Hey everyone! I'm a 22-year-old college student working on a research paper about AI's impact on the trades. I've been chatting with my family, particularly my uncle who's a locksmith, and he keeps saying, "We love the work, but the endless paperwork drives us crazy!" I'd love to hear from actual tradespeople about a few things:
1. What do you find is the toughest part of your job beyond the actual trade work?
2. How much time do you typically spend each week on tasks like paperwork, scheduling, or chasing payments?
3. If you could magically have one of those burdens taken care of for you, what would it be?
There are no right or wrong answers—I'm just looking to understand the real experiences of those in the trade. Thanks for any insights you can share!
2 Answers
As a heavy equipment operator, I usually don't deal with much paperwork, but the long hours can be tough. The upside is I get winters off, so I can’t complain too much. But honestly, a lot of us are worried about AI taking over our jobs. It seems like everything's heading toward automation, and that's a bit scary!
For me, the hardest part is definitely keeping up with customer demands and chasing down late payments. Doing the actual work is fine, but when customers aren’t clear or overly picky, it really becomes a hassle. It's a relief to find new clients and drop the problematic ones!
I totally get that! Even with little experience, I've noticed similar things in the trade.
Thanks for sharing this perspective! How long have you been working as an equipment operator?