Career choice... I need some help bad and FAST!

[woodsracer144]

hey guys and gals need some help...

Im done with high school in the spring and im taken classes at tech right now because i dont need anything besides english at HS so i can start at tech... I've been takin as many classes i can for 2 reason... 1 i dont have anything else to do and the HS is flippin the bill... really only one i geuss (school is payin) anyways i was taken stuff for the welding program but i found out today there is a 3 YEAR waiting list there for this prggram! i'll tell you this much... i cant wait 3 years... this is the list of jobs or carrers i have thought about but i would like some feed back...

welder

small motors mech. ( i would deal with the higher end items like race motors and all that also might do harley davidson)

truck driver, my old man has drove truck for years when i was little he drove over the road ( im in WI and he went to MN) and he hauled corn and stuff along those lines... then hes hauled milk as well and now he owns a dump truck... its a 93? ford with a cat in i think.. i dont know all the specs on her but shes no long ran( dad retired and didnt ever sell it)

police officer (last choice)

and a diesel tech... (i was raised around diesel... i love black smoke... it makes me horny!!! ;) )


heres a little back ground on me... i've grown up on a farm runnin tractors skidders even dozers backhoes endloads all that stuff... dad had all kinds of toys around here to play with... :devil: my folks sold the cattle about 6 years ago? since then i've worked on local farms helpin guys out... but with the milk prices 10 bucks per 100 wt its kinda tuff right now... i would like to open in a small atv motor cycle shop around here because the ones a round me are ****ing reidiclous... needless to say they dont know a thing about what they are doing and they are a joke... i love tryin out new things... and seeing what they can take...

i thought i would be able to be half way done with becoming a welder but now i cant due to the class sizes and stuff( too many people and kicked me out because im not a "full itme student")

so guys gals... i know theres gotta be truck drivers welders diesel techs and all that on here... if you could chime in and help me out... i need help... i know the eco is really tough but i cant sit around on my butt and do nothing... i have toys to by and things to do and i would like money to do this...

[SRH]

welder or diesel mechanic would prob be better paying and what not but thats not a field anyone really seems to be in love with once then been there a few yrs

[woodsracer144]

thanks man... i would work on like pickup truck... ie the powerstrokes and duramax... and deal with the programers and all that...

[400exrider707]

Working on the light duty diesel trucks sounds fun. I've thought about going back to school for that. I've got a bachelors in mech engineering that isn't doing me any good right now...

I've talked to quite a few of the techs on some of the powerstroke forums, and Bill (SRH) is right, most dont seem very happy after only a short time. Also they have to pay for all of their own tools, and there is a LOT of specialty tools you'll pay $1000 for and use once in 15 yrs.

[fasterblaster09]

I go to tech school for a/c and refrigeration and like it. of course in Louisiana we have a big need for a/c techs :o

[woodsracer144]

im in wi and thinkin about goin to TTC in tenn. for the small motors...

i dont mind buyin tools if i need them... i also thought about becomming a mecheniest and takin over my buddys gramps shop... i think i could make alot of the special tools... as long as it wasnt a plug in elect. thing i needed like a map system thing...

[One_Bad_400]

i graduated last year, right now i'm inrolled in the Arkansas State University welding program getting my associates degree in welding. when i graduate i'm planning on becoming a police officer untill i can save up enough money to open my own motorsports fabrication shop. then i will go from there.

[Mud Goat]

i got one semester left till i graduate and get my accosiates degree for diesel tech, an i had to have a internship this summer and i tell you this. The pay was good, but like 400exrider707
said, it gets old fast. You kinda have to ask yourself is the pay really worth it? A job is a job, an ya gotta have one is what my old man always told me :D

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by Mud Goat
i got one semester left till i graduate and get my accosiates degree for diesel tech, an i had to have a internship this summer and i tell you this. The pay was good, but like 400exrider707
said, it gets old fast. You kinda have to ask yourself is the pay really worth it? A job is a job, an ya gotta have one is what my old man always told me :D

like your old man said any job is better then no job...
i just dont know what i want to do becuase i would dick around with this stuff and play with it more then work with it... i would open my own shop... do my own thing... can be good and bad at the same time... good cause i can do what i want bad...i dont have anyone to tell me stop playin around and start working again!

[Quad18star]

I have an uncle and cousin who are welders .... both hate it now. My uncle is 50 and has been caughing for the last 15 years ... and it's all black crap that he coughs up. My cousin is 29 ... he's been welding since he was 13 ... he's now starting with the black coughing crap. The pay is not worth the health issues.

I have another uncle that's a diesel mechanic (Heavy Duty equipment).... like it's mentioned, it gets old quick. He doesn't enjoy it anymore ... being 45 and laying under a truck trying too wrench on something while being covered in mud , is no longer his idea of fun. There's a few diesel mechanics on here ... I think they'll tell you the same.

[chevys&honda$]

I took 2 years of auto tech after high school, it's all i wanted to do was to work on cars/trucks, after i finished the 2year training I lost interest, and my buddy went to wyotech for diesel tech, and ended up just geting a cdl and driving truck.

whatever you do just make sure it's what you want to do, and will be happy doing for 40 years.

Im actually thinking about going and taking a wind turbine tech training, it's 6 month course, make good money and it's just going to grow with all the GREEN GREEN GREEN talk nowa days.

[gt400ex]

I would go with diesel tech. I work on mostly class 8 stuff, lot easier then pickups IMO. And I enjoy what I do for the most part.

[protraxrptr17]

I work on 'em all, but I would rather just work on pickup diesels. Not near as heavy, bolts arent as tight, don't have to work on as much wore out junk. You also have a labor time book to go by. Most of the time you can beat the book. Waay too many special tools are needed to work on Cat engines. I weld too and I hate it. I also do machine work, it's OK, but really stressful. You can ruin many thousands of dollars and lose many hours of labor in milliseconds. Late hours to get somebody's factory or mill back up and running. There have been times when I have had hundreds of people waiting on me to make a part so they can go back to work. One screw up can cost many people money they don't need to lose. It's really tough sometimes, but it's also really rewarding when you can fix something in a few hours that would have taken weeks to replace with new. I say go work as an apprentice somewhere before going to school. It can help you decide if you really want to go into that field. Plus, alot of these kids that come out of schools think they know everything and us owners have to retrain them anyway. Nothing better than real world training, plus you get paid.

[chevys&honda$]

Originally posted by protraxrptr17
. I say go work as an apprentice somewhere before going to school. It can help you decide if you really want to go into that field. Plus, alot of these kids that come out of schools think they know everything and us owners have to retrain them anyway. Nothing better than real world training, plus you get paid.


Thats what my buddy said about wyotech total waist of time could'nt get a job anywhere, he got a job with kenworth and lasted 3 days they told him he was not quilified and had to let him go.

[nwi45]

I am a pipefitter. Welding is not as bad as some replys on here have made it seem. As long as you make sure you are welding in a somewhat ventilated area, no worries.

A pure welder doesn't make very much money at a fab shop or something along those lines. The real money is learning how to weld on alloy metals.

Welding is fun, I love it.

[MX450]

Originally posted by nwi45
I am a pipefitter. Welding is not as bad as some replys on here have made it seem. As long as you make sure you are welding in a somewhat ventilated area, no worries.

A pure welder doesn't make very much money at a fab shop or something along those lines. The real money is learning how to weld on alloy metals.

Welding is fun, I love it.

I have been seriously thinking about doin a pipefittin apprenticeship, how do you like it? how long you been doin it?

[j_cyrus3]

You get to see a lot of things driving over the road, get to go a lot of places. It's in the back of my mind, considering my parents own a semi.

[TNT]

400exrider707 – Something is seriously wrong if you got a Mechanical BS and can’t find a job.

Listen up, some advice from a wise ol man – I’m 50, well almost....I started out like many of you and my son @ 20 not knowing what to do. My son recently decided to go into Entepuneuer Business school to run his own or work for a company as a back up, he hopes to be in the ATV business doing what he loves.

I started out as a aircraft mechanic, went to Airframe and Powerplant school in LA am a licensed mechanic. Went to work in San-Diego as a grease monkey on Turbine Engines, lasted less than a year, my Supervisor laid me off told me I was too smart to do this the rest of my life he said, at 19 I did not understand. I was making $12/hr which was good money back in 1980, thought I had the life could afford toy's, chicks, partying finally untill I lost my job. My son just out of high school 2yrs ago made the same mistake, wouldn’t listen to his old man, got a job, got a crotch rocket, pad, chicks, etc, then lost his job and took the fall...... Looking back now I owe that supervisor my life. So I took the mechanical skills and Associates degree, went back to school got loans and grants, as hard as it was (no chicks, toys, beer, little fun and lots of sacrifice) became a Aersospace Engineer. Today, well I won’t boast about my salary but let’s just say it is well into the six-digits and I have the money to keep my kid comfortably in this sport.

Today after spending many years Designing and Manufacturing some of the best Military and Commercial planes in the world, 25 years to be exact, I work on a major assemble line with mechanics. Only difference is I make four times the money and work four times less. I feel sorry for the guy’s my age that climb up and down stairs and have to be on the thier feet for 12-15 hours a day just to make ends meet, $12-$20/hr slaving over metal to support thier families that can not afford a sport like this, etc....

If you enjoy being a hands on type thats fine, but like I tell my boy what you enjoy at 20 may be totally different than 50 or 60. You mechanics can get your certification programs and Associates degrees, I’d make sure that if not now later you can transfer those programs to what they call, “Engineering Technology” bachelor’s degrees. Many of those majors combine the hands experience with ½ the Engineering courses, and it is a good degree that is sought after. Make sure if is not from some fly by night on-line school and is “ABET” accredited. Many that have technology degrees don’t work at a desk all day, some works as Liason Engineers(middle between mechanics and engineers) or Manufacturing Engineers where you use your hands on knowledge and Engineering skills.

Work hard sacrifice now while your young it pays off later! Trust me.....

TNT

[250x_kyle]

took welding through tech for three years of highschool loved it at first. still like to weld. but the only way id be able to weld for a living is if i was tig welding in a fab shop.

im currently goign to school to be a cnc machinst and so far im liking it.

[nwi45]

Originally posted by MX450
I have been seriously thinking about doin a pipefittin apprenticeship, how do you like it? how long you been doin it?

I love it. Money is AMAZING. Job is fun and interesting. I love what I do. I'm not sure what your journeymen scale is down there. Ours is the highest in the country.

But the apprenticeship would be a great thing to do. Thats what I'm in now. I'm in my third year with a year and a half left. Stick and tig certified to do x-ray welds. Cheaaaaa boyyyy haha

[250x_kyle]

a friend of mine is pipe fitting welder. i was looking into doing it. have my tig and stick certifications but decided at the last minute to try cnc machining first. dont get me wrong by my original post i love welding but sitting in a shop building random things is not all that fun unless your welding stainless or aluminum with a tig. i love that stuff.

[TNT]

Lots of NC milling, drilling, etc, is done by Graphics analysis and control. I am currently working on a project to add parts to an automated drilling machine one of the biggest NC controlled Brotje drillling machines in the world worth billons. Very interesting! I want to add some parts we have the anvil modeled so we looking at interferences with the parts I want to add, thats what NC ME's and programmer's do in big companies. I have also been involved in NC milling but on a very high magnitide, huge NC milling machines, flat beds, etc.......we have cutter CATIA models and programs that run the cutter paths and we can look at the machine doing the cutting in 3d before we ever cut a chip. I can also upload a machines capability to the graphics models and determine how accurate and the tolerances.

Welding - Friction stir welding is the future, just got done designing a big pressure bulkhead for the new 747-8. I think it is limited to aluminum right now but there is no seam and it's very strong, that would be a good feild for a young person it's growing in aircraft too.

Pipeing - alot of the above automation usefull in the pertro-chem industry.

[woodsracer144]

TNT thanks for tossin out about likin to do it at 50! even at the age of 18 my body isnt the shape it should be becuase of a few crashes i had on my dang pit bike... ( waste of money never should have got it i hurt my self too bad on that thing)

I would like to be part of the atv work i think its really fun but at the same time i like workin on motors and tryin stuff out... i dont really like sitting around to much i always have to be on the go doing something... i took CAD last year in HS i wanted to have a CNC class but they didnt offer one... we have a really cheap CNC mill and i was thinkin about getting one and makin some funky stuff on it... it wouldnt be a very big one but big enough to make some stuff for an atv on...

i think that i would be able to do a mechinest... im gonna have to talk with my buddys gramp and see if he would let me work there for a little while and see how i like it...

[TNT]

Yeah I know what it's like being out of high school and have alot of energy. I'll tell you a feild to consider that will eventually make it's way to ATV no doubt, it's big in aircraft and most of the atv tech came from aircraft.

NC carbon fiber composites, fiber placement and filiment wound. Goggle that...Simply put a NC anvil puts out strands like granny's knitting and those stands are infused with a resin by compression and temperature. The strands granny lol puts down have to be placed accurately or it unwinds hence NC control.

You'd make a fortune or whoever designs a graphite fiber wound or placed one peice homogenous light weight super high strength frame, arms, all kinds of ATV parts can be made this way, it's just the NC machine is still expensive compared to metal milling machines.

Good thing about a degree program like this is you don't sit at a desk all the time your over on the machine alot, just getting through school is a PITA!!! :D

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by TNT
400exrider707 – Something is seriously wrong if you got a Mechanical BS and can’t find a job.



It's actually a MET. I have the tech degree. Either way, maybe it's just the area. Not a ton going on up this way, lots of lay offs. Syracuse area is almost all electronics companies, which is where I worked, until I was laid off. GE is now posting a ton of jobs near me, but they wont be ready for a couple of months. It's slowly turning around in this area. I have been laid off since May of this year.

My main problem when I got laid off was there were a lot of people getting laid off, who had more work experience and were willing to work for next to nothing since everyone was losing their jobs. I only have 2 1/2 years work experience, which is still better than all of the kids coming out of college now, but those guys are willing to work for almost nothing, just to have a job.:ermm:

[TNT]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
It's actually a MET. I have the tech degree. Either way, maybe it's just the area. Not a ton going on up this way, lots of lay offs. Syracuse area is almost all electronics companies, which is where I worked, until I was laid off. GE is now posting a ton of jobs near me, but they wont be ready for a couple of months. It's slowly turning around in this area. I have been laid off since May of this year.

My main problem when I got laid off was there were a lot of people getting laid off, who had more work experience and were willing to work for next to nothing since everyone was losing their jobs. I only have 2 1/2 years work experience, which is still better than all of the kids coming out of college now, but those guys are willing to work for almost nothing, just to have a job.:ermm:

yeah I understand times are rough I had to leave KS go to SC. When I was your age and your level of experience, I had my rickey atv racer new born son and got laid off in Cali on the B2 bomber Design so I took a job for McDonnel Douglas in St. Louis on the A-12 attack aircraft Design that later got cancelled by Dick Head Chenny, so I had to leave my wife in kid in St Louis and go work in Palmdale, Cali as a Liasion Engr, again the B2...back in the 90's times are rough like now did what I had to do left all my freinds and family at times, etc.....I work now with the majority of seniors families across the nation...

Boeing just announced a second assy line here in Chaleston, SC and will hire 3-5,000 over the next two years watch thier site, Boeing Philly is close to you is hiring engr's, Spirit Aerosystems in Kingston, NC will hire a bunch turn of the year. KC-135 huge replacement programm next year we hope! Watch the aircraft industry they need young talanted degreed engr's like yourself......Your probably worth 60-70K in that industry, maybe more.

[Quad18star]

How about an apprenticeship as a Boilermaker?

Hvae a buddy that does it and he loves his job. makes awesome money also.

[buck440]

i couldn't make it in college nor do i have any special skills so mid next year i'm getting sent to boot camp for the marines and i'm going to be a machine gunner and i plan on re enlising till i die pretty much:ermm: but you seem to have a lot more going on for you than me but the military is always an option.

[woodsracer144]

only way i would serve this country is if your government got wiped out and started over... i dont like it... i have people callin me all the time to join the air force and all that.... i would do the air force or sniper... but im not going to...

i know theres alot you can do in welding.. im not all in specs with the planes and stuff TNT... dont know much about them... do you know a guy named Todd Berge? he was on the B2 stealth and now hes on a fighter... im not 100% sure what one now... hes from WI... hes the leader of his what ever... i dont know what you want to call it...

[Mud Goat]

whatever you deside to do, make sure you get the pay you deserve. I worked my *** off this summer fo 8.50 an hour and my dad makes a dollar more workin in a grocery store hahahahaha
Of coarse i didn't mind it because it counted as part of my school but still, it's kind of dishearting. lol

[Quad18star]

Non Destructive Engineering Technologist

[yam450_53]

I just finished my welding/assembling course after a year and a half and in 6 months I'm going into metallurgical engineering. I love welding but I want to go further than just melting metal. I have spoken to a lot of metallurgical engineers around here and they all love their job, make very good money (a close friend of mine just finished his degree and got a job at 30$/hr right out of school). It is in high demand so that makes it even better, so if you love welding and everything around it you should look into it. TNT I'm guessing you must have worked with some of them met. engnrs ?

[woodsracer144]

metallegy ****in sucks... i have that class right now.. all them dudes do nothin beside sit around and **** with micro scopes and never get laid!

[nwi45]

I weld and make $42.15 and hour, $45 next year. :)

[woodsracer144]

what the **** are you welding! holy ****!

i was thinkin about goin got a machenist... they guy down the road said he would give me a job off the spot... and then go to welding in a year or something... i dont know some how get welding done... im a thrid the way done with it...

[quadrcr161]

one thing to look into if you enjoy mechanics is vibration analysis. thats what i do and have enjoyed it, been in it for almost 4 yrs and still havent really learned everything. currently i am contracted to a paper mill. the mill sends their interns in to spend some time with us to see what all we can do.
basically we collect data and analyze it to tell them what is going on. we can tell if a bearing is getting a defect, and what part the defect is on, if the lube is breaking down, and if the structure has issues. you can get a little dirty, have to go into some hot/cold areas but youll spend the same time in the office analyzing, and the mill relys on us pretty hard. its also a good feeling when you catch an big issue and save them a ton of money by catching it before it crashes and cost them down time.
usually company pays for everything, the equipment, the training and all. you can make some good money and even travel if you like.

edit, ive worked as a turing handles and it sucked, doing the things over and over, the pressure, seeing guys kill a piece they spent hours on and had to start over really turned me away from it. the company i was with wanted to send me to school but it was something i couldnt see myself doing it for the rest of my life.

[Ruby Soho]

my old man is a steel erector/fabricator aka ironworker. been welding since he was younger than me. he liked his job when he was young making money and working hard but now it really took its tole on him and hes paying big time.

i'm graduating high school this spring myself, and next week i am applying to a school for aviation technician. im going to come out with a few trades but i love engines and working on them.. working on plane engines you can't beat because you work in the cleanest garages, with only the best tools and do the best work.. you have no choice flying is no joke.

[nwi45]

Originally posted by woodsracer144
what the **** are you welding! holy ****!

i was thinkin about goin got a machenist... they guy down the road said he would give me a job off the spot... and then go to welding in a year or something... i dont know some how get welding done... im a thrid the way done with it...

union pipe fitter brotha. its not just flat welds though haha we do x-ray pipe welds on everything. carbon, stainless, chrome, inkanel (sp?), aluminum, everything.

pretty good deal for a 21 year old that hated highschool haha

[woodsracer144]

on the lathes and mill i would be running there is a digital computer screen... you run the cutter up the the chunk of what ever.. say its a alum. once your cutter bit hits the or touches moreso the metal you press a zero button this computer is about to take off o.oo1 on the lathe the mill is able to take a 0.0001! so if i want to take off .020 off i just turn in to .02 then say i want to trave 1.250 i filp on the feed for the table and it moved then once it get to 1.25 i stop it and turn it back... its almost a cnc set up but it doesnt make the cuts it self. you have to set the depth of the cut and control it all... i just have the aid of a computer so i dont have to read a dial on the handle... its a sweet setup!

[yam450_53]

Originally posted by woodsracer144
metallegy ****in sucks... i have that class right now.. all them dudes do nothin beside sit around and **** with micro scopes and never get laid!

depends which sub-program you take, there are 3, you got the worst one of them all. The one I'm taking is basically learning how to program robotic welders, how to do x-rays, ultrasonic tests etc, there's just so much you can do. I do agree that sitting down with a microscope and examining the grain of the metal is very boring, but that's not part of my program. anyway... about the getting laid part, haha, thats their problem, has nothing to do with the course ;)

oh and I almost forgot.. about nwi45 who makes 40+ an hour, you obviously got very lucky and found a good job, few welders win that much money, heck even after 5 or 10 years welding some don't even make half that much. That's a big misconception in the idea that people have about welding, there's so much people in my class that came into welding thinking they'll make 35$/hr right out of school, but that's not how it goes.

[nwi45]

Originally posted by yam450_53
depends which sub-program you take, there are 3, you got the worst one of them all. The one I'm taking is basically learning how to program robotic welders, how to do x-rays, ultrasonic tests etc, there's just so much you can do. I do agree that sitting down with a microscope and examining the grain of the metal is very boring, but that's not part of my program. anyway... about the getting laid part, haha, thats their problem, has nothing to do with the course ;)

oh and I almost forgot.. about nwi45 who makes 40+ an hour, you obviously got very lucky and found a good job, few welders win that much money, heck even after 5 or 10 years welding some don't even make half that much. That's a big misconception in the idea that people have about welding, there's so much people in my class that came into welding thinking they'll make 35$/hr right out of school, but that's not how it goes.

yeah but what kind of welding are they coming out knowing how to do? you're ovbiously not going to make 40 an hour knowing how to stick weld flat plates. if you can x-ray weld carbon or even exotic metals, you are going to make very good money. not very many people can do it. the welders in our local are UA certified on each different type of welding they do and the UA is one of if not the most strict welding criteria around.

[yam450_53]

Originally posted by nwi45
yeah but what kind of welding are they coming out knowing how to do? you're ovbiously not going to make 40 an hour knowing how to stick weld flat plates. if you can x-ray weld carbon or even exotic metals, you are going to make very good money. not very many people can do it. the welders in our local are UA certified on each different type of welding they do and the UA is one of if not the most strict welding criteria around.

GTAW aluminum - steel- stainless steel , SMAW, GTAW aluminum - steel, FCAW, all of them in all positions except overhead. Of course they're not going to let us weld on exotic metals considering the size of the school and the number of people, they would go bankrupt. I'm guessing you went to a private school for the exotic metals and x-ray? Another way to make good money with welding is underwater welding $$$

[nwi45]

Originally posted by yam450_53
GTAW aluminum - steel- stainless steel , SMAW, GTAW aluminum - steel, FCAW, all of them in all positions except overhead. Of course they're not going to let us weld on exotic metals considering the size of the school and the number of people, they would go bankrupt. I'm guessing you went to a private school for the exotic metals and x-ray? Another way to make good money with welding is underwater welding $$$

all positions on what? pipe or plate? pipe welding is much more difficult to weld than plate. must get 100% penetration. no we train at our training center.

[TNT]

Sorry guy’s I left Friday for a AX race in Batesville, MS 1300 miles away and to give my son our racing rig. We bent a Can-am stock axle in M1 and DNF/DNS M2.....Just when we could not bring the back up quad-figures! Sometimes the luck in this sport bites when you travel that far but we got some good practices in. Talk about a need for some better Engineering and metallurgy, they say the hollow axle is strong since when it bends the inner core sees little compression/tension, makes me wonder?


Originally posted by woodsracer144
i know theres alot you can do in welding.. im not all in specs with the planes and stuff TNT... dont know much about them... do you know a guy named Todd Berge? he was on the B2 stealth and now hes on a fighter... im not 100% sure what one now... hes from WI... hes the leader of his what ever... i dont know what you want to call it...
Name sorta sounds familular it was twenty years ago, I can’t remember most of the peeps names I work w/now. Lol!


Originally posted by yam450_53
I just finished my welding/assembling course after a year and a half and in 6 months I'm going into metallurgical engineering. I love welding but I want to go further than just melting metal. I have spoken to a lot of metallurgical engineers around here and they all love their job, make very good money (a close friend of mine just finished his degree and got a job at 30$/hr right out of school). It is in high demand so that makes it even better, so if you love welding and everything around it you should look into it. TNT I'm guessing you must have worked with some of them met. engnrs ?

Yes and still do but we refer to them as “Material and Process Engineers” or “Materials Technology Engineers” in aircraft....Yes big shortage! I’ve been involved with it on the surface as a Designer/ME/LE but when I need an analyst I call on them. Often they review designs for material properties and work hand in hand w/ Structures Engineers to develop specs, and processes (steps and procedures), and what we call material allowable(limit loads, yield strength, etc...) by coupon(material sample) testing for compressions, tension, etc, and granular properties in their lab and sometime they get out to the line and are very involved in NDT, DT. This is good degree and there all kinds of jobs and industries you can get into. I took one course in college or two can’t remember it was hard but interesting. Again metal will always be around but carbon composites are growing.

Sounds like you’re on a good path stick with it, you DO if you can want to get that degree it will pay off well. Keep going! I believe the $30 to start and with 5-10 years of try $70-$110hr is the going contract labor rate for 10+ years ABET accredited BS.


Originally posted by Ruby Soho
my old man is a steel erector/fabricator aka ironworker. been welding since he was younger than me. he liked his job when he was young making money and working hard but now it really took its tole on him and hes paying big time.

i'm graduating high school this spring myself, and next week i am applying to a school for aviation technician. im going to come out with a few trades but i love engines and working on them.. working on plane engines you can't beat because you work in the cleanest garages, with only the best tools and do the best work.. you have no choice flying is no joke.

Try and get a A&P license out of those guys do pretty good some are make $40/hr here...then make sure you can transfer those credits to an Engineering Technology degree if you want to in the future.

[woodsracer144]

[i] Sounds like you’re on a good path stick with it, you DO if you can want to get that degree it will pay off well. Keep going! I believe the $30 to start and with 5-10 years of try $70-$110hr is the going contract labor rate for 10+ years ABET accredited BS. [/B]

holy f bombs! 110 and hour... sign me up! theres a Engineer but im not really sure what ones i would want to look in to... theres a ton of them!

[nwi45]

TNT, what kind of money does someone make that does repairs/assmbly of aipcrafts as far as the welding? i am looking into future jobs.

i love being a pipe fitter and making six figures a year is awesome, but I know it isn't going to last forever. construction is on the decline and so are the unions.

i want to get started with school in the next few years since I am only 21 and most of the stuff is still fresh in my head and get a college degree. i was looking into a construction management degree but thats something that is going to be linked directly to how the construction industry is doing.

plus i will work hard at school, but i think something like an aerospace engineer is a little bit out of my area. i'm not all that great at math and not the smartest guy around haha

[TNT]

Originally posted by nwi45
TNT, what kind of money does someone make that does repairs/assmbly of aipcrafts as far as the welding? i am looking into future jobs.

i love being a pipe fitter and making six figures a year is awesome, but I know it isn't going to last forever. construction is on the decline and so are the unions.

i want to get started with school in the next few years since I am only 21 and most of the stuff is still fresh in my head and get a college degree. i was looking into a construction management degree but thats something that is going to be linked directly to how the construction industry is doing.

plus i will work hard at school, but i think something like an aerospace engineer is a little bit out of my area. i'm not all that great at math and not the smartest guy around haha

I'm trying to remember back when I was 20ish but it's been too long so I can’t give some good advice. My son just turned 20 so we are looking at careers too. IMO your own business is the best deal but many fail every year so ya got to be careful. USA Unions are breaking down and too much is getting out sourced, I don’t like how corporate America is heading into the “Global Economy” ....BS!

I was a complete idiot till 19, I graduated high school... well don't even remember how I did that...lol! But everyone freaked out when I did since my grades were so bad. I had to take autobody just so they gave me something I liked to grad/get rid of me....lol! Spent waaaaayyyyy too much time at the beach and my girlfriend paid for it later.

I graduated high school barely adding and subtracting, when to college and failed algebra since I never took it in high school or trig or physics, chem.....so here’s what I had to do since it was either my girlfriend, drinking buddies, or live on welfare........Got rid of the high school girlfriend since she wanted to get married and have kids......bad buddies, and I went and checked into a 8 hr/day college prep school for 9 months at a private university, so after failing the calc, physics, 1 classes I came back and aced them ended up with a 2.7 gpa not bad first job B2 bomber Pico, Rivera, CA. Tell this since I can’t stress enough, as I try w/my own son, focus on making something out of yourselves NOW before the wife, kids, etc....comes....don’t let bad women and buddies take you to the gutter with them, if you do you will hurt yourself and buy into a lifetime of hard labor and little pay, your future family will pay the price. There is plenty of life ahead of 20, 25, 35, even 45, just depends on when you want to make it more difficult, now or later?

So like I tell my kid you put your mind to it you can be anything you want if you set up the right environment to get er done!

We really don’t do much welding in aircraft I imagine thats more of the piping industry or petro-chem. We did a big 7&7 cargo barrier wall recently, the wall that protects the cockpit from cargo slamming into it on Freighter aircraft by friction stir welding but the prototyped cracked so I was part of an emergency redesign to go back to bolted metal about six months ago. The guys just designed the welds wrong and it is new technology that will gain notoriety later.