As a university student who's wasted 3 years of his life on earning a worthless philosophy degree I've decided to change course in my life and pursue a trade.
I've listened to Peter Schiff praise the learning of a trade as opposed to attending a university but I don't know WHICH trade to pursue.
I'm currently interested in attending an apprenticeship to be either an electrician, HVAC technician, or boilermaker.
Considering the high unemployment rate what trade would be best pursued during these hard economic times? Do any of you know a tradesperson whose trade is still earning him or her a living during this economic catastrophe? How valued are electricians, HVAC technicians, and boilermakers in this recession?
I'm being very serious here because I really want to learn a skill but I'm uncertain of which skill will be valued during these economic times. In addition, I desperately want to end my financial dependence on my parents.
All three are solid choices, and as a skilled and reliable tradesman, all of them will secure you a decent living. Specific demand depends on local circumstances, of course. An experienced industrial electrician might earn an executive salary working in heavy industry (think Gulf Coast, Wyoming, resource extraction), but that may severely limit his choice of living environments. HVAC guys are in demand everywhere, but usually don't command as high a price for their time. You should probably opt for a brief internship in all three professions and find out what suits you best. Also, kudos for being humble enough to realize that a college degree does not entitle you to anything these days. Still, completing a degree in philosophy does require some smarts, and I'm sure prospective employers and clients will appreciate a tradesman with both brains and brawn.
Move to New Hampshire and work on the black market. Agorism is what's going to bring down the state AND earn you some few extra gold and silver coins.
You're definitely doing something right if you ended up here to ask your question. The honest answer is, the best way to get the answer is always to ask someone who's done it.
Find some tradesmen and hear what they have to say. Ask some guys a bit older than you who've been in it a while what they think. People are usually willing to help a younger kid by at least trying to impart a few things they've learned...like "don't do what I did." As the specific questions you're curious about and then ask what they think you should know. Ask if the job is what they thought it would be...and how different it is from what is advertised. Ask if they like the job, of if they would rather be doing something else. Ask why they've been doing it so long.
But you can also find some resources online as well (as you're doing). You might look for some professional forums...as in online places where these guys might go for industry talk. But there's also articles like these that give some info and ideas as well...
That oughta get you started.
I was in my second year of electrical apprentice school in Florida when I moved back home and started working in the oil field. I had an opportunity that popped up just before the housing market crashed, which was good because there is a chance I would have lost my job anyway. I really enjoyed electrical work, physically challenging at times but I learned a lot. Now, even though I'm in the oil field I get requests to install light fixtures and ceiling fans for some extra money on the side. With my computer knowledge, I have even made some extra cash doing that.
Would it be too late to switch courses and aquire an electrical engineering degree? You have to think about the future as well.
Working in contruction I was always impressed with the master carpenters that were working along side us in the million dollar houses of Florida. These guys were pretty amazing with a piece of wood.
Do something that is difficult enough that supply is naturally restricted by virtue of the required skills. In order to obtain those skills yourself, you're going to have to find someone to apprentice under, and that's the hard part. I would recommend against the traditional "skilled labor" such as electrician etc. because these jobs are heavily politicized and cartelized through licensure, etc. As the US economy begins a full-scale collapse over the next decade, you don't want to be in a situation where your State suddenly decides to "liberalize" your chosen skill - for example, relaxing licensure requirements for electricians - and watching your income drastically drop.
Think of learning a trade from someone who is skilled in that trade as a privilege that you have to earn... just like apprenticeship used to be. And, that means you want to find the best master... someone who has a name for himself. When you have learned all that you can from him, then you may be ready to strike out on your own.
Clayton -
I talked to a carpenter recently who is now retired. He said that it doesn't matter how big and brawny of a guy you are, carpentry will wear your body down. That's why you want to manage your own company like he did. But he said that the advice he gives to people if they want to get into a trade is to be an electrician. My other friend's dad told him as he was growing up, "Dont get a job where you have to swing a hammer." His hearing and joints are shot.
My uncle has his own electrician company in CA. He said that when he started his credit cards were maxed and he wondered if he would make it. The thing that he recommended was spending the money on a full-page ad in the phone book. He tells customers that he isn't the cheapest but he doesn't want to be. Business slowed down from the housing collapse but he and his wife are still able to drive around in Porsche SUV's. All without a college degree.
Anarcho-libertarian:The thing that he recommended was spending the money on a full-page ad in the phone book.
This is the kind of advice you get from people who haven't started a business in two decades.
I recommend a repo man or undertaker.....seriously. Sooooooooooo many repossessions or cars, trucks, commercial vehicles (especially)
In Canada there is a statistical report called Canadian Occupational Projection System. If you can find something like that for where you are it will help.
Accountancy may not be a trade but it's a good profession to look into at the moment, because it is key to controlling and reducing costs, including tax burdens, and also factors into business restructures. In the UK, at the very least, it has experienced solid income growth over the past few years. It also requires the development of technical expertise, so it's not something just anyone can get into. It also has very good potential for migrating to other financial professions, because of the analytical skills it entails.
Freedom of markets is positively correlated with the degree of evolution in any society...
How about welding?
“Since people are concerned that ‘X’ will not be provided, ‘X’ will naturally be provided by those who are concerned by its absence.""The sweetest of minds can harbor the harshest of men.”
http://voluntaryistreader.wordpress.org
it appears you are in your early 20's. if i could do it again, i would have become an air traffic controller. fed pay, fed benefits. paid training, you work 4 days a week, starting pay is about $100k & fly for free
i have a few friends who are controllers....both make over $230K and the best part of their job they say is that when they leave work...the never think about work again until they return
if you are young & able, join the air force w/ a contract guaranteeing to train you as a controller. the air force is good because air bases are a long way from the bad guys...and you live in apartments. if it's bad weather (snow), they shut down while the army guards stand out in the blizzard guarding the base
after your 4 years (trust me....it'll go quickly) you are guaranteed a fat job as a controller.....at least until we make planes that can fly themselves before they kill off humanity ;-)