need opinions about my career

[alphalanos]

im 18 and currently attending a community college, working toward a 2 year AS degree in Architectural Drafting. While I dont mind it, I've never liked school, or more specifically, doing work in a classroom all day. I really like to work on my car, build things (models, sub boxes, computers, etc.) Its still early, but Im starting to have second thoughts about what Im doing.

Should I just follow what I like? My parents didnt let me go to tech school, and they want me to transfer to another college after this 2 years. but i cringe at the thought of doing more school. its just so boring. Id rather be learning a trade.

Some people say "do what you want" and others (my parents) say "oh you need to do this so you make money, then you can do what you want" both sides have a point, but i look at my dad, and he goes to work at the bank everyday, then comes home. he rarely does anything else. he got pretty much all A's in school, but his life is boring. i hate to say it.

If i could, i would work on my car everyday, all day. If my job was to build something, i would love work. My parents keep saying I wont make any money if i go to a trade school, which is the main reason i havent. I mean, theyve been through it right? I know a degree is a good thing to have, so i guess i should just finish school, then do what i want.

[sganc4life_4]

Im somewhat the same way so im goin to auto school, then in a couple years back to school for a business degree, then Ill be able to open up a shop.

Do what makes you happy, because with most careers, they pay enuf. Working part time at sears pays just enuf, so once im into auto makin 3 times more then I do at sears, ill be set.

[craigcully]

I say do what you love. Some people like school or money and they are willing to go through school to accomplish that, but if you find contentment with what you do and are willing to live with the income that it gives, then by all means do it.

I see where your parents are coming from, but really, how much of your life does your job take? I just can't imagine going to a job everyday for the rest of my life doing something I hated just to have the money to do something I liked in my spare time.

BTW, I was once an Arch. Drafting student as well, but I left it to go into agriculture. I guess my point is I liked it, but I didn't love it enough to do it the rest of my life. I'm sure you'll figure things out eventually.

Good luck!

[PBking82]

Well I guess the problem is that you are going to school for such a specific thing that you see it as doing it for the rest of your life. I was gonna go to a tech school but I've fucked around in school my entire life, and kinda saw it as "setteling for less" I'm not knocking tech schools I think they're great if thats what you wanna do. It just isn't for me. You are 18 you can do what you wanna do but I'm just guessing here, you need your parent's financial support to go to school. I'm gonna go into business or buisness law most likely because i've always been good with legal shit and whatnot just never really fully applied myself. Peace-

[tenguzero]

My (from experience.) Continue attending college, get a solid degree in something more general -- save the tech schools for specialization. A community college may do the job as well. Just don't spend the easiest years working toward one thing if you can avoid it, as most people will change careers two or three times in their lives anyways. Specialization is nice in the short run, and can lead to good money if you're dedicated, but if you DO have a change of heart in a decade or two, it's much easier to just go to tech school for something else, since you'll already have a degree in a more liberal field of education, as opposed to trying to fit in college credits here and there around full time work or other obligations. I have my AS degree, and I'm currently continuing toward my BA -- but now that I'm 23 and working full time and paying bills and have other life obligations, school is going to take me a LOT longer -- like YEARS of night and summer classes just to get to my Bachelor's. I guess my point is, even if school isn't your thing right now, just deal with it, or at the most take a year off to maybe travel or earn some money (but no longer than a year!) and clear your head of all the crap that High School shovelled in there. You may find after a break that you really want to go back to school (I know I did.)

Unfortunately, the way the world is going, you can't really afford NOT to get that piece of paper and title that'll cost decades worth of loan payments to make up for. The best time to get the bulk of your schooling out of the way though, is while you're still on the easy side of early adulthood -- and that's right now, while you're still unencumbered with debt or loans or car payments or rent or the numerous obligations lumped under the cost of living on your own. It's a lot easier to take technical classes at night later on (many of those schools are designed around just that) than it is full-blown college credit courses, ESPECIALLY if you find yourself stuck because you need a prerequisite to continue on, or they're offering some classes that seem really interesting, but you can't attend because you're owned from 8-5 during the week.

Bottom line -- IMO, shoot for your Bachelor's (it seems to me that Engineering may be a good route for you) and try to keep it a little broader in scope (you can always try to minor in Architectural Drafting if you want.) Then, once you have that degree, you can shoot for technical classes, and you can probably do it on your own if you're ready to move into the world at that point. I'd reversed the process, which made things harder for me. Right after High School I specialized in PC Service and Support, and graduated with my diploma and A+ cert. from a tech school in January of 2001 -- the month the tech bubble burst. It took me four and a half years to actually find a job in the tech field, thankfully in the meantime I was able to spend a few years living between my parents while doing as much school as I could, and obtained my Associate's in General Studies. I'll be spending years going for my Bachelor's though, while I have friends that graduated with theirs a year ago, because they just bit the bullet and went full time for their degree right after High School.

Broad education foundation first, specialize later as you need.

[Schister66]

Well i'm going to school for Architecture. I love cars and working on them. I have to put my love aside to pay for school and honestly its hard. Spending $70k over 5 years on school!! I could have such a nice car, but i'm trying to look at it in the long run. I'll come out of college w/ a good job making a lot of money. You just have to get a good job and then you can play w/ your car. That's just my opinion.....one guy i know really well is just working for an import tuner shop rather than going to school for a degree. I think he might go to school to be a tech, but that's what he wants to do. Im too damn greedy!!

[folzerelli]

I understand where you are coming from I was there not to long ago. My parents supported me to go to tech school and follow my heart.

I made an alright living as a tradesman, but a lot of it was piece work and I could not count on how much money I made week to week. The money varied depending on the economy. After being a licensed tradesman for a several years, I started looking for something a little more secure with a steady salary. My needs changed because I had a family.

When you follow your heart you never know where it can lead you. I now work for a goverment agency as an forensic automotive consultant, I make 6 figures have a full pension and excellent benefits. I would not change anything.

This will be a constant fight throughout life, sometimes people look down upon tradesman, there are tonnes of success stories just look around. It is what is within yourself that will dictate if you will be a success. Follow your heart and do not let anything stand in your way.

Ask your parents to point something out, inside or outside their house that a trademans did not have his hand in creating.

Good luck
Chris

[-Josh-]

If you get ASE Master certified it's possible to make anywhere's from 80-100K a year. Do your parents know that?

[alphalanos]

I mentioned that. One of my friends is going to Universal Technical Institute. He says he loves it, so im sure that I would too. Well theres always time to do that. Ill probably end up doing it, just later on.

[thrasher]

Just because you go to school doesn't mean you're going to end up like your dad, working in a bank everyday and never doing anything else. Just stick in school for a little bit, you'll find something you really like, get a degree in that, and then make money and enjoy what you do. Win-win situation. You just gotta tough out the first couple boring years of college...things get better after that.

[speeddemonGtV6]

i say you finish the 2 years in the school your in now, and then persue some options at Universal technical institute, it is an automotive school and they make sure u have a job with a major company before leaving their school, this is the course i am hoping to take in the future as i am still in high school.,

[Twizted_3KGT]

I started off school going for Software Engineering...the money is great..but damn is it boring...so I ended up leaving and going back to school for Automotive, couldn't be happier.

[Marc-OS]

I gotta throw in another perspective here. I was a mechanic because I thought that would be my dream job since I liked working on my own car a lot. After working awhile though, I found out that being a mechanic full time was not as great as I had hoped, in fact, I dreaded working. Just a little story to show that just because you enjoy something as a hobby, doesn't always mean you'd enjoy it as a job.

[ac427cpe]

just suck it up and stay in college. you can always change majors. if your parents are going to pay for it, just finish what you are doing now and go to a university (or switch now), get an engieering degree, and play with cars. My cousin just finished uni with a civil engineering degree, and in his first year out of college, switched jobs twice and is making 100k a year (pretty good, seing as the most common starting salary for an engineer is ~60k a year)

you can work now and play later, or play for a while and work the rest of your life.

however, most "good" jobs that require a degree won't even consider your resume if you don't have a BS or higher.

[YogsVR4]

The key is to have marketable skills. If don't have them, don't expect to be in high demand or that people will come flocking if you start your own business.