College vs skilled trades.

[307]

I guess I was lucky.. Went to undergrad and grad school free (full ride) academics not athletics

Good for you champ! Valuable contribution to Rokslide. Anything else to brag about?

 

[bsnedeker]

Good for you champ! Valuable contribution to Rokslide. Anything else to brag about?

I once bowled 5 STRIKES IN A ROW!!!!

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk

 

[307]

I once bowled 5 STRIKES IN A ROW!!!!

LEGEND!!!

 

[SOIHUNT]

Guess I can see both sides of the tracks here, but I’ve worked for myself most of my life and have had the opportunity to travel the world at the same time. You have to decide what is important to you and your family can I support their needs and be happy! This is what makes you happy and your work will never let you down. I’m 62 and I’m a project manager now for a company that pays me well.

 

[MadMaxx]

Healthcare executive? Doubt it

 

[MadMaxx]

But I do agree with you. Being a skilled tradesman is tremendous. My brother was an Electrician and he owned his own company..made me look like a popper!!!

 

[Mojave]

There is a push to professionalize a lot of trades, and there are professions that are now have heightened education requirements that probably didn't need professionalization, and that is kind of a tragedy.

Physical therapy used to be a grad student program, and now it requires a PHD.

Nurse Practitioner used to be another masters program and again it requires a PHD.

Safety used to require about 100 hours of sitting in the classroom and OJT. For the most part someone with a bachelors in safety won't find a job because they have zero experience. Someone with a professional safety certificate will always beat them out. So thanks to some not so forward thinking person a professional safety certificate requires a bachelors degree to start, and 4 years in the trade.

Trade or profession, it has to pay the bills.

 

[307]

Physical therapy used to be a grad student program, and now it requires a PHD.

Nurse Practitioner used to be another masters program and again it requires a PHD.

Neither require a Ph.D., they are clinical/professional degrees, but I agree with the overall point. PT going to DPT added 20k to student debt but didn’t change income.

 

[MadMaxx]

Agree......PT by the way is a simple DRPT..just another year...but you are right a college degree doesn't seem too mean much now days

 

[Rich M]

Civil Engineer here I can weight in on this a little from both perspectives. Growing up my Father was a self employed millwright (iron worker, master welder, jack of all trades) and is one of the more competent people you'll ever meet with only an 8th grade education. He made a solid living for his family...but always you never know where that next paycheck is coming from as any self employed business owner. You work your hands to the bone and by 55 your body is shot. You will make less money if employed by someone doing the trade, but probably more work life balance. Now as an engineer with a bachelor degree...$55k-$60k starting plus benefits and 2 weeks vacation. Year 5 as a junior engineer $75k/year close to 3 weeks vacation with benefits... you'll work 50-80 hours / week. Senior level engineer $100-$150k is going to be your top end as an employee (adjust for location and living costs). A real degree and grinding your mind...burning out by age 55-60 or physically destroyed by 55 working the trade...in the end its all about what you want. As an employee you'll never truly "make it", but will be reasonably comfortable regardless of trade or degree (real degree not gender studies).

Good comparison. Most careers do not max out over $100k without a lot more effort, or danger.

 

[Elkangle]

I think driven people will be successful no matter which route they choose... you can be an educated slob or a slob in a trade...If you judge someone based on those two criterias your incredibly lacking in life

 

[displacedtexan]

But I do agree with you. Being a skilled tradesman is tremendous. My brother was an Electrician and he owned his own company..made me look like a popper!!!

You'd think the full ride academic scholarship graduate degree would include some basic spelling and history classes.

So you could spell at least as well as a well read pauper.

 

[Newtosavage]

There is a push to professionalize a lot of trades, and there are professions that are now have heightened education requirements that probably didn't need professionalization, and that is kind of a tragedy.

Physical therapy used to be a grad student program, and now it requires a PHD.

Nurse Practitioner used to be another masters program and again it requires a PHD.

Safety used to require about 100 hours of sitting in the classroom and OJT. For the most part someone with a bachelors in safety won't find a job because they have zero experience. Someone with a professional safety certificate will always beat them out. So thanks to some not so forward thinking person a professional safety certificate requires a bachelors degree to start, and 4 years in the trade.

Trade or profession, it has to pay the bills.

PT now needs a PhD? NP now needs a PhD?

Really?

 

[Newtosavage]

I think driven people will be successful no matter which route they choose... you can be an educated slob or a slob in a trade...If you judge someone based on those two criterias your incredibly lacking in life

This.

The least educated/trained of my high school buddies, but the one who ALWAYS had a job, went on to become a millionaire at 35 due to a patent for a very practical mechanical valve he invented. My other HS buddies went into the trades and not college, and I'll never earn as much despite having a college degree and 30+ year career.

Never overlook hustle.

 

[Newtosavage]

Agree......PT by the way is a simple DRPT..just another year...but you are right a college degree doesn't seem too mean much now days

College degree today is the HS degree of the 70's. Times change. People gotta keep up.

 

[go_deep]

Next largest group of millionaires will have dirt under their finger nails.
My son is 14, he makes roughly $40-45 an hour mowing lawns, customer provided gas, payment in cash.
We hire lots of people with zero experience or education, and the opportunity to make north of 6 figures within 10-15 years. All you need is a high school education, willing to work and learn. Never been a better time or a better opportunity to get into the skilled trades.

 

[fngTony]

College degree today is the HS degree of the 70's. Times change. People gotta keep up.

I think you’re saying is that it’s the new minimal standard? What scares me is how expensive a college degree is now. We’re in deep trouble if going into severe debt is a baseline norm.

Next largest group of millionaires will have dirt under their finger nails. Agree
My son is 14, he makes roughly $40-45 an hour mowing lawns, customer provided gas, payment in cash. As a kid mowing lawns or is he working for someone?
We hire lots of people with zero experience or education, and the opportunity to make north of 6 figures within 10-15 years. All you need is a high school education, willing to work and learn. Never been a better time or a better opportunity to get into the skilled trades. Is that landscaping or something else?

 

[go_deep]

He's just mowing lawns around the neighborhood on his own. Actually has mow people seeking him out asking him to more their lawns too, crazy how few people aren't willing to cut their own grass in a blue collar neighborhood.
I work in telecommunications, and like many skilled trades, can't find people willing to work, like actually work. We have some long days, late nights, a few weekends here and there, most certainly have to like a challenge, and that scares most people away.

 

[displacedtexan]

He's just mowing lawns around the neighborhood on his own. Actually has more people seeking him out asking him to more their lawns too, crazy how few people aren't willing to cut their own grass in a blue collar neighborhood.
I work in telecommunications, and like many skilled trades, can't find people willing to work, like actually work. We have some long days, late nights, a few weekends here and there, most certainly have to like a challenge, and that scares most people away.

Hey, I only have so much time and I hate mowing!

$50 to not have to mess with it is money well spent.

 

[fngTony]

He's just mowing lawns around the neighborhood on his own. Actually has more people seeking him out asking him to more their lawns too, crazy how few people aren't willing to cut their own grass in a blue collar neighborhood.
I work in telecommunications, and like many skilled trades, can't find people willing to work, like actually work. We have some long days, late nights, a few weekends here and there, most certainly have to like a challenge, and that scares most people away.

if it has a better pay scale and career path I’d be interested. Pm inbound