Help a young breh out. Trades vs college

[wastedmermaid]

So here is the issue im 21 and im caught at a crossroads in life...

About 2 year ago i enrolled in college. And to be honest i didnt do very well to start. Mostly do to lack of trying and wasting too much time and getting consumed in the whole college atmosphere and being free for the first time . To be honest with yall, i was just kinda throwing money away hanging with friends and messing with girls and doing very little actual work and wasting my time on something i hated (Accounting)

So i decided to take some time off. Mostly was working at local retail joints and other odd jobs i could find.

So anyway after i got sick of making minimum wage, about a month ago i decided to apply to a add in the paper for a local hvac training program. The whole thing is free and after your done they basically set you up with a paid apprentice job at around 12-14 hr starting.

My issuse is not the actual hvac work. Im actually ok at it and in some ways i enjoy it (the satisfaction of fixing a problem with your hands, being outdoors, the moneys okay, having a skill that will always be in demand, the very real of owning my own businesses). Now the issues that are bothering me...the physical work (lifting heavy objects, squatting, having to weige myself in someone crampped attic on a 100+ degree day). Not to mention the more experienced guys tell me the schedules are crazy (60+ hr work weeks and being on call alot the first few years). Not to mention it can also be very dangerous with all the electrical stuff and various chemicals.

I ve talked to my father whos worked various blue collar jobs ( carpenter, truck driver ect). And he always tells me he wishes he got a job were he used his mind insted of body. Cause he's only 45 and has already had all kinds of back, neck and knee surgerys. That being said tho, he does actually make pretty good money (close to 90,000) but he work like 60 hrs a week.

So there in lies the issue. Do i want to go back to school and maybe work a part time job for a few years and hope i can actually do it right this time? Or go the trades route and have a career in high demand making a decent salary and deal with the issues?

 

[Tom Foolery]

My issuse is not the actual hvac work. Im actually ok at it and in some ways i enjoy it (the satisfaction of fixing a problem with your hands, being outdoors, the moneys okay, having a skill that will always be in demand, the very real of owning my own businesses). Now the issues that are bothering me...the physical work (lifting heavy objects, squatting, having to weige myself in someone crampped attic on a 100+ degree day). Not to mention the more experienced guys tell me the schedules are crazy (60+ hr work weeks and being on call alot the first few years). Not to mention it can also be very dangerous with all the electrical stuff and various chemicals.

Just by reading this part, I can see you're looking for the easy way out. That's one of the easier trades and you're already complaining.

 

[An ashy lil fap hand]

Do the trade then go to school. Chances are you don't really know what you wanna study anyway.

 

[OPTiMO]

If you aren't a serious hard worker you wont succeed at either one.

If you like working with your hands and can handle waking your ass up at 5am if need be, then i'd say go for a trade.


What would you want to go to school for? Do you have a passion?

 

[King Poetic]

trade school for 2 years...

the way the world is now, u can learn basic IT shyt and get paid well and continue education if u want

 

[cdc]

Do both. Your father is right that a job using his mind would have been easier on his body, but he didn't have the numerous opportunities that are available to you today. With community colleges (with direct transfers programs to 4 year schools), online universities Best Online Bachelor's Programs | Online Bachelor's Rankings | US News, colleges having night and part-time programs, etc., you have the ability to accomplish both at the same time. And by working, you can offset the need to take out loans as much as possible. Some colleges even give credits based on documented work experience that will help you graduate faster.

So, continue the HVAC apprenticeship program and transfer into the field. At the same time, find a school and start taking classes online or at night and in about 6 to 7 years (at age 28 or so), you will have several years of experience as well as a degree. Use that experience and degree to start your own business (where you hire other people to do the grunt work) or it will be much easier go in-house as management in a facilities manager position or the like for e.g., a large university, a hospital, a corporate campus, etc.

 

[wastedmermaid]

If you aren't a serious hard worker you wont succeed at either one.

If you like working with your hands and can handle waking your ass up at 5am if need be, then i'd say go for a trade.


What would you want to go to school for? Do you have a passion?

I would probably wanna go for something in the computer/tech field. To be honest with you though im still not 100% sure.

 

[wastedmermaid]

trade school for 2 years...

the way the world is now, u can learn basic IT shyt and get paid well and continue education if u want

What sort of basic IT shyt would you suggest exactly that i could start with

 

[Worthless Loser]

You can start up your own business easier with a trade than with school if you are interested in that down the line.

Is there any other college majors that interest you? Something you can say to yourself, "I think I can do that/I think I would like that". Think of a list of college majors available and see if they interest you?

 

[OPTiMO]

I would probably wanna go for something in the computer/tech field. To be honest with you though im still not 100% sure.

Man, i'd say just do what you have a passion for. If working IT is your thing, than do it. Go to school for it and do it. You don't wanna get stuck in the middle working a random job that makes the ends meet, with no end goal.

 

[street heat]

you need to figure out exactly what you want to do man. its a lot easier to create a plan when you know what the end goal is whether short term or long.

also, i dont mean to judge, but it kind of sounds like you're not a hard worker right now. just know if you want to be successful, at some point you are going to have to put in those 60+ hour work weeks. it doesnt have to be for the rest of your life, but you may as well start now while you are young. maybe by the time youre 30 you wont have to put so many hours in

 

[AlainLocke]

Working your body instead of your mind isn't a smart move...when you only making like 12 an hr.

If you interested in the trade school route, I suggest you look into underwater welding and working on oil rigs, you can work for 8 months, make enough for live off of, take some time off and chill and think about what you gonna do for the rest of your life. Sure you might die but hey, it's good money, 25 an hour with no college degree is great money.

I hate college, I find it tedious and a waste of time...but it is always better to get it out the way as soon as possible no matter how long it takes you. Cause guess what...you gonna reach a point, at this point sooner than later, where you gonna work more money than you currently making and you somebody is gonna tell you, "You gonna need a degree."

I thoguht about trades but I rather work my mind than my body.


Even though my mind right now is in shambles.

 

[WaveGang]

Get an apprenticeship, find an employer that will pay your tuition fees.

 

[wastedmermaid]

Get an apprenticeship, find an employer that will pay your tuition fees.

Yeah i actually got a job offer at ups and i read online they cover some tuition cost. So im really considering doing that tbh.

 

[AlainLocke]

Yeah i actually got a job offer at ups and i read online they cover some tuition cost. So im really considering doing that tbh.