School or Work?

[Deere9670]

Hi, I'm 17 and a senior in high school. I have a love for equipment and operating, as I am currently employed on a farm. I am about to make a key decision im my life of whether to go away to college on an athletic schlorship or to try to get into the operators union. I really want to be an operator, but my parnets are pushing me towards college. I know all of you guys have been through this decision and I would appreciate your feedback. THANKS!

 

[Alan Mesmer]

I have always been told just do what makes you happy!
In reality you have a lifetime to work but life may make it diffucult to go back to school after working for a while. In my opinion you should take advantage of the athletic schlorship and get a degree in something. College gives you further education but it also gives you life experiences too. You have been given athletic abilities, so take advantage of that to help with your college.
What would you major in? If you come out of college with a 4 year degree you will at least have something to fall back on and take with you anywhere in the country.

I went to college for a while (3 yrs.) and I left to go the the operator apprenticeship program in the late 80's. I was a second year apprentice and I didn't make enough to keep me above water and I had to take a labor position at a factory and I left the program. Hind sight says I should have either stayed in college to get my degree or gutted it out and stayed on as an apprentice.

There really isn't a right or wrong path, only one of many forks in the road of life.

One more thing:
No matter what you do in life put your heart into it and give it your best effort!

Good luck in whatever decision you make.
Alan

 

[deeredriver]

I am sure you have ben told this a thousand times, but go to college, and get a 4 year degree! I went to tech school and got a 2 year degree, and I wish I would of stayed for 4. Now I am out of school and have payments to make each month. No way I can go back now. Don't get me wrong, I make a little over $1700 per week(before taxes), but I am on call 24/7 as I work for the RR. It is just the layoffs that kill me. You dont even want me to tell you how many times this has gone through my mind when I am out working at 2 am. Everyone else is in there bed and I am asking what the h@ll I am doing!But I was sick of school, and I thought I knew better at the time. There is easier ways to make a living than choking down dirt for the rest of your life. When you go to the hall, you will never know from day to day if you will be working the next, where you will be working, who you will be working with, or if you will be laid off. You will work day to day for the rest of you life unless you are luckey enough to stay on with a contractor. If you like construction then you may want to check out surveying, enginering, or construction mgmt.

 

[pwrstroke6john]

I also would recomend going to college and getting a degree in construction management or civil engineering.

 

[fensoncont.]

I'm only 15 and I have thought about that many times as well, but set the entire construction part aside. Your only a kid once, my parents always remind me that the years of school are some of the most fun years of your life, so make the most of them. Once your in the workforce, your there, you could go back to college if you wanted, but it could make things difficult. Enjoy your time as a kid/young adult and make the most of your career afterwards. Once again, do whatever makes you happy!

 

[EZ TRBO]

I make the motion, SCHOOL.

I myself have NOTHING but good things to say bout going to a 2 year tech program. A 4 year college is not for everyone and it all depends on what you really want to do in life as to if you choose 4 or 2 year. I myself spent the entire summer after high school in North Carolina building race cars, moved back home took a 1 year welding program and the next year I took a 1 year machining program. I had a TON of fun while in school, and learned a ton as well. I was going to go into a field of welding/machine work for a year or so, see if I enjoyed it before saying I was sticking with the family biz. But my uncle got hurt and dad had a TON of projects to do so back I was. Even now, working for the company I am with my welding, machining and fabrication knowledge I aquired from school comes in handy each and every day. No matter what you do in the future, or even if your degree is related to your field of choice, your employer will look and see that you put forth the effort required to obtain a degree. That and I will restate, I totally had a wonderful time my college years both at school and away.
Trbo

 

[637slayer]

go to college!! you have the rest of your life to work. what sport did you get the ride for?

 

[Bob Horrell]

You have a great opportunity for schooling that many wish they had. Years ago I got a business degree that has helped me greatly. No matter what you do, business education and aptitude are important for success. I also studied in engineering for 2 years which helps a lot in this business.
There are a lot of good operators in this world, but what separates those that just operate from those that are self employed is the ability to run a business, whether it is as an owner/operator or CEO of a large construction company. There is always a risk involved with starting your own business, but that risk is reduced by the amount of education and business knowledge you have. You can learn a lot about running a business without a formal education and many have been successful going this route. However, you have a golden opportunity for an education - why not take advantage of it. Plus, you will have the opportunity to participate at the college level in a sport in which you excel.
Good luck, whatever you do. You sound like a guy that puts effort into whatever he does, and this will get you a long way in life.

 

[CascadeScaper]

College for sure, work summers gaining experience as an operator. It's hard to get into the union without experience, it's not impossible, but you really have to be perfect. Go to school, then operate, that's what I did.

 

[xkv8r]

You are still young, if you have a free ride to college, take advantage of it.You can still work summers and get experience operating. Remember your young ,learn as much as you can because you would be suprised how much everything comes about full circle,something you learned in high school or college may help you out down the road 20 years later.Just remember take the good with the bad , because life is full of ups and downs no matter what route you take.

 

[Buckethead]

Deere 9670 It depends on what you really want to do. You said you are 17 probably the age to even apply for the apprenticeship is 18. Because you are very young, and not very experienced, it will be pretty hard to get in on the first try. (I don't know about your area though) So you can't count on that right now. Notice all I said was don't count on it I DIDN'T say don't do it IF you're serious. If you are serious about college you could take the scholarship and see how well you do, and maybe try to get hooked up with a contractor in your summer vacation, as a laborer or something, to get experience. You can apply to the apprentice school while you are in college, why not. I don't know what your dream really is but if your dream is really to be an operator maybe you should take the first chance you get to work with machines, it is hard to start a career as an operator (union or non-union) when the work is slow. What they said about returning to college later in life is true, but it's also hard for a guy with kids to feed to change careers, too. So it all depends on what you are serious about, what you are willing to apply yourself to. The path you are more serious about is the one you are more likely to excel in. Good luck!
Deeredriver, no offense, because I don't know what things are like in your part of the country, but around here, in my experience anyway, the only way to get the higher pay and benefits is to go through the union. The only way to get the union rate from a non-union contractor around here is to work on a prevailing rate job, (if you can find one) and even then some of them don't pay it.

 

[Jon B]

If you didn't have the athletic scholarship, I'd say go and work. But because you are getting a free ride, I'd say go to school for something like construction or civil engineering. That way you'll at least be a smart operator

 

[joispoi]

go to school, take business classes, make friends, enjoy the experience. You will NEVER have this opportunity again. Don't let it get away. You can operate machinery during on your summer break. When school's over, there will be just as many operator jobs available to you. Get a business degree and you can run your own show. Aim high.

 

[DuraMaxMan66]

You could always come where I go and get an associates degree in equipment operation and stay for 2 more years of business to make it a bachelors degree....PM me if you'd like more info

 

[Deere9670]

go to college!! you have the rest of your life to work. what sport did you get the ride for?

Golf scholorship, I know its kinda a wuss sport but its were my talent is.

 

[Deere9670]

Hey guys, thanks for all the great advice. The school that im looking at has a great business program, so that is always an option. I think I will probably end up going to the 4 year school because my dad is a union cement mason, and his body is beat to hell from the years of hard work and he doesent want me to end up like him. Work is starting to slow around here and my dad has been laid off for the past 2.5 months.

Thanks for all the good advice!

 

[sheepfoot]

stay in school

I in my younger years was in the same spot, my parents wanted me to stay in school and get that sheepskin. I had also worked on a farm since 12, and now had the means to go a half day in high school then to work. The firm made it real good, i was making more than dad after two months because i was running all there equipment, i left, droped out, two years later i went back to school at nites for a year and walked the line in 1980 while still working in construction doing water/sewer/all types of clearing/grading. IH for a spell/Case power, owned four s corps , 24 years in the fire service as a vol. now to local gov. I wish i would have done one thing, stayed in school picked up that 4 year degree along with a masters!!!!! life is to short, do what makes you happy an provides.

 

[egoman]

I guess that I will be the disenting opinion. If you are good enough at the golf thing that it could take you further that is one thing.But I watch too many people go to university and all they are there for is because their parents are paying.You sound like you have made a choice that would set your life in the direction of something you would enjoy.Our society tends to think that higher education would make you a better person than a tradesman but its not true.Many fellow workers who have moved to canada have told me that there is no such stigma attached to this in most of europe.
The caveat here is to not do this half hearted. You need to talk to the unions in your area and get into an apprentice program and become a ticketed journeyman. It takes the same amount of time to become a tradesman as it does to get a degree.And like others have said if you really did want to go to school later ,yes you could return. The thing is most will never do it because if you enjoy your trade and your pay is satisfactory its pretty hard to justify.The real bonus is you could hustle your fellow workers at golf at least once a week to supplement your income.

 

[Eric]

I played golf all through high school, nothing wrong with that! I'm 32 years old now and for the FIRST time in my life I wish I could go to school. It only took 14 years to reach this point. If you can try to work a little WHILE you go to school, because chances are about 14 years from now when your body is starting to hurt a little, you will be glad you did! Get some education, then get to work. It's a lot harder to go back to school once you have a wife, kids, and mortgage. By the way that Tiger fella just might turn out to be a decent golfer someday, you might stick with hitting the links.

 

[637slayer]

just imagine all the different golf courses you will get to play on. who knows maybe someday you could build golf courses, or at least when you get rich buy a scraper and build your own private course.