I hired a guy to do some land clearing and to build me a shop pad and driveway.
He noticed I can operate equipment to some extent and he offered me a gig helping him on the side.
I'm not used to efficiently running his modern equipment (all my stuff is straight out of the 60's and 70's), but I'll spot trucks, read a print for what grade were supposed to be at and follow the dozer with the grade rod, run the compactor, run a POS water trucks, etc. And since I can read a drawing (certified draftsman), he's always wanting me to help him on working up quotes. Also planning on getting a CDL this summer. Can drive a truck, just not legally. I always carry tools so he's always bumming stuff off me.
last Saturday we were doing line stabilization, I ran the 1970's vintage incorporation machine for 13 hours straight listening to a 6v-71 a 40 degree windy day (that's cold for Houston).
I go to the University of Houston full time getting a Honors degree in mechanical engineering and on my hard earned friday's off from school and very precious weekends I work for this guy.
And I get paid $100 a day for this. I like the machinery, I like the work. But it's about the point where I could make better money picking cigarette butts out McDonalds's urinals. Atleast doing that I get paid promptly, they don't "forget" how many days I work, it's inside and I dont have to deal with any idiot dump truck drivers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about any of this. It just always makes me laugh listing to this guy complain how he can never find good help, but doesn't want to pay anything.
I can pass a drug test any day any time no notice, don't use my phone during the day, have my own PPE, am equipment savvy, show up most days before anyone else and leave last. But apparently I'm worht about minimum wage. Doesn't make too much sense to be busting my ass on a construction site when I could get the same wage doing a whole lot less.
Just my $.02.....