Nick Garrett Mrs. Etter English III 5 May 2023 Carpenter or Coal Miner? Growing up I had always wanted to do different jobs. Things like being a firefighter or astronaut intrigued me as a kid. But now at 17 I realize that although they are achievable occupations, they just aren't what I want to do anymore. I’ve learned that I love working with my hands and I love labor intensive work. The feeling of exhaustion after a long day of hard work just brings a calming peace to me that tells me I've earned my relaxation for the night. Two jobs that stand out to me as jobs I'd like to do are carpentry and coal mining. Coal mining has been a generational occupation in my family and I'd like to be a carpenter to learn how to build houses. Both pay well and require lots of hard work but both have their pros and cons. Which one is best for me? One thing that has to be taken into consideration is the wages of both jobs. Although there are other important factors to finding which job is better for me, wages is a big factor to look at. The average salary for a coal miner is $55,000 a year (“Career Cruising”). …show more content…
Coal miners work in dark, damp, and dusty conditions. They also have to deal with loud noises and constantly standing, kneeling, and bending over. A benefit to the job is that the mine is at a very comfortable temperature all year round underground (“Career Cruising Miner Working Conditions”). Carpenters on the other hand have to work outside which means they can work on bright and beautiful sunny days with a breeze or they can work painfully hot or cold days. Carpenters also have to put up with standing, climbing, and kneeling throughout the average work day (“Career Cruising Carpenter Working Conditions”). The coal mine's temperature intrigues me. I feel that working in a controlled climate would be more