Not sure if you are local to the MN metro area or not, but a Millwright would be a good labor job, that he would learn some real world mechanical skills if he ever ends up going for a mechanical engineering degree. I work with Lovegreen a decent amount who are located in Eagan, but they travel all over. Looks like they are hiring for millwrights right now even.
My son did the same thing last year. He worked at Wild Strawberry Lodge in Sitka Alaska as a deck hand on there charter boats. It was the best experience of his life and really changed him into a young man who knows what hard work is truly like. He met amazing people and experienced the outdoors in a way few people do. It was financially rewarding for sure. They are always hiring for their summer season as many of today’s young people don’t really want to work very hard. If he would like to talk to my son, I can connect the two if you would like.
If that is an actual option that would be my choice. That sounds amazing and would have been my choice 20ish years ago.
Health insurance has to be a concern here. He won’t be covered by parent’s health insurance if not a student, so whatever job he gets has to provide insurance.
I’m not a fan of gap years. Anything a kid makes in money is just delaying the salary of a professional job at the end of a degree like engineering. The work that should be put in by a serious student is still hard work even if it’s working with his head.
Think about getting a job where he’s already going to be going to school. He might be able to get a waiver to skip the freshman on campus requirement for some schools. Concrete and Landscaping are good summer jobs, hard work in the sun.
Many of my classmates (in engineering) worked as dock hands or on charter boats in the summer. Alaska, San Diego, Duluth. I would not promote a gap year. If he wants to make money, there’s plenty of opportunity the first year when you are taking generals and not the rigorous Mechanics and Fluids courses to go work 25 hours per week.
Or go meet women, not going to find a ton in engineering 
The trades are great especially right now, but most are a career approach and not something you would do in a one-year gap between HS and college.
My kids and their friends are all hard workers. Most have very good jobs and are doing well being a grown up.
The difference between the 20 – 35 crowd today and say the same age 20 – 40 years ago is that they work hard and play hard. They demand a work-life balance vs. slaving away at some job only to be laid off when they hit their prime earning years.
Millwrights were hit especially hard years ago when automation and jobs shifting offshore just destroyed that profession. Glad to see it is making a comeback.
If one of the parents has health insurance most (if not all) can cover their dependents until they reach the age of 26 whether they are independent or dependent on you from a tax perspective. This is true if they have a full-time job with benefits, job without benefits, or are in college.
Under the Affordable Care Act, plans and issuers that offer dependent child coverage must make the coverage available until a child reaches the age of 26. This applies to all plans in the individual market and to all employer plans. Children can join or remain on a parent’s plan even if they are married or unmarried. This provision applies to all insurance plans, including fully insured and self-funded plans. Under-26 coverage ends on a child’s 26th birthday
Individuals under the age of 26 can stay on their parents’ health insurance plan even if they have health insurance available through their employer, have children, are not claimed as a tax dependent, are married or live outside of their parents’ home.
Health insurance has to be a concern here. He won’t be covered by parent’s health insurance if not a student, so whatever job he gets has to provide insurance.
I’m not a fan of gap years. Anything a kid makes in money is just delaying the salary of a professional job at the end of a degree like engineering. The work that should be put in by a serious student is still hard work even if it’s working with his head.
This isnt true, our insurance covers my kids till 25 or 26 student or not. Same with many of my other buddies insurance plans.
This is truly an option. They start their hiring process in mid-February, but contacting them now would be a great idea. The season start in mid-May and runs through mid-September. My son was able to graduate a couple weeks early because of his grades and started his first season May 15. The operation feeds and houses their workers for a small monthly fee. My son said this has been the most rewarding experience of his first 20 years
I am sure he could get a job doing demo as a laborer without question. I have friends that own a demo company that are on the south side of the cities that are always looking for hard workers.
I worked 30-35 hours per week in construction while getting my 4 year degree and then working full time with overtime in the summer. If he is motivated, it’s possible
When I was going into college I also took a gap year to try to make a nest egg. One of the worst decisions I ever made. Brain drain is a real thing, and fields such as engineering require you to remember a lot of things learned in HS. I was a great high school student, but college is a different animal altogether. Studying efficiently is a skill that you can lose rather quickly. I saw others who took a gap year fall by the wayside due to struggles with becoming a full time student again.
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