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re: Is anyone else not pushing their kids to attend college?
Posted on 5/8/24 at 9:44 am to KamaCausey_LSU
Posted on 5/8/24 at 9:44 am to KamaCausey_LSU
quote:
Sounds like he should focus on nutrition/kinesiology if he's going to college. College is A LOT easier if you are interested in the material you are studying.
TCU has a great sports medicine center with several courses of study mixed in. I’m sure those are included along with several others. He will almost definitely go into one of those programs but a business minor wouldn’t be bad. Have a feeling he will end up wanting to open a training gym.
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 9:45 am
Posted on 5/8/24 at 9:45 am to lsu777
quote:
cool...and how many jobs do you think are like that out there? how many dont require you to move all over the place?
I can name 5 subcontractors in the Atlanta area that are looking for commercial construction positions right now. Including us. Everyone in commercial construction needs people right now. I saw a listing yesterday for a senior estimator with a plumbing subcontractor that starts at $115,000.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 9:49 am to lsu777
Thanks. You’ve been super helpful with lots of info. He will likely have business courses on top of other things with an eye on opening a training gym at some point.
On a side note, his cut is going super well, down to 210 and still maxing 335. Started searching for his first competition some time this year
On a side note, his cut is going super well, down to 210 and still maxing 335. Started searching for his first competition some time this year

Posted on 5/8/24 at 9:49 am to KamaCausey_LSU
quote:
Sounds like he should focus on nutrition/kinesiology if he's going to college. College is A LOT easier if you are interested in the material you are studying.
And nutrition is a field of need right now as well. I sat on a panel where we presented to high school kids about our jobs and one of women on the panel was a nutritionist. And specifically spoke about the need there and how so many just don't think about pursuing that as a profession.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:11 am to LSUGrrrl
quote:
Thanks. You’ve been super helpful with lots of info. He will likely have business courses on top of other things with an eye on opening a training gym at some point.
On a side note, his cut is going super well, down to 210 and still maxing 335. Started searching for his first competition some time this year
thats awesome!!
if he does go into training, he needs to have multiple streams of income from in person and online sales. only way to really make it now a days.
needs to build his social media following too.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:13 am to BrianFantana
quote:
I can name 5 subcontractors in the Atlanta area that are looking for commercial construction positions right now. Including us. Everyone in commercial construction needs people right now. I saw a listing yesterday for a senior estimator with a plumbing subcontractor that starts at $115,000.
a senior estimator.....ok cool there arent a ton of those jobs.
and a senior estimator takes along time to get to.
im in the field so i understand everyone needs people but the pay is not what you are making it out to be in 99% of the cases.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:14 am to BrianFantana
quote:
What about PTO and vacations? 2 Weeks as soon as you start and that increases with longer you're with the company.
Quality of life? Such an objective question that only each person can determine for themselves.
Ability to work from home or remotely? You obviously can't do that if you're required to be in the field. But you get a gas card, plus company truck or a truck allowance.
Retirement packages and 401K matches? Fidelity up to 5% match.
Health insurance options that includes things like free or discounted gym memberships? Yep.
HSA's? Yep.
Working in the A/C? Nope but our foreman aren't working foreman so they just literally supervise.
What about long term vertical growth? Yep. Will pay for you to be trained to get your license and our first look for PM's or estimating starts with field personnel.
Abilty to work with the same company but move to a different state or country? You can't with our company but you can with a lot of national/regional subcontractors.
"tons of money right out of the gate" is a HORRIBLE reason to make a career choice.
again you are skipping over the 10-12 years minimum it takes to become a foreman, usually 15 to become a super and 20 or so to become a PM. thats years you are working like a fricking dog for low wages
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:24 am to lsu777
quote:
10-12 years minimum it takes to become a foreman, usually 15 to become a super and 20 or so to become a PM
In my experience you're way off on your numbers because it all depends on the person. We had a guy we were moving to super within 3 years because he was a hard worker and knew his stuff. You seem to be coming from the industrial side of things and that's just not been my experience with general contractors and sub contractors. I can go to any of our jobs sites and youll see assistant supers, supers, APM's and PM's that are below 35 and most of the time below 30. That's for GC's and other commercial trades.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:30 am to BrianFantana
quote:
In my experience you're way off on your numbers because it all depends on the person. We had a guy we were moving to super within 3 years because he was a hard worker and knew his stuff. You seem to be coming from the industrial side of things and that's just not been my experience with general contractors and sub contractors. I can go to any of our jobs sites and youll see assistant supers, supers, APM's and PM's that are below 35 and most of the time below 30. That's for GC's and other commercial trades.
maybe thats an atlanta thing because even on commercial sites, havent seen that at all.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:09 pm to bad93ex
quote:
Oldest wants to go to trade school and potentially pursue welding, setting him up with a summer gig to see if he will actually like designing and welding pieces of manufacturing equipment.
Sounds like a good plan but most likely the experience he will get in a summer gig will consist of being the brunt of a bunch of pranks and humorous interactions with his co-workers, most of which will strangely seem slightly if not outright homoerotic in nature. He will probably get to get break and lunch a bunch and sweep and load trucks. He probably won't see much designing and welding....but he will hear some strangely homoerotic comments and jokes most likely...
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:11 pm to AwgustaDawg
One summer in mechanical contracting after high school and before college as a helper was all I needed as proof that college was the right decision for me. 

Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:11 pm to Das Jackal
quote:
Trade school FTW.. less debt, no left wing indoctrination
And can count on being laid off and earning less than his classmates. Especially if he doesn't belong to a union.....the trades are a good way to earn a living but they are not what most make them out to be.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:14 pm to StringedInstruments
quote:
If he does well in school and your family can financially afford, he is still better off attending a university than going to trade school. Trade jobs are a fine career, but most of them are difficult physically and don’t have the same ceiling that professional careers have.
What folks don't know or do not talk about is most people's bodies are unable to perform in their trade after about 55 but they have 10+ years left to work. It will start to impact most people around 45 but experience can carry you a few years.....thats of course if youre lucky and do not get injured on the job and find yourself unable to physically perform at 22.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:16 pm to MrSpock
quote:
20 years from now Tigerdroppings is going to be littered with posts from a bunch of pissed of dudes whose parents pushed them into the trades.
Won't happen because they won't be able to afford to pay for an internet connection due to being laid off about half their careers.....
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:19 pm to thedogman
If he doesn't want to be an engineer, CPA, architect(just off the top of my head) or go to law school/vet school/medical field school I would probably recommend trade school or the military for my kids.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:21 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:this is my position to my son. I am sure there are highly successful guys but you prob ain’t seeing a bunch on the ski slopes or vacationing in Turks
Especially if he doesn't belong to a union.....the trades are a good way to earn a living but they are not what most make them out to be.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:26 pm to GreenRockTiger
quote:
and how long it takes to make a decent salary
Of course, someone may not make a decent salary with a bachelors degree - but I would think there are more options
A person can become a HVAC technician AFTER getting a 4 year degree....can't get a job requiring a 4 year degree if all you have is the skill to be a HVAC technician. Nothing wrong with being a HVAC Tech but life is long and options lead to all manner of positive things.
I went to trade school and college simultaneously while working 40+ hours a week straight out of high school and paid for college out of pocket (when such a thing was possible). Trade school was paid for by employer and union. I finished trade school up in 4 years and had a degree in 7. I was injured on the job about a year after finishing trade school and was out of work for nearly 9 months in a wheelchair. Had I not also gone to college I would have been fricked as a soup sandwich. The trades are great if you are physically healthy enough to do the work...most people start to fade around 40, by 45 are in serious decline and by 55 they are ancient....with 10+ years left to work. Thats if they are lucky and do not get injured bad on a job (they are going to get injured some, its part of it). This is the secret that no one tells young folks...if 10 of you start in a trade 7 of you will not be working in it in 20 years because your body will not allow it. Toss in being laid off regularly and all that means financially and emotionally (hard to keep a family together when you are 1000 miles from home or drawing unemployment at the house) and the trades are not what they seem. It can be great and works for some....more often it does not. There is a reason so many tradesmen are broke, drunk and crippled...it is a damned hard way to earn a living and your life expectancy is less than your peers. Not to suggest its not a viable alternative but folks ought to at least go into with knowing what they are getting into...
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:29 pm to Cash
quote:
If he doesn't want to be an engineer, CPA, architect(just off the top of my head) or go to law school/vet school/medical field school I would probably recommend trade school or the military for my kids
There is nothing at all wrong with a BS in Business Administration. Very easy degree, cheap....and opens to the door to middle management which leads to upper management. Engineers are underpaid tradesmen without the OT and union protection...trust me, I have a BS Degree in EE and a IBEW Ticket,,,,if I were using either to make a living it would be the latter and no doubt of it because it pays better and has far better benefits. I will NEVER work as an engineer at any level again....I have been both and being a tradesman is far better.....
Posted on 5/8/24 at 12:34 pm to Lester Earl
Someone that becomes very successful in a trade would have also killed it and made more in white collar work
Because to kill it and become super successful in a trade you worked your dick balls and clit off to get there
Because to kill it and become super successful in a trade you worked your dick balls and clit off to get there
Posted on 5/9/24 at 8:44 am to LSUfan4444
quote:
All depends on how much she makes post graduation.
She makes 70k before taxes.
quote:
What about PTO and vacations? Quality of life? Ability to work from home or remotely? Retirement packages and 401K matches? Health insurance options that includes things like free or discounted gym memberships? HSA's? Working in the A/C? What about long term vertical growth? Abilty to work with the same company but move to a different state or country?
"tons of money right out of the gate" is a HORRIBLE reason to make a career choice.
My father in law in the last years before he retired was netting 400-500k running his own hvac business. It is a decent living. I would not have a problem with either of my boys following in his footsteps.
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