The Trades

[Huntindad]

is that your KMA date?

[Big Brass]

I’ve lived both sides of this. Graduated Texas A&M with little debt thanks to scholarships and spent over 20 years in R&D, tech services, sales, and training in drilling. I have several patents, have published articles in drilling magazines and travelled the world giving presentations. Refused to accept the revolving layoffs and enrolled in trade school at 46 years old. I am now a fully certified and licensed HVACR tech at 47 and love my new job doing commercial HVAC. It is hot. I am on a ladder all day long. I love it. I am constantly challenged to diagnose new issues and get the customer results. It is the most rewarding work position I have ever had. I love my college degree because it taught me how to teach myself and learn anything and hope I have passed that on to my boys. I’ve schooled both of my sons that they should consider a trade if they have the least bit of hesitation about college.

[Chew]

I’ve lived both sides of this. Graduated Texas A&M with little debt thanks to scholarships and spent over 20 years in R&D, tech services, sales, and training in drilling. I have several patents, have published articles in drilling magazines and travelled the world giving presentations. Refused to accept the revolving layoffs and enrolled in trade school at 46 years old. I am now a fully certified and licensed HVACR tech at 47 and love my new job doing commercial HVAC. It is hot. I am on a ladder all day long. I love it. I am constantly challenged to diagnose new issues and get the customer results. It is the most rewarding work position I have ever had. I love my college degree because it taught me how to teach myself and learn anything and hope I have passed that on to my boys. I’ve schooled both of my sons that they should consider a trade if they have the least bit of hesitation about college.

Glad to hear it Toby. You working for yourself or a local company?

[Chew]

is that your KMA date?

Yessir....might be earlier depending on vaccination policy.

[Big Brass]

Glad to hear it Toby. You working for yourself or a local company?

Hey Bobby! Working for a Houston area company. Great folks!

[tps7742]

I’ve lived both sides of this. Graduated Texas A&M with little debt thanks to scholarships and spent over 20 years in R&D, tech services, sales, and training in drilling. I have several patents, have published articles in drilling magazines and travelled the world giving presentations. Refused to accept the revolving layoffs and enrolled in trade school at 46 years old. I am now a fully certified and licensed HVACR tech at 47 and love my new job doing commercial HVAC. It is hot. I am on a ladder all day long. I love it. I am constantly challenged to diagnose new issues and get the customer results. It is the most rewarding work position I have ever had. I love my college degree because it taught me how to teach myself and learn anything and hope I have passed that on to my boys. I’ve schooled both of my sons that they should consider a trade if they have the least bit of hesitation about college.

Wow what a story. Congratulations in a big way to know this type of thing still exist out there.

[Spivey]

Totally agree I have been the HVAC/R trade for over 25 years and have never been with a job.

[Russ81]

Anyway, found out his wife was a college graduate, and of all things, it was an animal science degree, specializing in large mammals. Elephants to be more specific. She graduated and has never used this degree. WTH....

That’s simple to answer, everyone wants to work with the cool animals but no one wants to work on livestock.

They won’t make much but equine/small animal/exotic animal has more applicants but the vet world is hurting for livestock techs.


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[Russ81]

Another big plus, it is very difficult to outsource the trades to people in other countries.

Read post #73 again, I was delivering lumber probably to houses he was building bc every time this 6’2” gringo pulled up someone was hollering “La Migera” for some reason…. Never found that plate of eggs


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[Codie]

My little brother did 18month auto trade school out of high school at Wyotech and is now 34 yrs old and is now the service manager of one of the most successfully Cadi dealerships in the nation. Sewell Cadillac in Dallas. I did the whole university degree thing and am a bank president now and won’t ever even sniff making the money he is making. It a thing wrong with trade schools or even jumping right in and learning a trade with experience

[rockyraider]

I’ve got two grown daughters and two going to college next year. Admittedly, I’m a college dropout, but I wanted to extend a little advice to you dads with kids, especially sons, coming of age.

I’m the father of four girls. I own a few construction-related companies and employ a few hundred amazing people. I know the industry and the market. I see trends and make my living off of them. I’m not overly intelligent nor do I work any harder than most. But, I pay attention!

There are many trades in the world that don’t necessitate a college degree. For example, I have a Texas A&M Mayes Business school dropout daughter that makes six figures cutting and coloring your wive’s hair.

However, my expertise is in the construction realm. Our industry has a huge shortage of qualified EVERYTHING! Plumbers, electricians, welders, masons, trims guys, equipment operators, etc. are in great shortage and decline, not to mention DEMAND!

If your son, or daughter, has some intellect and a propensity for hard work, they can spend $100,000 grand on a ANOTHER business degree, or marketing, or theater arts or underwater basket-weaving, or they could learn a trade that many shy from and make that much per year.

Please don’t be afraid to steer your kids towards the trades. Soon, plumbers, electricians, heavy equipment operators, HVAC guys, and the like will be naming their own price. I hire college educated “project managers” (they don’t know **** when they get here), for way less than I can hire a good heavy equipment operator, surveyor or a licensed plumber.

The whole goal of college is “Get a degree to make more money”. In some cases, that is true, but it’s not a blanket solution. America has sold our kids on the fact that college is required to be successful, but nobody ever takes the time to define success. College is a business, and we’re being FLEECED!

So....if you have a son, or daughter, that wants a comfortable lifestyle and willing to work for it, please consider the trades. They’ll make more than all of us in coming years, simply due to supply and demand.


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I agree with a LOT of this. I have a daughter who is in her second year of college, she wants to be a Physician Assistant in Dermatology. I have a son who's a senior in HS, he wants to work in the construction/home building business. He will go to college, hopefully will get to play some baseball, but ultimately he wants to build custom homes or work in construction. I have always urged him to consider the trades. Educationally I will urge him to look at construction science or a useful business degree like accounting or finance. I'm college educated to include a MS degree from a large State University. Been there, done that. I don't regret it, but I became a Police Officer and have done well considering retirement, investments, etc.... Difference in me and some others is I work a LOT of OT which helps a lot. Most people would probably never guess how much money I make. Point is, I work hard for it, but who doesn't. Most of the people I know who have done very well for themselves are blue collar people. Most do jobs and own businesses that the majority would not want to work in (masonry company, funeral home owner, restaurant owners, etc...). I know quiet a few folks who have degrees and work for Dell, etc., and while they have good jobs, they don't typically create the wealth that the trade business owners I know do.

[Big Lee]

My little brother did 18month auto trade school out of high school at Wyotech and is now 34 yrs old and is now the service manager of one of the most successfully Cadi dealerships in the nation. Sewell Cadillac in Dallas. I did the whole university degree thing and am a bank president now and won’t ever even sniff making the money he is making. It a thing wrong with trade schools or even jumping right in and learning a trade with experience

Sewell Family of dealerships is the benchmark all Dealer principles attempt to mimic. They set the standard.

[Big Lee]

I went the automotive route as well. As that is what my entire family did. Worked as a tech for many years. Loved it. Made great money. Can name my own price tag. Transitioned into teaching automotive for several years. Now work for a large manufacturer. Still on the service side. In all my positions, money was never one that caused me to leave. It is hard work for sure. Tools aren't cheap. But I guarantee you'll never be hungry.

Also, forgot..... you'll have friends everytime their car won't start. Lol

[Abcdj]

One of mine is a high school Principal at 32. She has a Masters and working on her Doctorate. She loves school.

The other is 28 and she has a 2 year certificate in cad something or other. She hated school.

Both are knockin down great money. Both are successful and good at what they do.

So both paths are great options. It totally depends on the individual.

The problem IMO is there are many many young people choosing neither path now. I don't know wth they are doing?

[curtintex]

One of mine is a high school Principal at 32. She has a Masters and working on her Doctorate. She loves school.

The other is 28 and she has a 2 year certificate in cad something or other. She hated school.

Both are knockin down great money. Both are successful and good at what they do.

So both paths are great options. It totally depends on the individual.

The problem IMO is there are many many young people choosing neither path now. I don't know wth they are doing?

Certainly, for someone that wants to be an educator, doctor, lawyer, CPA, engineer or any other of the many licensed professions, a college degree is pertinent. For those car salesmen with horticulture degrees or waiters with political science degrees.....well, they probably wasted money and years.