College vs skilled trades.

[LightManSA]

I run a non-union Electrical Construction business in San Antonio, TX. As said here, there are more jobs available in the trades, than people willing to do the work.

For someone that wants an opportunity, we pay them to work, provide them an no cost accredited Apprenticeship School, pay for generous benefits, retirement plans, and get them a great start at a lifelong career. Few Show Up to take the first step on the road to a trades career.

 

[Johnny Dollarhide]

Wait for some of the guys in the bay area to chime in and say what they make

Bay Area guys are making $70 hour for sheet metal worker union

 

[Dos Perros]

If my son or daughter were getting ready to graduate high school right now here's what I would recommend, of course after having factored in their ambitions and talents.

1) Get a college education in business, operations, something like that
2) After graduating, get a trades education: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc
3) Get a trades job and work it for 2 years
4) Start their own business as a one-man shop and grow it. I would even invest in it myself.
5) After 5 years of busting ass, they should have grown enough that they can either sell out to a bigger firm, or essentially hire an office manager and mail it in as an owner
6) Live the good life, spending time with their family, investing in other businesses, etc

 

[ianpadron]

If I had to do it over again, and the goal was 100% financial freedom as fast as possible...the road map would look like this:

Learn a trade while still in high school, transfer that knowledge to formal schooling for a couple years post-grad, go work for an established company in a hot market and stash as much income as possible, use that income to buy a duplex or 4-plex with a 3.5% down FHA loan, have tenants pay my rent.

Learn as much as possible about real estate investing, while leveraging the steady and dependable income from my day job to add more properties.

A few years into that system and you've got enough passive income to walk away from your day job if you want, and it took a very minimal investment of capital compared to spinning your wheels in college for 4 years, accumulating $50k+ in debt, and still not being qualified for any job in particular (aside from maybe nursing or engineering)...

I think that college has been entirely watered down, this coming from a fella who has a degree from one of the most prestigious public research institutions in the country, and hasn't used it a day in my post-grad life LOL.

 

[Mudslinger]

I personally was going to go to college but I knew that I was going to pay for it and probably party to hard and drop out.
After a few years I decided to go the trade route and I'm glad I did. I enjoy my job, which you can ask alot of people and they hate their jobs.
I think the most important thing is go to some sort of schooling and find a job that makes you happy and you enjoy going to.

 

[cuerro viejo]

There are examples of people making 50k a year and retiring with multi millions. Are they not “rich”?

A survey a few years ago showed that around 72k of income was the ideal balance of income to happiness. I’d imagine that has since bumped up to around 90k, but I can tell you that in my present job and lifestyle, remaining single, I don’t need to make more than $120-150k to be “rich”. Most 7 figure earners have very little to no time to do things outside of work. At some point, Income has diminishing returns. I could make 200k+ if I went 100% hustle with no hobbies and no life, but what’s that going to get me? I’m single with no kids, way I figure, if I die with millions in the bank then I didn’t live life very well.

Or they simply retire at 50 and hunt everywhere. Two sides to every coin. The 120-150k has a higher ability to save and retire quicker

 

[M-Wig]

I had a client who retired in his mid 40's. He didn't plan to but someone made an offer to buy his company that he couldn't refuse. When I met him he owned a different company so I asked what happened. "Retirement at 45 sounds great until you realize all your friends are still working. You can only hunt or golf by yourself so much before it gets boring." His non-compete was over so he started his new company in the same field and said he would sell when he wanted to try retirement again.

I enjoy working now that we have our own company, but I'd like to test his theory.

 

[GAoutdoor]

Depends what you want from it. I went to a large, respected state school. The first two years of my time there were worthless general education requirements. The last two were where I studied what I actually do. I'm now working on a masters, which is a requirement for me to advance with my current company and the only reason I'm doing it. It's duplicative of my undergrad education, so not really worth it for me, but I could see utility for someone who didn't have the undergrad exposure. The very expensive programs however are absolutely not worth it. I work with people who have gone to big name schools, paying $80k+ for their education and producing moronic ideas, incomplete/incorrect work, and have no real understanding how the majority of the company operates. Also, I make less than if I had gone to trade school and then worked a trade for the same amount of time. I enjoy the work I do, and my long term prospects are quite good. My current position also gives me a good amount of flexibility.

If someone doesn't want to sit in school, prefers being outdoors all day and/or working with their hands - trade school is a great option. The need for HVAC, electricians, plumbers, welders, etc is incredible. I've seen billboards advertising trade positions (like a welder) starting at $18/hr with no experience, they provide you training and then quickly increase your pay as you learn. As others have said, it isn't unreasonable for skilled trade to start at $70-$80k a year base, with lots of overtime opportunity and quickly increasing base pay.

Overall, it's about what you want to do and how hard you're willing to work. The idea is to build yourself up to a point where you're happy, whichever path you pursue. For some people, that's having a steady paycheck with decent income and time to spend with family, hunting etc. For others, that's owning your own business. The only real fallacies are that you have to go to college to succeed, and that those who do not go to college are not smart - both are abjectly false.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I run a non-union Electrical Construction business in San Antonio, TX. As said here, there are more jobs available in the trades, than people willing to do the work.

For someone that wants an opportunity, we pay them to work, provide them an no cost accredited Apprenticeship School, pay for generous benefits, retirement plans, and get them a great start at a lifelong career. Few Show Up to take the first step on the road to a trades career.

This is spot on. And, in theory should make income go up in service trades. However, with the lack of compotent employees. It only equates to lost production., reducing income.

This pathetic two party ruled democracy had better get its act together and start making the immigration process easier, while curtailing free handouts, or there is going to be an even bigger shortage of labor then we are currently seeing.

 

[lyle_destroys]

I work in a trade and make over 100k a year, I have to work a lot of have an irregular schedule though. I know welders and linemen that make over that but once again, irregular schedule and lots of hours.
I recently had some training, several people in the group were fresh out of college and some were only 3-4 years younger than me, the difference in life experience and life skills was immense though. Being in the military and then the work force put me leaps and bounds ahead of them. They may have a more specialized knowledge in say, engineering. But I really feel that I'm a much more well rounded and confident person than those in that specific group.

 

[HuntHarder]

Anyone else remember when making a 100k sounded like you would have a lot of money. haha. No longer, now that home prices are thru the roof as well as everything else. New homes around me start around 400k with the average new home being somewhere around 600k. Vomit

 

[Super tag]

I started my career in the trades as a machinist, millwright, welder and made enough money to raise my family, eventually moved in to a supply sales position and then into management. I make plenty of money but the price I’ve paid along the way has been high and if I had to do over I’m not sure I would, there’s a lot more important things in life than money, I miss the time and freedom I had as a skilled worker to enjoy life, and the things I enjoy doing, I didn’t ever take work home with me, now I’m always connected in one way or another to work when I’m off. Of course you need to make money but a good balance is very important, a good skilled trade isn’t a bad choice and may bring more happiness than a big money position, just my opinion.

 

[Desperatehills]

 

[Rich M]

If my son or daughter were getting ready to graduate high school right now here's what I would recommend, of course after having factored in their ambitions and talents.

1) Get a college education in business, operations, something like that
2) After graduating, get a trades education: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc
3) Get a trades job and work it for 2 years
4) Start their own business as a one-man shop and grow it. I would even invest in it myself.
5) After 5 years of busting ass, they should have grown enough that they can either sell out to a bigger firm, or essentially hire an office manager and mail it in as an owner
6) Live the good life, spending time with their family, investing in other businesses, etc

I know a guy who did this with a grocery store - he hitched a ride, walked in, got a job, worked his way to the top, then bought his own grocery store, hired a couple good managers who he paid handsomely and then traveled the world while his business paid for everything.

 

[Parker173]

i went to college for a skilled trade lol

 

[Jroyce3]

There seems to be a lot of hype around skilled trades lately. I think it's just that, hype. People will recommend learning a trade over getting a good college degree. I don't get it. Everyone and their mother claim these tradesmen are making 100k a year. A simple look at BLS average salaries says otherwise.

I'm not saying they're not needed. I'm just saying I think they have become overrated as career options lately.

What do you guys think?


EDIT: Now, obviously, if you get a worthless degree then a skilled trade would be way better.

All depends on what your wanting to do. College degree is great, but not for everyone. Same with the trades.

 

[Baron85]

I think income is based on ambition and drive. I know people with great degrees and no drive that are working at coffee shops making nothing. I also know someone that didn’t graduate high school but hustled and sacrificed and now owns a jet. College isn’t everything. I didn’t go to college and went the trade route moving to Texas to work for an industrial demolition company. I was making 40-50k at 20 years old and no debt. By the time I was 25-26 I was making around $100k and my last few years there I was in the mid 100’s. We had no debt, owned our house out right. We had kids so changed jobs to be at home with the family and easily found work. Im now working at a gold mine In Colorado with no shortage of OT if I want it and just under 100k working 4 days a week .

On the flip side my brother in law with an engineering degree lost his job at the onset of COVID and still cant find a job equal or close to what he had and he has never crested 100k in his career and also has school debt

 

[conley417]

All depends on what your wanting to do. College degree is great, but not for everyone. Same with the trades.

Yup and it's foolish to put someone down for choosing either one.

 

[Baddog]

As stated above “ambition and drive”

 

[Beendare]

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