Hmm, if I were to leave the tech sector for a vocational job, I would probably get a cabin way up north and either brew the beers, harvest maple syrup, or run a B&B. Probably a combination of all the above.
There is a guy on the other forum I frequent who posts tales from his job doing flooring; the sheer amount of shit they have to put up with defies belief. For example, if there is a water leak in the house that damages the floor before the place opens, the flooring company has to pay out their own pocket for the replacement materials and labour, including tearing up the floor for the plumber. By contrast, drywall guys get a double payday if the electrition has to open a wall to fix something. And flooring material is really expensive, so that shit costs.
My parents encouraged us to learn practical skills, even though the focus was mostly on higher education. They were happy when my sister, instead of graduating early, went to the local vocational school for half the school day to learn Automotive Technology and repair. (They did, however, push her toward pre-med when she was thinking that maybe she might work as a mechanic in our home town. College is important to our family, and I feel like she would get bored not leaving.) I didn't get as much of that, but I really like working in the wood shop. If I were to learn a trade, it would probably be either cooking related, or carpentry related.
Nothing wrong with learning a trade. I always give the plumbers, mechanics, carpenters, etc., I meet and/or do business with a large helping of respect. Personally, none of that stuff is my thing (I barely passed wood shop while doing the simplest project options back in middle school, although I think I may make a decent electrician), but I do appreciate all the folks that do those jobs.
As I've been struggling to get into the journalism department, I've been taking a smattering of courses from many other departments. After looking at my completed courses, I realize I am well on my way to earing a liberal studies degree.
Unless you have to do math for your degree/it's about medicine, your probably better off not having it. Such degrees will just make you overqualified for minimum wage jobs and underqualified for everything else.
Unless you have to do math for your degree/it's about medicine, your probably better off not having it. Such degrees will just make you overqualified for minimum wage jobs and underqualified for everything else.
I hear this all the time, and I agree with it in many ways. A mathematics degree on its own is not helpful at all, but I have seen multiple scenarios in which friends get their degrees in math, and they can't do anything with it. However, they say it leads up to more advanced, helpful degrees, and from what they tell me, it's actually somewhat useful to get as long as you plan to do something further, such as architecture, physics, etc. Especially for fields like economics where math is important. Although this is from external opinion, I don't actually have any experience with the major.
but I have seen multiple scenarios in which friends get their degrees in math, and they can't do anything with it
You don't want a degree in mathematics itself. That only helps you become a math professor. You need to have a degree in something that uses math if you want a different kind of job. For example, get a degree in statistics and become an actuary. Get a degree in aerospace engineering and make planes/rockets.
Unless you have to do math for your degree/it's about medicine, your probably better off not having it. Such degrees will just make you overqualified for minimum wage jobs and underqualified for everything else.
Though maybe qualified to post to the internet with correct grammar and spelling.
That's because he designs and builds everything himself. Imagine if instead of owning the business someone else owned it and he just worked for it. Every day just following your dad's instructions. Much less fulfilling.
This is why you have to be good, not just good but really good.
FUCK laying carpet.
Damn right, hardwood floors all the time every time.
Why is it that Americans have lost their respect for "shovel-ready" jobs? They're certainly not glamorous, but a lot of these jobs make a solid living.
For the kids in college: Do you feel that you're getting value for your money? What are you getting for your undergraduate education? Are you even thinking about it in a "value for my money" fashion?
Like the others have said, society moved away from manual labor it has been thought a lower societal position for at least two solid generations. You're right, they do make a solid living, hell my father has always given the advice to myself and all of my brothers to go into plumbing and he really wasn't joking. My father has been a marine carpenter and shipwright all his life. He learned it from his father and older brother. My younger brother has followed suit and has gone into the industry. I think by and large it comes from support ad encouragement. Even though I am not specially trained I know how to build things and work with my hands.
I did not get enough out of my college education and degree. I have a degree in history and anthropology/archeology. I did not learn anything in college that I could not have gained from a book or trial and error. I am not even planning on using my degrees any time in the near future either. As many of you know I am leaving July 26th to circumnavigate the globe by bike. At most I will be doing some archeological work in Israel.
I think all college is really good for is making contacts. Sure you learn important information but honestly apprenticeships are more valuable in that regard. You learn exactly how things run, how to do everything and the process. The internship is the modern apprenticeship but a sad version of it. So I think the prime take away from college is to make contacts that can be used to advance your degree, everything else can be learned elsewhere, books, trained individuals etc.
The issue really comes from society and no longer culturally valuing manual labor and I am not entirely sure how to fix that . I guess just start with kids, don't train them out of art and creative thinking. At the same time teach them how to apply that to all the materials, wood, metal, composites whatever it is. A very basic concept but its a start I suppose.
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Shame you can't really DO anything with that.
What was you're degree, by the way?
Like the others have said, society moved away from manual labor it has been thought a lower societal position for at least two solid generations. You're right, they do make a solid living, hell my father has always given the advice to myself and all of my brothers to go into plumbing and he really wasn't joking. My father has been a marine carpenter and shipwright all his life. He learned it from his father and older brother. My younger brother has followed suit and has gone into the industry. I think by and large it comes from support ad encouragement. Even though I am not specially trained I know how to build things and work with my hands.
I did not get enough out of my college education and degree. I have a degree in history and anthropology/archeology. I did not learn anything in college that I could not have gained from a book or trial and error. I am not even planning on using my degrees any time in the near future either. As many of you know I am leaving July 26th to circumnavigate the globe by bike. At most I will be doing some archeological work in Israel.
I think all college is really good for is making contacts. Sure you learn important information but honestly apprenticeships are more valuable in that regard. You learn exactly how things run, how to do everything and the process. The internship is the modern apprenticeship but a sad version of it. So I think the prime take away from college is to make contacts that can be used to advance your degree, everything else can be learned elsewhere, books, trained individuals etc.
The issue really comes from society and no longer culturally valuing manual labor and I am not entirely sure how to fix that . I guess just start with kids, don't train them out of art and creative thinking. At the same time teach them how to apply that to all the materials, wood, metal, composites whatever it is. A very basic concept but its a start I suppose.