In the structural steel and miscellaneous metals business for nineteen years now, I can safely say I have just about run the full gamut of possible ways to earn a living at this.
I've painted, sand blasted, am a certified welder, climbed steel, have overseen two shops, learned CAD, hand drafting, estimated and negotiated jobs-now I work on the PM side of the business. While I miss the hands on aspect of building, I find great joy in the challenges of my job. Liaison with architects and engineers, coordinating with contractors, dealing with homeowners and handling walk in job requests. Poring over contracts, handling submittals, executing change orders, fulfilling LEED certification responsibilities for a growing number of projects, navigating government bureaucracy for our expanding list of government contracts- makes for a full and challenging day, each and every day.
I relish it.