Dispatcher or Teacher

Hey fellas, figured some of y'all have been doing this for a while and I've been on the road now for just over 5 years at a JD dealer. Have two different positions being offered and not sure which way to turn or to just stay in a service truck. One is a dispatcher, somewhat of an advancement but lots going on daily. Second option is an instructor at a college next town over. Pay cut yes but only working 7-1 with a school year schedule...will allow lots more time with family and possibility to do side work. Any opinions/recommendations appreciated.

Teach.

Depends on what you want out of life. When I was in school for diesel tech, the old adage I heard a lot was "those who can't do, teach". Not sure if it applies here, but.....

Shimmy1, I've heard that and used it for years. With several teachers in the family it gets the stink eye a lot! I'd lean towards teaching too. Two reasons, one is I enjoy sharing knowledge. Second is the dispatch job will drive you nuts and be a source of considerable stress at times. There will always be somebody unhappy. I guess it depends on your ability to handle stress and drama as well as your ability to work for less but perhaps do some things on the side to supplement your teacher salary. I wouldn't go back into anything remotely related to transportation after 15 years of it. That's my .02

Junkyard

What kind of school is it. Whom funds it. A state or government run school would have decent insurance and retirement benefits. A month of paid vacation in a few years, sick days, personal days, etc. There's a lot more to consider than simply paycheck money. Above all consider what you enjoy. I have little patience so teaching on a daily basis would probably not keep me happy.

It would be a state school all the benefits identical to a state worker, insurance, paid time off, pension and all. There is lots to consider. I feel as though my quality of life would be much great working less than 30 hrs a week although that check does come in handy at times being as high as it is. The opportunity would be there to do side work at well so there may would even be a potential for more money and have the ability to set my own schedule to a certain extent. I would have access to Deere manuals as well as CAT from that position they just aren't mobile. Having an a 11 month old and another on the way kinda goes both ways as well. Want to be able to support them but also spend time and watch them grow.

Teach. When I had small ones like yours, I was on the road. There'll be time later I said. Well, it never comes. Kids today grow up so fast, enjoy them while you can. When my 16 year old son's life was threatened by cancer 2 years ago, I was very unhappy that what few trips we'd taken were to dealer meetings and such. That moment didn't "cure" me from too much work, but we took more trips together last year than in the 5 before that. Go make memories while you can. We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Thoughts on employment

Tractorguy, I have worked for myself for over 40 years, and also retired from the military's reserve component after service in Vietnam. The benefits from military retirement, as well as the VA, are fantastic. I don't know what I would have done if I'd not had the military benefits. I see a "state job" as very similar to the benefits I enjoy.

"...all the benefits identical to a state worker, insurance, paid time off, pension and all" should be a strong factor in your taking the school job. In addition, you will probably be afforded the opportunity to go to school tuition-free within your system, if not to any state-operated college or university in your state. If you decide to also operate your own equipment-service business after school and on weekends, you'll probably have the pick of your students to work for you as needed.

Governments rarely lay workers off, and usually find other jobs for those injured on the job. I don't know how old you are, but I would see this job as an opportunity for you to either work your way up in the system or to transfer to an even better job elsewhere in time to come.

I find that teachers are usually highly organized and have excellent public speaking skills, which if you have not already, you will quickly attain. A friend, a full-colonel in the air-guard, just retired as a public school teacher; I rarely saw him without his calendar book. If you don't already, structure your schedule out a month in advance, and then the fill-in opportunities will find their own blocks of time in your schedule.

And as do the paratroopers, practice backwards planning (I gather and stuff the parachute into its bag, I collapse the parachute, I stand up, I finish the proper landing fall, I hit on my thigh and roll, I have flexed my legs before impact, I am not looking at the ground, my risers are all straight, my shroud check found all okay, etc., etc., PS I wasn't a jumper -- I just dropped the jumpers). But plan your time backwards from the end of the school term (semester, I would guess).

And let us hear how it goes.

Neill

I'm 100% with RTSmith. Teach and enjoy the kids. No amount of money will replace the time with them. Being a father of 5 I can tell you I see a distinct difference in the older ones that I missed so much of and the younger ones that I make time for. Or it's a boy girl thing haha. Sounds ideal to me. It won't take long to work your budget around the teaching salary and play on the side money. They change so much at the age yours are, having missed a lot of that I think you'll enjoy being around for it and not stressed to the max with work. Plus you can give us info when we need it! Haha. Good luck either way!

Junkayrd

I think the lesser pay in teaching could be made up by the chance to do networking and end up with small side jobs that don't hold you down, but pay enough to keep the wolf from the door.

Well I'd like to thank all of y'all for the advice. My last day in my current position as dispatcher will be tomorrow and I start at the school next Tuesday! Kind of a major leap. Service manager said it's him being jealous but he hopes I hate it st the school so that I will want to come back. No bridges are being burned and it's been pretty neat how my current employer has taken everything.

good choice, if that is what you want
may you can get a few odd jobs from your old employer or work a little part time for them from time to time , to make some pocket change

Enjoy the new job and the challenges that go with it. Keep looking forward and I'm sure you will do well. Keep us posted. Another benefit of a "government" job is that you should have plenty of time to hang out here on the forum.

4 years ago I had much the same decision to make, my daughter at the time was 3 and a boy on the way, I had been offered a desk job, selling Volvo ADT parts, the money was 20% less than the lift fitting job I was on, but I travelled the length and breadth of the uk stopping out 4 nights a week, the new job is 2 miles from home and I'm home every night, I have seen so much more of my boys growing up than my little girl and that is time that has no value you can ever earn. I have a salary and so we just have to budget our income and have a few less treats every month. also another big help deciding was I'm not getting any younger and humping 150kg chunks of passenger lift about is a young mans game.

I made the move to a city job a short few months ago, if your teaching job has the same benefits as a typical city worker, I would go for it. The dealer I left lost 4 other techs to city jobs and has a foreman and 2 more techs trying to get on with municipalities plus myself. The paid time off and all the extra holidays, personal days, sick days, health insurance, life insurance, and retirement plans make a HUGE difference. I took about a $10k+ pay cut out of pocket but have benefits equal to or better than union without paying union dues which makes up for it. I don't know how old you are but the retirement makes huge difference to me, I have a 457b plan and a MEPP retirement and will be able to retire at about 55 years old with full benefits. I too have a little one on the way and the insurance makes it where I can afford to have a kid (as far as the medical side of it goes) and with all my time I can take off I can see me kid grow up. That is another huge thing for me since my dad was busy keeping the wolves away while I was growing up.