‘Just Go Union’? Electrician Applied At Every Company In His City And Says The Blue-Collar Apprentice Pipeline Is Worn Out, Backlogged, and Gatekept
Trade It was supposed to be wide open.. At least that’s the myth people like to repeat; where blue-collar jobs are in desperate need of help, begging for apprentices, handing out tool belts and pensions to nearly everyone who walks in. One job seeker says this image is completely wrong.
One Reddit post A frustrated electrician put it bluntly in the headline “No, tradesmen aren’t hiring”: “I’m so sick of this outdated idea that blue collar jobs are looking for apprentices to work for them.” After hitting the wall with multiple companies, he said the reality seemed less like opportunity and more like a closed circle of insiders, “filled with more nepotism and gossip than any other industry I’ve ever been in.”
Don’t miss:
There was no lack of experience. He worked for an electrical company for four years, listed detailed project work related to his practices, and cited high-level references. Yet he was dismissed like a stranger. “I even went back to my old electric company where I worked for 4 years. Do you know what they said? ‘Apply online and talk to HR.’ There’s no hiring manager in the store, no chance to talk to someone unknown.”
A week and a half later, instead of a callback, he received a rejection email: “Thank you for applying. After careful consideration…”
One of the few offers he received was from a company that ticked every red flag. “‘Only drug addicts and divorced alcoholics work here,’ he wrote. “‘F*** OSHA.'” Everywhere else, he said, some version of “no” is given.
And it wasn’t just a city. He said he went to every electrician company in the city. Many needed a two-year technical or trade school degree — just to offer starting wages of $15 per hour. Even the much-hyped unions were not the solution: “Brother, go to the union!” someone inevitably says. But as he notes, “Unions are backed up for many years.”
Trend: Did you miss Tesla? EnergyX Tackling the Next $200 Billion Opportunity: Lithium
In the replies, commenters expressed disappointment not just in the trades, but in the career as a whole. One user noted that the same tired cycle is popping up everywhere: “Every Sunday, everyone and their mom will have some variant of ‘just learn to code,'” referring to how every space is touted as a magic bullet but doesn’t deliver results.
Another joked that for a while the answer across sectors was “go to law school,” and healthcare workers shared their own instability; One said they nearly faced furloughs as Medicare reimbursements dried up.
Some in IT said they faced similar barriers even with in-demand technical skills, and one pharmacist described multiple layoffs in a short period of time. Another commenter noted that even jobs in healthcare and administration can be difficult to secure because employers cite distance to the workplace as a reason to reject candidates.
The broader labor market helps explain some of this mismatch. according to Bureau of Labor StatisticsThere were approximately 7.7 million job postings in October; a high figure overall, but not evenly distributed across sectors and not always meaningfully achievable for applicants without specialist knowledge or contacts. At the same time unemployment has peaked near historic lows but up slightly as the labor market shows signs of softness; broad averages mask intense competition and sluggish hiring processes for some positions.
See Also: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will let you: Own a home in just 10 minutes with a minimum investment of up to $100.
Particularly in transactions, demand data tells a mixed story. Many industries such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing is projected to grow Over the next decade, infrastructure developments and retirements will create new opportunities. However, this growth does not automatically mean accessible entry points for every applicant. Employers often list openings that cannot be filled for a variety of reasons, from credential requirements to slow hiring processes. Moreover, job openings across the US still outnumber the number of hires; This shows that: getting a foot in the door It’s harder than the headlines imply.
Knowing how to wire a panel and having experience does not guarantee luck in a job. Despite the traditional message that careers are a stable path that includes apprenticeships and union routes, his experience showed that many companies still opt for paperwork, screens and gatekeeping rather than recruiting and mentoring new talent.
One job market that feels unpredictable and disorderly, what appears to be an opportunity on the surface can turn into another maze of formats, filters and dead ends for many applicants; even in areas where people are told they are desperate for workers.
Read Next: Americans With a Financial Plan Can Increase Their Wealth by 4X – Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Expert
Image: Shutterstock
UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRANSACTIONS EVERY WEEK. Click now to get daily best trading ideasplus unlimited access to the latest tools and strategies to gain an advantage in the markets.
Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:
This article ‘Just Go to Unity’? Electrician Applies to Every Company in His City and Says the Blue Collar Apprentice Pipeline is Frayed, Backloged, and Waited originally appeared Benzinga.com
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
