So a bit of backstory, I got this HVAC job 10 years(yes you heard that right) ago. And I feel I'm a pretty good employee. Not always the greatest attitude but one of the best installers the company has seen. Literally only late to work 3 times I've worked here in the whole 10 years, and only ever call out sick when I'm actually sick. Not for some bs reason because I just don't want to come in, like a lot of my coworkers. Getting a lot of praise from the owner, my manager, and contractors on how neat and clean my work looks.
Well, I've tried several times to get promoted, moved up, or to set up a duct shop for the company, which I'd actually like working in but to no avail.
Basically they're making some pretty big changes, and phasing out the department I'm in. It'll take at most a year to fully transition. I absolutely despise the other department that I'd be going to, and I honestly am juat burnt out and tired of this current job. I don't have a lot of faith in them promoting me or anything like that once this is all done. I'm just feeling super depressed over it cause I feel I'm out of any good options. I had one that I tried today and it looked like it wouldn't go anywhere. I don't want to stay with my company, and I don't want to go to a competing company cause I juat don't want to install anymore. My knees are so freaking sore and hurt so much from when I have to kneel down and work on stuff, even with amazing knee pads. I'm sick and tired of working and being the freezing cold. In gross disgusting crawl spaces, and in attics when its 140 plus degrees inside of it.
I'm losing hope fast. And my wife and I are going to try for kids this year, so I don't want to be at a job with too much of a pay cut. I could go work the the union, and probably get an extra 3 or 4 dollars an hour. But I'd be doing the same old crap.
I honestly don't know what to do cause I have a very particular skill set, and I feel its made me trapped and very miserable.
Any thoughts guys? Maybe something I haven't thought of? I don't feel school is an option, cause I definitely don't have money for that.