The 38k/year was the most striking part of the article. According to a (US) inflation calculator that would be 130k today https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ which seems very good for an apparently entry level job.
Haven't really = not at all, I have no idea where I'd be if I wasn't working in the comparatively highly paid tech industry. I count myself as very lucky.
I wonder if the fellow had to be a licensed electrician for that job. It would explain a lot, especially in Alberta where they were in high demand throughout the 70s to work the oil patch.
