Re:The Myth of the Wealthy Welder
by eire1130 on Saturday September 14, 2019 @12:06PM
(#20971695)
Most people who go on about "the trades", I find, it's unlikely they ever personally worked them. Maybe their Father's. I doubt Marco Rubio has ever touched a hammer, let alone worked as a real laborer.
As for me, going to college was absolutley the thing that really changed my life course.
I grew up on a dairy farm in northern New York. Milked cows until I was 18 and then my dad sold the farm. So I joined the Navy. I did that for 6 years and then when I was about to get out in 2002, I can still remember an officer (you know, a guy with a degree) explaining to me that I was making this huge mistake getting out. Because I was successful in the Navy. Already an E6/FC1. My career was made.
So I asked him, if I'm successful on the inside, what makes you think I cant be successful on the outside? So I got a lot of reasons. It was a good pitch. He even talked to me about getting an associate's at the local college. I was almost there anyway, just a couple classes and I'd be done. At the end, he questioned if Bard, a private liberal arts school I was accepted to, was even accredited.
That's when I knew, not only did he not care, but he would seek to harm my potential future growth just for some metric.
Anyway, so I did go to Bard college. Graduated with a degree in economics, now I'm the CTO / CPO of a middle market company (7 or so years after graduating college).
Had I of stayed, I could have done other blue jobs on the outside someday. I know a guy who works on powerlines in Texas. Says he likes his job. Takes advil like its candy. It pays the bills.
My wife and I have saved a lot, even with two kids. Last year, after our company consummated its sale to a PE company, we've been able to buy our own house in Brooklyn.
If I became a truck driver like my dad did after the sale of the farm, I'm not sure I'd be in the same place today - but it's possible I suppose.
My brother is in the trades. Hes a master plumber and runs his own plumbing company. He's also been successful. His back is also totally shot.
As for me, going to college was absolutley the thing that really changed my life course.
I grew up on a dairy farm in northern New York. Milked cows until I was 18 and then my dad sold the farm. So I joined the Navy. I did that for 6 years and then when I was about to get out in 2002, I can still remember an officer (you know, a guy with a degree) explaining to me that I was making this huge mistake getting out. Because I was successful in the Navy. Already an E6/FC1. My career was made.
So I asked him, if I'm successful on the inside, what makes you think I cant be successful on the outside? So I got a lot of reasons. It was a good pitch. He even talked to me about getting an associate's at the local college. I was almost there anyway, just a couple classes and I'd be done. At the end, he questioned if Bard, a private liberal arts school I was accepted to, was even accredited.
That's when I knew, not only did he not care, but he would seek to harm my potential future growth just for some metric.
Anyway, so I did go to Bard college. Graduated with a degree in economics, now I'm the CTO / CPO of a middle market company (7 or so years after graduating college).
Had I of stayed, I could have done other blue jobs on the outside someday. I know a guy who works on powerlines in Texas. Says he likes his job. Takes advil like its candy. It pays the bills.
My wife and I have saved a lot, even with two kids. Last year, after our company consummated its sale to a PE company, we've been able to buy our own house in Brooklyn.
If I became a truck driver like my dad did after the sale of the farm, I'm not sure I'd be in the same place today - but it's possible I suppose.
My brother is in the trades. Hes a master plumber and runs his own plumbing company. He's also been successful. His back is also totally shot.