. It has been over a month. I still have not been able to secure any position at any of the plumbing companies in my area. There are 9 that don't have absolute trash ratings online and I have frequented all 9 multiple times now. Those same 9 were the ones recommended by the dudes at the Locke Electrical and Plumbing supply. I went into offices and spoke with secretaries and shook manager hands and filled out numerous applications but doing so got me one of two replies at every place:

1) I'm sorry but we are not hiring apprentices right now, but we will be sure to give you a call when we do.
2) Were not interested in anyone who isn't already a journeyman.

I have also applied at the Plumber Union here, where they have a 5 year program for people with no experience (like me). I spent a day over there filling out applications and the general consensus there was "we have on average 400-500 applications every year for our once a year program and we only accept 10 people, good luck". So I am applied there now as well but that class isn't until October so I wont hear back until then.

I have quite gig working for Spark, Uber and DoorDash cause the weekly pay is insufficient to meet my bills. A nearby temp service snatched me up in a heartbeat and in one day got me a warehouse job at $15 an hour guaranteeing at least 40 hours a week, I start tomorrow, so YAY I will be able to pay bills...

I will post again if someone calls me back for a job from the plumbing companies, or I get into the union program.
 
Have you tried roto rooter, or rooter man, both franchise co. But you never know, how about hospitals, colleges, the college I work for is taking in apprentices, even a drain cleaning co, it's dirty work, but I actually love it, there is no lic required, if your good you can make a lot of money, you start out cabling drains then they may train you on water jetting, and there's the vactor truck
 
There are those kinds of companies around here; Roto-Rooter, Mr. Rooter, and SuperTech are the drain cleaning companies like what you are talking about.

I am a noob and have very limited information here so take this thinking for what it is: the reason I have not looked into those places is that it is my understanding those places do not follow the Oklahoma state licensing model where you are required to have one licensed plumber for every three, or less apprentices under them. The drain cleaning companies don't do licensed plumbing type work, they just clean drains so no licensed plumbers needing apprentices. Thus that would just be a job and not progress me towards a plumbing apprenticeship. Progress towards becoming an apprentice is what I am after. Please correct me if I am wrong with this thinking.

Then there are those companies that do like plumbing + heat & air + electrical. I already know I want nothing to do with heat and air and electrical. Additionally, at those places you do all three, or some combination of two, you cant do just plumbing and nothing else unless your a fully licensed contractor, which I am not. Though I only checked on two of those places and that is what they told me and why I pursued them no longer. If that is not the norm and I just got unlucky in the places I talked to please let me know.

There have been postings for colleges here in plumbing but they are only for journeymen roles. Every plumbing posting here is for journeymen. No one seems to have any interest in training anyone anymore, except for the union and they are so inundated with applicants I might as well be applying for the secret service.

There is always a job to be had. Careers, I am finding are much harder to obtain.
 
One of the smartest plumbers we have at our college came from a shop that did heating /and ac. If you can get in there get in start learning, working in the field with your hands you could become very well rounded, as for drain cleaning, your still working, with your hands you could make connections,yo don't have to stay at any of these places,it's field experience you want, yes you want your time to could towards your lic but you have to start somewhere
 
I like the way you think and how you express yourself. As in "There is always a job to be had. Careers, I am finding are much harder to obtain."

Let me suggest something not yet mentioned: the military, specifically the Navy Seabees, where you'll be trained in HVAC.

My son went that route about 20 years ago (my gosh, time sure flies), and is now a licensed plumber in California specializing in drain inspection and repair. (He hates the state's politics and cost of living, but the coastal weather keeps him there.) Somehow he keeps a 1-man business going, and has now for about ten years.

So I suggest four years in the Navy. After that you can stay in or you can get out, but you won't have living expenses to worry about during that time ... and you'll learn a trade.

I wish we had a system similar to Germany's for young men like you. Apprenticeship in Germany - Wikipedia

Good luck. Please keep us posted.
 
Update !!!
I just got a letter in the mail from the "UA Local 344" plumbers union for an interview for the plumbers apprenticeship program. I am so excited and want to do good on this interview, it's in two weeks. Does anyone know what kind of questions they ask? My dad is in the IT industry and says they do STAR format interviews there but he doesn't know about trade unions.
 
okiedokie405 said:
Update !!!
I just got a letter in the mail from the "UA Local 344" plumbers union for an interview for the plumbers apprenticeship program. I am so excited and want to do good on this interview, it's in two weeks. Does anyone know what kind of questions they ask? My dad is in the IT industry and says they do STAR format interviews there but he doesn't know about trade unions.
Click to expand...

Kept mentioning that you’ll never be late with your union dues. They’ll make a spot for you. 🐸
 
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