Is going into blue collar work a bad idea? (license, credit, interviewing)

[tairos]

Blue collar work is widely touted as an escape hatch from the ongoing demise of the white collar professions. It's so widely touted that I'd be wary of it; a great many others will have the same idea. Beware bootstrappers bearing no-brainer 'solutions.'

[Chris V]

A skilled trade will last a lifetime. On the job and your personal life. Some pay more a lot more than white collar jobs.

You must have the trait and desire to do it.

I am on both team. I earned my college degree, it opens up more doors. But my love and natural ability are are hands on mechanical stuff.

Do both. Life is full of ups and downs. Having both skills, you can bounce back and forth.

[e130478]

If you plan to go into a skilled trade that requires physical dexterity, be prepared to retire by fifty. As a previous poster pointed out, one does not typically think about the long-term health effects of working in a skilled trade position. My dad is living proof of this. Once a nimble and successful electrician, my father is now unemployed as the result of a nagging back problem.

[jauburn]

Find your aptitude. Don't ask other people online. They don't know you. If you are college material, get your ass to college. It's boot camp. You will go through boot camp one way or the other.

[Tonyafd]

Originally Posted by GuyontheInternet

Hello CD, I'm a 17 year old soon-to-be senior in high school and I have no idea what to do with my life. My dad and I have always had arguments (he's very stubborn) about what I should do after I graduate. He insists that having a degree from a university is the only way to be successful. He went to a pretty average state school for computer engineering and got a job programming software making the big bucks (probably overpaid compared to others with the same degree), which he soon may be fired from (the plant he works at just fired the entire IT department). I think he has this attitude because he came from a family where all of the kids went to a university except one who is 50 and still works as a waitress.

Anyway, he thinks I should get into software like him and that blue collar jobs like plumbing/electrician/hvac are all too competitive and don't lead anywhere. Is it really that risky to not go to a university these days? I mean, it would sure as hell save me a lot of money going to community college (there aren't any trade schools where I live). I could pay for it out of my pocket right now and still have money in my savings.

What do you guys think? I need some unbiased advice.

College is never a mistake. Grad school even better.
Take as much math as you can stand and seek a career that must be done here, not on a tube in Bangalore.

Engineering is not a bad idea, but find an engineering job that requires the engineer to be on site.

Let me know what your father thinks

[dazeddude8]

Well the thing is your dad went to school for a very good degree, now granted the job situation was probably different/better when he graduated when compared to grads now but again he graduated with a very viable degree that has obviously paid off so of course in his mind its "if you don't graduate from college you will be working at Burger King forever".

University can be risky but some of that risk can be averted by choosing your major wisely, by interning and gaining experience as soon as possible. I think that whether you go the skilled trade route or the college route, planning ahead is paramount. Never ever assume that "oh I got the degree, this certification so that is good enough finding a job will be cake".

[GiantRutgersfan]

Originally Posted by GuyontheInternet

Hello CD, I'm a 17 year old soon-to-be senior in high school and I have no idea what to do with my life. My dad and I have always had arguments (he's very stubborn) about what I should do after I graduate. He insists that having a degree from a university is the only way to be successful. He went to a pretty average state school for computer engineering and got a job programming software making the big bucks (probably overpaid compared to others with the same degree), which he soon may be fired from (the plant he works at just fired the entire IT department). I think he has this attitude because he came from a family where all of the kids went to a university except one who is 50 and still works as a waitress.

Anyway, he thinks I should get into software like him and that blue collar jobs like plumbing/electrician/hvac are all too competitive and don't lead anywhere. Is it really that risky to not go to a university these days? I mean, it would sure as hell save me a lot of money going to community college (there aren't any trade schools where I live). I could pay for it out of my pocket right now and still have money in my savings.

What do you guys think? I need some unbiased advice.

I think you should spend some time figuring out what kind of job you want, set a goal, and obtain it. Assuming you are competent, willing to work hard and take your career seriously you will be able to find a job as a plumber, electrician, or HVAC guy. They are all future proof jobs that are common and pay pretty well. You also could go to college and come out with a reasonable debt load and find a job that way too.

You seem to be on the right track, just gotta make a decision on what kind of work you wanna get into.

[Garethe]

Self-assessment comes first: figure out what you like to do and where your interests lie. What are/were your favorite chores? Do you enjoy helping your Dad with home improvement projects? If so, then a trade might be for you. If computers are more to your liking and hate working outside, then pursue a cubicle career which will probably require school, the more the better, some types of degrees are so common in places that they offer no real advantage over other job seekers, it just evens the playing field. And don't dismiss schooling for the trades, one year of foundational education consisting of basic shop/carpentry, safety, and industrial math will give you an edge over others competing for apprenticeship programs, and the competition can be stiff.

Take where you live and the needs of your community into account. Is the population on the decline? What industries have shortages? What are the major employers in your area? Aerospace? Manufacturing? New construction? Government? Financials?

If you have a year left in high school, then you got some time to give it more thought. And talk to people just as you are now. Do research. Ask family members or even neighbors. Visit your library. Speak with your school counselor. Most schools have a vocational office open to those about to graduate.

Now for some feedback, I'm a Machinist, but I'm not going to oversell it, just state some pros/cons.

The good:

-there is a shortage of tradesmen around most of the country and it's getting worst; so entry-level positions are plentiful and projections are favorable into the next couple of decades as even more craftsmen age out of the workforce.
-multiple career paths: you can work with the public as a contractor if you would enjoy the direct interaction with customers and some positions border on white collar careers; this might make for a good compromise if your leaning toward a trade and Dad wants software; the trades need technicians and accountants too. Or you can do the dirty sweaty grimey work that I have come to enjoy because I can wear what I want, shave when I want, and not have to worry about my tattoos offending anybody. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a grunt.
-if you end up in a union apprenticeship, achieve journeyman, and become licensed in your trade, then you can do quite well. The guys I know that started early owned homes by 30 years old and more or less live a comfortable middle class lifestyle. With apprencticeships, they pay for your education, giving you the benefit of beginning your career free of a student loan burden.

The bad:

-the steady influx of immigration has had noticeable effects on the trades, particularly construction and manufacturing; the less skilled the trade, the more competition you will have. This same issue has led to salary stagnation and it's not getting better either. I'm a skilled mid-level tradesman and even I'm affected by it, employers will base salary on supply and demand, the trick is to find an employer that offers some middle ground, entry level positions with strong growth potential into other areas.
-layoffs: with most occuring November through February but can really occur any time or even staggered. For example, framers might be out of work by November while finish carpenters aren't layed off until February or March. However, framers are usually the first to find work in the spring. The manufacturing ramp up is usually in May or June and slows down by December, but sometimes later depending on the industry. If your factory makes snow shovels then expect to have plenty of work until the spring thaw.
-you have to work in all types of environments: when I was a machinist out in the rail yards I had to work in everything from severe thunderstorms, 105+ heat, knee deep snow, and bitterly cold winter wind. Factories aren't much better since machinery is generating even more heat.
-it's dangerous, there's no way around that one, I've met guys with missing toes from forklift accidents to missing fingers and limbs due to milling mishaps. Sometimes it's carelessness, other times it's exhaustion due to excessive overtime, it can even be shoddy equipment. Union or not, in fact some of the worst shops/jobsites are represented by powerful labor unions.
-and finally, it's a ruff crowd I'm afraid. If you want to work someplace with mentorship programs, career development, and touchy/feely let's join hands and sing Kumbaya type workplaces, then the trades are not for you.

I hope that gives you a better more realistic idea of how important this decision will be for you, it's not something to make lightly, you can't make it overnight. It requires very careful consideration, it's your Dad's job to offer insight and coaching, but the decision will ultimately be yours, make it a good one. And drop by here whenever you have more questions.

Take care.

[NM posts]

OP- do what makes you happy regardless of what your Dad says. Just make sure you make yourself as skilled as possible, know how to give great customer service, and be honest, always. Say you go into HVAC - if you do those three things, and have all certifications and trainings, word of mouth may keep you very very busy. My local city forum always talks about this one HVAC guy (I will be calling him soon myself) and I feel like he is probably doing very well financially and doesn't even advertise. His work and his demeanor have spoken for themselves.

I have friends who work in HVAC and they are all very financially comfortable in their 40s. I have other friends who went into blue collar jobs right out of high school and live in MUCH nicer houses than I do, and will retire much earlier than I do - I went the university route and then will probably die with my graduate school student loan outstanding!

Either can be great. But certainly blue collar work can be very lucrative. Maybe take some business classes at your local community college so you can apprentice then go into business for yourself, and really build something great. I've also hired plumbers and electricians who are so busy through word of mouth that they have to turn jobs down. Also you are young enough to have probably really mastered social media and you can market yourself that way too.

IT careers can be great but it doesn't have to only be that, and really I feel like that can be more competitive than blue collar work sometimes. You can always learn to code on the side, and if you feel like trying to get into the field, you'd need that anyway. Good luck!

Also: look up a poster whose username is sacredgrooves. He's an inspector in NC who recommends a lot of great people, and he can give you fantastic advice.

[AK-Cathy]

Personally I'm in favor of all HS graduates that aren't hard on the college track knowing what they are going to do taking a year for service work, the Peace Corps, interning on a farm, whatever, to discover America, to discover passion for something. Too many young people get into college, switch majors multiple times, waste time and money fiddling. The same could be said for vocational school with learned skills unused because there is no interest in the vocation.

Get at least a general direction before going one way or another. A view from the cheap seats.