how come i never see that many desi ppl in the skills trades like plumbers, electrician, HVAC, sheet metal etc.. well in toronto i dont see too many desi plumbers or electrician. Skills trade pays sh*T loads of $$ then people actually think! yes its a lil dirty job, not a white collar trade but it pays almost next to what lawyers and doctors make annualy…or if u have ur own business in the trades..u can be making anywhere from 200k net take home to unlimited potential. So why dont we see desi’s entering the skill trades career?
Re: skill trades
Furqan,
I guess you heard what members have to say :D … and that says it all.
Labourers and manual workers aren’t regarded highly in our culture, and that "mazdoor" mentality gets carried over when people move to the west. The formal apprenticeship programs here would be analogous to being the chotu at your local car wokshop or at the carpenter’s.
People also associate the skilled workforce with lack of education which is true to an extent because a lot of people would go on to work right after HS. That being said, I’ve also seen enough people who have a college education and still decide to pursue work as a skilled labourer. You're right about the $$ too - recent stats show that skilled laborers are in demand and employers are trying to entice them by higher hourly wages and even signing bonuses.
I personally think it should be an individual’s choice to pursue that avenue as a long-term career - irrespective of societal impressions and beliefs… but a basic level of education – say a formal college level education should still form the basis for them to make a more informed choice.
Re: skill trades
^hahaha…what a stupid mentality hain na..mazdoori is considered below driving taxis. 
Re: skill trades
this is a very interesting thread. ive always wondered about that.
dont they have similar ideas about marketing and people who are into marketing? My dad didnt let me saying some similar stuff like..... it is not a respectable profession especially for girls.
I hated him for this mentality. But I later on observed that it was not just him but most people thought the same way.
Similarly, I have wondered why it's considered disrespectful to be in a skill trade.
Re: skill trades
^ that's cuz ppl in Pakistan can't tell "Marketing" from "Sales" - its synonymous to them... and yes... things can get loutish for saleswomen in a country like Pak.
Re: skill trades
just like i cant tell the difference between “finance” and “accounting”
it’s all the same to me 
Re: skill trades
^ istaghfirullah - and you're a finance major.
Re: skill trades
see you later 
Re: skill trades
I agree with Umar and PD. Unfortunately for most desis, their world revolves around the society. Their decisions and actions are based more on what others may think rather than what he/she wants to do. Skills trade has a lot to offer and it has a lot of potential for success, but since it has certain stereotypes associated with it in desi community, they choose something different that's more accepted in our culture.
Re: skill trades
Reminds me of one of my distant uncles in Toronto telling me about the time he went to visit a Sardarji truck driver's home ... and found the guy living on his own in a detached house with 3 relatively new cars on driveway.
Re: skill trades
truck drivers ki khushhaali ka andaza unn ki sehat se bhi ho jata hai 
Re: skill trades
well said
I know couple people in trucking business and they are bringing home net $5k monthly…working about 4-6 hours per day just driving the truck. Apart from that..I work in the HVAC field..heating and air conditioning ..its not just a trade where anyone can enter and learn hands on..due to strict laws and regulations of natural gas codes and air conditioning refrigerants..you must goto a post secondary school to get training. The program i am doing environmental systems engineering has 92 students and out of that only 3 students including me are south asians.
Anyhow point is…in general when us pakistani’s think of any kind of work that involves manual labour..they back away! they rather hire someone from outside to even cut their lawn’s grass , rather them cutting the grass themselves.