My school is r3v

[PiercedE30]

Linus, I absolutely agree with you on everything you said. When I was at Formosa, I had a 20 ton pipe, about 40 - 50 feet long that we were bull rigging into a pipe rack, fall on my foot. Luckily I had my steel toes on. I was standing on the edge of the pipe rack disconnecting it from the crane. It was balanced just perfectly to be able to go either way if weight was put on either side of it. It wasn't the full 20 tons on my foot, but it was definitely enough to bruise the inside of my foot pretty bad. I was limping for a good 4 months. If I stepped on anything bare foot, it would shoot pain through my leg. It sucked. But the money is good, I was able to save up close to 25 grand and went back to school. I know that once I do go back to blue collar work, I will be putting about 75% of of each check into a savings account and then into a CD or IRA or something. Then when I feel the time is right, probably a couple of year, then I will be ready to go back to school. I want to be able to build a house, a garage, still be single, and then go back so that I don't have to worry about housing and shit like you do when you are young and in school.
If you have the drive and determination, then hell yea, get a degree. But my point of view has be tainted, as Linus said, by the money.

[Turf1600]

ummmmmm yeah I do. If an employer has 2 equal resumes, one with a degree and one without, which one do you think they will pick? That's called a leg up. Just because you are doing well without a degree does not mean that they are useless and people are wasting their time by getting one. I guarantee you I will make more money, have more benefits, retire wealthier and have better working conditions. Period.

Holy freaking shit. Did I not mention that I'm still getting my degree? And that I encourage EVERYONE to go to school? I'm the only person who even bothered to reccomend that this guy go to night school for business.

You assholes also have it hammered into your mind that you have to work for someone your entire life. My point has been and will always be - people without a degree have just as many oppertunities. This is the truth. They have just as many avenues (maybe not the same ones) to wealth as everyone else. will it be harder? Yes. Can they still do it? Ofcourse! Mariano had it right - you guys are dead set on the beaten path to mediocrity.

And as for your guarantee - meet me back in 30 years and we'll see. I can promise that I probably have the easiest working conditions and BY FAR the best benefits on here. And retirement - I've got 2 fully funded roth IRAs yielding a minimum of 12% annually. Compound that for 40 years, please.

[CorvallisBMW]

My point is this: Don't act like you've got a leg up on everyone without a degree because you don't.

ummmmmm yeah I do. If an employer has 2 equal resumes, one with a degree and one without, which one do you think they will pick? That's called a leg up. Just because you are doing well without a degree does not mean that they are useless and people are wasting their time by getting one. I guarantee you I will make more money, have more benefits, retire wealthier and have better working conditions. Period.

[Ryan Stewart]

Exactly. We have a 100% placement rate for the last 5 years for industrial engineers here. Guaranteed job w/ benefits + $50K or more first year + excellent job security = FTMFW

Aint that the truth.

My brother's company (MechE) had to stop shopping for new meat at the college he came out of because the fuckers were getting too damned expensive. He had to get his new staff from second tier engineering schools (like mine, which is mostly Business and Journalism).

And that comment about college grads making $7 an hour. YOur friends must be utter morons or have a degree in basketweaving (redundant since they are morons for getting a fluff degree). Go be an accountant or something if you want to make money out of college. An african American history degree wont get you shit.

[Turf1600]

ok, what does an ira have to do with education, i'd say thats more of a matter of ones financial allocations wouldn't you? the post isn't "r3v is my financial advisor." wow, what a great argument, its hard to reply when the statement has so little to do with the discussion. at what point did i or anyone say that you can't lead a fullfilling, successful life & career without a degree? it's been proven that college graduates make more, on average, that non college grads, repeatedly. your an exception, congrats, way to not brag. not everyone will be so lucky. are you picking me because i'm "new" here, because i'm not really new to the intraweb, or petty, insecure statements. get over yourself. those with educations seem to understand that we're not all cut out for higher education, while those without continue to justify themselves, while no one is arguing with them. and if you are in the process of getting a degree, what kind of anti-education leg do you have to stand on anyway. why not retire and let some other guy have your office & sweet job to better those who chose not to further their education, those you defend.

seems linus hit that nail, imo.

oh, and i get to paid to post to, while i work from home. the couch is my office, so is the chairlift.

My point is this: Don't act like you've got a leg up on everyone without a degree because you don't. As for bragging - I'm the LAST person to openly state how well I'm doing. IIRC you were one of the first. I've been an advocate of education all along - if you would bother to read everything I've said. My only point is that with some creativity and hard work people without degrees have boundless oppertunities. Don't come in here and talk about how long it will take someone without a degree to catch up with your experience - because it's BS. People like myself have been working full time and going to school since they were 18. Pampered, parent paid college life cannot compete with that. Sure, it will take me 2 extra years or more to get my degree - but I've already got people working under me.

What pisses me off about this thread is everyone is picking and choosing tid bits of info to argue against - and also everyone is assuming this is a trade school VS college debate. It's not. This guy is still going to school - or so he says.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Just to clarify, I never said dont go get a degree/go to trade school, just stated where I'm at, good luck to each of you with your own choices.

[gstuning]

Linus and StereoInstaller hit the nail RIGHT on the head.

I can give you dozen of examples of why school will make things easier down the road.
Hell I´m one of them. Two times over even.

Don´t look at right now and the next two years as how it´s going to be, are you going to have solid vacation time when you turn 50 if you keep in the trade?
What happens when you go on retirement?

People make their own futures and make their own choices,

[StereoInstaller1]

OK since this thread has turned into kind of a shitfest, let me throw a bit more, please.

It is really easy to get a job as a ditch digger with a masters degree.

It is impossible to get a job as a (lawyer, doctor, engineer, whatever) without a diploma.

Get your degree NOW, while you can.

If I read this right, I am the oldest person to post in your thread.

I am 44. I have been doing what I do since 1980. I am the #1 most experienced stereo installer in the state of Oregon. Big fucking deal. That and $2 will get you a cup of coffee most anywhere.

When I was young, I was making $45K/yr on average...age 22 and on. Busting my ass, I made about $60K in 1985...WAY fucking more money than most any damn doctor or lawyer I knew.

I am a 9th grade dropout.

The money dried up...bad. In 1995, I made about $30K. Hows that sound...10 years more experience, HUGE inflation in cost of living, and I made half as much money.

How the hell was I to know the money would end? How was I to know I would hurt myself many many times....spend months on end lying on my back hurting so fucking bad it took 10 minutes to get up to go piss?

Trust me on this...finish your degree (ANY fucking degree!) NOW, while you can.

Luke

[whiltebeitel]

This thread isn't "college vs. trade" either. it's "the guys at my tech school are just like the goofers on r3v"

Thread jack FTL

[quikveedb2]

How long until you catch up to 2 fully funded IRAS?

ok, what does an ira have to do with education, i'd say thats more of a matter of ones financial allocations wouldn't you? the post isn't "r3v is my financial advisor." wow, what a great argument, its hard to reply when the statement has so little to do with the discussion. at what point did i or anyone say that you can't lead a fullfilling, successful life & career without a degree? it's been proven that college graduates make more, on average, that non college grads, repeatedly. your an exception, congrats, way to not brag. not everyone will be so lucky. are you picking me because i'm "new" here, because i'm not really new to the intraweb, or petty, insecure statements. get over yourself. those with educations seem to understand that we're not all cut out for higher education, while those without continue to justify themselves, while no one is arguing with them. and if you are in the process of getting a degree, what kind of anti-education leg do you have to stand on anyway. why not retire and let some other guy have your office & sweet job to better those who chose not to further their education, those you defend.

seems linus hit that nail, imo.

oh, and i get to paid to post to, while i work from home. the couch is my office, so is the chairlift.

[LINUS]

I hope maybe one of you 18 year old kids will listen to me, as I'm the voice of 35 year old you telling you to stay in school. At least for those of you being lured by the money of trade work, thinking that that's a way better way to go than to rack up student loans.

I know the quick cash sounds good now vs. going to school, but do you really want to be out in the elements, doing blue collar work when you hit your 50th birthday?

I fell for the cash, and now due to blowing my back I'm being given, or converting what my situation is, the opportunity to go back to school. Somehow I made it to 35 without most of the scars (alimony, children, whatever) that a lot of people have.

But no more.

I plan to get dragged kicking & screaming out of graduate school somewhere - and honestly then it would only be for a job that I am passionate about & that pays well enough that I never have to balance a checkbook, just round off in my head. Paid well enough that I can comfortably afford my DD being a leased car, and not some Toyota Tercel either.

Don't get me wrong - I love working outside. I'm at home when I've got water dripping off my nose & I start the morning with a hot cup of coffee outside on a cold jobsite. The big "BUT" is that it's kinda heavy labor - and it's getting to be tough @ 35, let alone doing it on my 45th, 55th, and quite possibly my 65th birthday. F that.

Just because I'm good at most heavy trades doesn't mean I have to do it as a profession. Pick something that's not overly taxing, and save your skills for your fun time projects. I'd sooner finish law school & do that for work, leaving things like welding & such for hobbies.

But whatever - we all need mechanics & construction workers. Just realize that when you hit the salary cap quite quickly, that the degreed individual will still be increasing in his salary worth all through his late 30's, 40's, & 50's - he might even be so "into" his profession that he doesn't want to quit the very 1st day he's eligible for retirement.

Not to say that blue collar guys don't want to stay out there past the very day thay can retire, but your body is generally so worn out you are counting down the days until you can just call it good, stay home & give your body a rest from that trade work.

If you think I'm full of crap, whatever - Have a nice day.

[craig4ie]

I believe a person's success is in their own hands. Whether they have an education or not does not necessarily matter. Those who are motivated and driven to succeed will most often find a way to do so.

That said, In five months I will be graduating with my bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. I have a 50K+ job waiting for me (to start) that has huge advancement potential. I will be employable all over the world for the rest of my life.

This opportunity has been made possible by my education.

and...for the rest of my life, people with goofy arts degrees will serve coffee to me!!!

[mudflaps]

just join the military, that way you can blow shit up and get a sweet paycheck.

[Turf1600]

uh yeah, except i worked in the field which i was studying while in school, so when i was done i had a degree and the 4 years of experience, in addition to the years of experience in the field i compiled before i started my college education. how long until the no school boys catch up to that?

;)

How long until you catch up to 2 fully funded IRAS?

[Turf1600]

i'm with you dude, 100%. i'm 22, own a house, lots of toys, good job, no degree (20 credits shy of a bs).

while i think school is really important, its not everything. 90% of my friends went to 4 year colleges... they don't have shit to show for it, but a $7/hr job and a bunch of school debt. us 10% still go to school, own houses, pay off school debt as it comes, and already make a good amount of money for our age. and one thing we have over the school boys... 4 years of real world experience! it cannot be replaced. guess how long its going to take them to catch up?

Thank god. I love you man! I was starting to doubt myself lol