On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 02:34:09 GMT, Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:

In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:

Mike H. wrote:

For those interested, Kizer Sheet Metal is hitting the auction block in
McMinnville, OR on Thursday - January 26

http://www.murphyauctions.net/kizer.html


I heard a rumor recently that China has been making a lot of sheet metal
ductwork and shipping it to this country in containers, and that this is the
reason a lot of sheet metal shops on the West Coast are shutting down,
particularly in Southern California. Does anyone know anything definitively
on
this subject? I'm considering routing my teenager to a union apprenticeship
program, and I don't want to pick one in a dying trade.

GWE
Washington State

My friends in the San Francisco Bay Area say the same thing.
All the simple ductwork is coming out of China.
It is making it very hard to find local shops for custom work.


Plumber, Electrician, Tile/Stone setter, Stucco, Finish
Carpenter/Cabinetmaker.

All these trades are well paid, and can't be exported easily.

Longshoreman. There will always be cargo ships that need to be
loaded/unloaded. Average pay is $100k per yr these days, perhaps a
bit more. Great bennies, union job you know. As long as one lives
near a major shipping port town that is.

Or he could take on an apprenticeship position overseas. Chinese as a
second language wouldn't hurt for that one. I'd expect the wages and
bennies to be a little lower however.