That guy's advice is a fast track to callbacks. Wireless is fine for a retrofit, but skipping wire in new construction is just lazy. You can't beat a hardwired system for long term peace of mind.

Totally agree with learning by doing. You can read about stuff forever but actually trying it is what sticks. That's how most real skills get built.

My own hair was a box dye mess before I got into this business.

Still sounds like a total waste of money to me.

That's rough but honestly not shocking. Companies treat entry level like a commodity now, especially in tech hubs. They'll just grab the next person off the stack of resumes. Your cousin's story reminds me of seeing crews bid jobs so low they can't possibly do good work, just to get the foot in the door. Same energy.