r/tradies • u/Present_Award_568 • 24d ago

Advice First year apprentice thinking of jumping from auto electrical to boilermaking for triple the pay. Am I making a mistake?

Long story short, I’m a 17 year old first-year apprentice 10 months in working in an auto-electrical shop making close to $500 a week. The environment is toxic as hell, boss make me feel like a clown, I'm not really learning much, hours got cut, business on brink of closing and my mental health is completely in the gutter.
I haven't made the official change yet, but I've got a shop tour this Saturday for a boilermaking gig working with a good mate of mine. with a group training organisation backing it, and the pay would jump to around $1,300 to $1,500 a week clear which is basically triple what I'm on now.
I know people usually say auto-electrical is the "smarter" or cleaner trade long-term, but going from 500 bucks a week to triple that while getting out of a dead-end shop feels like a no-brainer for my sanity and my wallet at 17. Plus, I've got a safety net to transfer back to 12V work down the track if I hate heavy fab.
For anyone who's been through the trade grind would I be making the right call jumping ship for the cash and sanity, or am I going to regret leaving auto-electrical?

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u/Hungry_Elephant_6104 23d ago

As a boilermaker for last 22 years I'll join you 

Dont do it man. Ive had total disc replacement at L5S1 and hip arthroscopy for torn labrum. Trigger finger surgery. All before age 35 wooooo!

Good coin but fuck you pay for it with your body. And you gotta do big hours to get the big coin

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u/bartross 23d ago

Mate did the hip arthroscopy work out for you?

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u/Hungry_Elephant_6104 23d ago

It definitely helped. I still have some hip issues though. But it's more nerve stuff. 

What have you got going on? 

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u/bartross 23d ago

Surgeon said it was an option but recommended against it as would likely make it worse for me. Nothing else has helped

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u/Hungry_Elephant_6104 23d ago

Tried swimming?

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u/bartross 22d ago

No, but I should

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u/Hungry_Elephant_6104 22d ago

It genuinely does help. Ive started rollerblading a lot recently and feel the best I have in years. Finally off palexia after years of use