Back to school, ideas?

[Moto49X]

Im lookin for some advice or ideas here guys. I'm sick of bustin my hump outdoors in the extreme heat and freezing cold. I don't mind the weather but I would like to make more money. I live week to week. Lookin for ideas on what to go to school for? Not interested in real college, more like a Tech School. Im mechanically inclined obviously and have a large work history with extreme labor jobs. I enjoy hands on work, I couldnt really take a desk job for too long.

Please dont give stupid jokes as examples or say you need more info. Just throw out any REAL ideas possible. I can also come up with the funds for schooling. Just no jobs out there without some sort of education anymore.

[rollie]

a few of my friends are diesel mechanic's, they get paid pretty well and the school is like 18 months i think? i know it's not easy but hey, maybe the shop you work in when you get out will be heated? lol

[CJM]

Diesel mechanic, airplane mechanic pays well too.

[Moto49X]

Right now I have an application out for an equipment operator(dozer, skid steer, excavator, backhoes), which I have expierence in. I've been through the first interview so its a waiting game now.

I know a guy on the railroad saying he can possibly get me on as a laborer starting out at 40k - 55k/yr. He told me straight forward "its a b!tch job, but its a decent paying job"

[300ex_#387]

I'm going to a 2yr tech school in the fall for telecommunications. It's at lincoln trail college in robinson Illinois. I'm hoping to get on at vorizon or somewhere like that when I graduate. I've talked to some people who have done this and you can make anywhere between 40-80k a year. Most likely would have to move to get a job though but there is a demand. I remember you saying you raced at Casey so i'm guessing you cant be far from this school.

[Quad18star]

What's the main industry in your area? That'll help with suggestions.

[quad59]

Originally posted by CJM
Diesel mechanic, airplane mechanic pays well too.

I'm in the airplane field and it does not pay as well as you think. The unions are busted and all the airlines are on a thin line between breaking even and being in the hole. My friend is a Ford mechanic at a dealership with 5 yrs exp and makes the same I do and I have been doing this for 11yrs.

[ROTTY261]

Computers dude! I know you don't want to work behind a desk but that is where the most demand and pay is right now and probably for the foreseeable future.

If you are dead set against that than find the shortest school possible for the biggest pay off. Diesel mechanic was a great idea, join the military and do whatever you want is another great idea. Maybe even just the Air National Guard!

[CJM]

Originally posted by quad59
I'm in the airplane field and it does not pay as well as you think. The unions are busted and all the airlines are on a thin line between breaking even and being in the hole. My friend is a Ford mechanic at a dealership with 5 yrs exp and makes the same I do and I have been doing this for 11yrs.

My friend works only on small, private planes and makes quite a bit. Before that he worked for Boeing.

[Moto49X]

Originally posted by Quad18star
What's the main industry in your area? That'll help with suggestions.

Nothing. I live in a huge farm area. Willing to move anywhere.

[Moto49X]

Originally posted by 300ex_#387
I'm going to a 2yr tech school in the fall for telecommunications. It's at lincoln trail college in robinson Illinois. I'm hoping to get on at vorizon or somewhere like that when I graduate. I've talked to some people who have done this and you can make anywhere between 40-80k a year. Most likely would have to move to get a job though but there is a demand. I remember you saying you raced at Casey so i'm guessing you cant be far from this school.

I went to school for Telecom about 3 or 4 years ago, I hated it. Only fun part was climbing the telephone poles, haha. Learned fast that, that was not for me. Dropped out of school, started a business and never returned.

While I absolutely love my Landscaping/Lawn care business, I'm just not getting the amount in return I expected. There are no large Metro within 2.5 hours of me. Some large towns/citys but not where I need to be to make this buiz last.

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by Moto49X
Nothing. I live in a huge farm area. Willing to move anywhere.

Well I can tell you one industry is going to be in need of a lot skilled labourers and has the potential for you to make a ton of cash.

Mining has a lot of opportunities for someone that enjoys physical work and an environment that's always changing.

I'm in the mining industry , so I'm partial towards it.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

I'm going to school to be a Physical Therapist Assistant. It's not real close to the other suggestions but it meets all of your qualifications. It's two years, you can find it at almost any tech school and it's very hands-on. The pay is great, the benefits are great, vacation days, very high demand, can work in any city you want and generally PTAs love their job.

[Moto49X]

Originally posted by MX MaNiAc 06
I'm going to school to be a Physical Therapist Assistant. It's not real close to the other suggestions but it meets all of your qualifications. It's two years, you can find it at almost any tech school and it's very hands-on. The pay is great, the benefits are great, vacation days, very high demand, can work in any city you want and generally PTAs love their job.

Good idea, thats sure one to consider.

Quad18star, also another good one I will look into!

[hendershot106]

Engineering!!!!!! ... Any type... mechanical (im partial too) or chemical operations engineer...architectural engineer Just go for an associates...if you want to stay at 2 yrs of school or so....

Alot of engineering degrees allow you to "crossover" into similar fields.... architectural engineers actually help design structures and layouts and also supervise them for hands on work... mechanical engineers can do anything from machining, cnc, motorcycle and automobile design, testing, petroleum engineering, drilling and mining supervision and engineering, Possibly even farm equipment design and testing...CAD/CAM. the ideas are endless...

I initially wanted to become an architectural engineer, but after considering all i could do in the mechanical engineering field... i decided to pursue that route.... with minors in automotive and CNC machining... I may not be currently using the CNC machining... but i always benefit from the automotive classes i took as hands on electives to keep myself sane from all the damn book work and formulas!!!... Also, engineering degrees take alot of hands on classes hand in hand with the math, physics, computer, etc...So classes like strength of materials, thermodynamics, hydraulics, and a few others i cant remember all have you make projects that are hands on...which i enjoyed....

[DnB_racing]

you can get a 2nd engineers fireman's licence and eventually go for first class engineers and run a power plant (trash burners pay great up to 130000 or more in the right region), and its not full time school start as a fireman and work your way up pretty qiuck

[Quad18star]

As Hendershot said .... anything to do with engineering will open up a lot of doors and allow you to move between different sectors.

With a degree in Mining , you can find a desk job or a field job .. or one that combines both. You can be behind a desk designing a mine using Cad , Vulcan or other compauter based programs ... or you can be underground setting up blasting patterns ... or taking readings to make sure the ground is stable or on surface selling equipment .

Mining engineers work in all types of environments ... you can be underground working at 9000 feet below surface or working in an open pit ... mining everything from coal , to uranium , to diamonds.

What's nice about it , as I mentioned is the fact that you can shift into different industries. Many mining engineers find themselves doing Civil engineering work.... making sure that the ground they're building on is fit to hold the structure .... if it's not , they find way to make it solid enough . On the other hand , Mining engineers can also shift into petroleum .. oil and gas has a ton of opportunities for those that want to work above ground.

If you like the heavy labour work ... you can run a piece of mining equipment .. drills , trucks , scoops ... or hand tools like jacklegs , stopers, raisebores, etc.

Look into it ... within the next 10 years there's going to be a huge need for miners and mining engineers.