I love it and hate it.
I'm in commercial construction. I'm a structural steel detail draftsman and 3D setout modeller by "trade" but these days I run my old mans structural steel fabrication business which was started by his (former) busines partner in 1969 - thus making us one of the oldest fabricators in Melbourne.
I'm 7th generation Australian going down dads line and 7th generation in the building industry.
I've worked on some interesting projects as a detailer including Fed Square, Logan hyper dome, Perth convention and exhibition centre, Adelaide law courts, Southern Cross Railway to name a few. It was great in my early days working for a company doing such projects - I learnt a lot.
Now working for dad we specialise in "******" jobs. Commercial renovation, schools, hospitals, uni's, tafes, larger houses etc.
Some days its the best job in the world and I earn a reasonable wage. I could get more else where with my experiance and skills but its a family thing.
I enjoy that I've helped "spruce up" the business and bring it into today (when I first came into the business it was near on antiquated). I've seen some big changes in the 5 years I've been here and I hope to see the business grow more and become much more efficient.
Then there are other days when my phone starts ringing at 6:30 in the morning. Or when builders threaten me with liquidated damages because of delays caused by others. Or when Im still in the office at 2am trying to organise stuff for my workshop to start on at 6:30 that morning. Those days I wonder why I do it and think "they dont pay me enough to put up with this ********!"
But hey I have a job. I have my health. I enjoy my job and I tend to live off the stress.
When everything is going well its almost a dream job - I rock on in about 9:30 and piss off about 6. (when its not I'm doing 75+ hour weeks and running on empty)
Gotta take the good with the bad.
Im also a bit of a workaholic. When I had glandular fever a few years back I nearly ended up with chronic fatigue because I couldnt stay home and rest - it bored me too much.
I supposed to a certain degree one of the main things I dont like about my job is working for my old man.
But one of the best things about my job is I get to work along side one of my best mates - my old man.