Trades – suggestions for my son

I’ve read the other post on “No one wants to work with their hands anymore” excellent topic Nick…

Got me thinking – my older 2 kids were cut out for college and will graduate in the next year. My youngest … after a rocky freshman year I have my doubts it’s the right path for him or that he will finish.

So what’s next for him? I’m open to suggestions but he needs to do something he enjoys and it would be great to make some money while doing it.

He’s a bigger kid – 6’2″ 200 pounds (distant cousin to Brock Lesnar) yet he’s not an overly physical guy. Motor skills are just so-so but he did learn to play electric guitar really well (self taught). A very good verbal communicator but not so good written, mild learning disability. Nice guy but lower self confidence. Average energy, stamina…

Learn a trade? Which one? Warehouse work? Start a rock band? Etc…? You guys brought up some good points on the other thread and I didn’t want to hi-jack it. I’m open to any and all suggestions – Thanks IDO!!

skies the limit if he’s willing to pursue a passion. there are too many choices out there. hardest part is recognizing your inner passion and opening his eyes to see the opportunities. there endless if you see them

How about bulldozer and other heavy equipment operator or explosive demolitions.

He can start floor work Monday if he wanted. You have my number, it might be worth trying out for a couple days. Can pay cash on the spot!

heating cooling/electrician/plumbing jobs will not go away. You can’t just take a class and do any of them. You need the experience.

He has a part time job this summer but by Fall will have to decide whether to return and try college again or go the work route. Thanks for all the suggestions —

If college isn’t going well, a year off might not be a bad idea. There are lots of opportunities in the building trades right now. If he’s interested in that, my advice would be to get hired on by a union contractor and go through an apprenticeship program. The mechanical and electrical trades can be tough to get into, but there are great opportunities in the non-licensed building trades as well (carpenters, etc.).

Pick a trade and call the union hall. They might be able to find him a summer helper job. Thats one way to go.

I think many folks get hung up on “i just dont think that type of work would make me happy.” Thats why its called work and not fun. You work so you can provide for and be happy with other parts of your life.

I’d suggest a what we call a “Systems Technician” at 3M. These are the guys that fix all our computer control problems, work with the programmable logic controllers, the Human-Machine-Interface. At some places they might be called Electronic Technicians. Our process lines a quite complex involving dozens of motors, sensors, etc. and it takes a lot to do the initial work and to keep them running. The pay is good and it involves a lot of brain work like trouble-shooing and not so much hard physical labor. Your knees and back won’t be ruined by the time you’re 50. You’re not baking in 90 degree heat or freezing in sub zero temperatures, you typically have the same job site every day unless your doing field installation work, etc. I’m not sure what schooling is required. The best one I’ve ever worked with learned the trade in the Army 30 years ago coming out of high school.

Although they’re often closely tied to manufacturing, I don’t fore see these jobs ever “going away”.

Good luck

A lot of smart kids struggle the first year. Let him take another shot, assuming he wants to. Start a tuition reimbursement program for him next year… Make him take out loans and You only pay for A’s and B’s. He needs some skin in the game.

iowa_josh wrote:

heating cooling/electrician/plumbing jobs will not go away. You can’t just take a class and do any of them. You need the experience.

^^^^^^^ This. Also have met a lot of guys that retired after a career as utility linemen.

Whatever he picks, look for a good pension, and something not easily “off-shored”.

HRG

I wasn’t cut out for college. I became a programmed/web applications developer.

Hot Runr Guy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>iowa_josh wrote:</div>
heating cooling/electrician/plumbing jobs will not go away. You can’t just take a class and do any of them. You need the experience.

^^^^^^^ This. Also have met a lot of guys that retired after a career as utility linemen.

Whatever he picks, look for a good pension, and something not easily “off-shored”.

HRG

The lineman thing wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. I think there’s a 9 month class in Wadena. He may have to travel a couple years to get his “Hot Time” to finish his apprenticeship. But they sure do have a pretty good job. I work for a utilities company and am in the same union as a lot of lineman but do Nat. Gas work. It is also a pretty good gig. Both can be somewhat dangerous at times but if you work for a good company they have policies that as long as you follow them you should rarely be put in a dangerous situation. Good luck to him, school isn’t for everyone. I was a farm kid who went to school but still ended up being a construction worker. Nothing wrong with getting dirty, and you may be surprise how much that blue collard worker is makeing. My father in law was. LOL. He was on my ass for years to do something with my degree until my wife told him what I make, my benefits, and pension. Haven’t heard a peep about it since.

I wasn’t cut out for college my damn self. I went into the navy a year after I graduated. The navy does offer alot of very good education and work experience. I was a hull tech and went to a few different welding schools, learned some plumbing, pipe fitting and fire fighting. Today I am within 2 to 5 of retirement from the Minneapolis fire department. Without the fire fighting experience in the navy, I don’t think I would have taken this path. The navy does offer alot of different fields of work from heavy equipment operations in the Seabees to machinist to engine mechanic to deep sea diving to being a SEAL. There is nothing wrong with any of the other branches of the military, I just don’t think that you get the training and work experience that will carry over to a lifetime career. It can’t hurt to look into it and see if he can get in and what he is qualified for.

I hear many people rave about those “personality” tests you can take to help direct what path you may go in a line of work. Pretty spendy, but well worth it from what I hear.

You cannot go wrong in the Trades and IMHO either Union or Non is fine, me personally I’ve been down both forks in that road.
If your dependable, work hard and smart you’ll have a good life.
Once you learn a trade you’ll never forget it and if your voyage in life takes you in a different direction, you can always fall back on the trades.
The construction market is cyclical like everything in life, if your a good worker, even in slow times you’ll be ok.

I have friends that went through the Missouri Valley lineman apprenticeship program and now have great jobs. One has a family, so he works for a local utility company. Another is single and chases storm work all over the country. He’ll go somewhere and work a few 70-80 hour weeks and then take a week or two off and explore the area. Another friend works all over Minnesota working 4-10 hour days so he stays in a hotel for 3 nights and back home the other nights. They never have trouble finding work.

I know college isn’t for everyone. I am an insurance agent and a couple places I worked a number of the people did not have college degrees. At my current employer, a college degree is required to get an interview.

HVAC or welding in MN- Look at pipefitters local 455 and 539.

My brother is, and my dad was an ironworker. They are usually looking for people to start their apprenticeship program. Ironworkers are near the top for pay in the trades, but if you have a fear of heights look elsewhere. It can be a dangerous job too. My brother works for xcel energy going from power plant to plant. They work ridiculous amount of hours and he makes in the neighborhood of 150k for the last several years.

I’m will to trade: My son is 30, 6’4 about 280, dropped out of HVAC, blueprinting, industrial maintenance. Works in pizza joints and bar/restaurants. Sleeps till noon and the plays video games till its time to back to his $14 hour job. Oh, yea: consumes alcohol and smokes weed.

I can throw in some old fishing rods, reels and soft plastics, new radiator for an F150, a couple of old double barrels a propane garage heater.

Buzz…

Now seriously, Auto Mechanics are in short supply, since the last 8 years, everybody was told they need a 4 year degree to make a living…. lot’s of retirees right now, not many to replace them. 2 year Auto program at Dunwoody would serve him well. I will hire him in 2 years

big_g wrote:

2 year Auto program at Dunwoody would serve him well. I will hire him in 2 years

I know 3 shops that will be wanting him as well!

Welders are are always in demand and make a decent living at it.