This is absolutely fantastic. A must read/watch for all.

Work smart and hard. I got that advice from my grandpa 18 years ago.

 

,It is true many people graduating college can't find a job that They were educated for.
I knew I wasn't going to college so I took every shop class I could in high school, and Went to an area skill center On top of that

 

I really think our education system has lost its focus on what keeps our economy going. Trades are a very important part of building our communities and they should be promoted more. Finally after many, many years of promoting universities as the ultimate goal, our school system here in BC is starting to find that trades need workers (Duh!!!) and is trying to switch the focus back. I think it will a while before we see any effect though.

 

Another thing that hacks me off is when teachers tell their students not to pursue a career in a certain field because there is no future in it.

 

My AG teacher told me I couldn't make a living farming.

 

This is what years and years and years of college edumication can result in.

 

A wise man once told me to work hard...then smart. I busted @$$ from the time I was 12 to 22 working (farming, mowing, construction)...then went a different route.

I have a college degree and without it I wouldn't be where I am today...but that's not saying I wouldn't be on equal footing somewhere else without one.

I got accepted to a very good private engineering school but couldn't stomach the $100K - $120K worth of debt I'd graduate with and went to a state school instead. I actually got enough college scholarship money that I got paid to go to school. My wife was also on a full academic scholarship to a VERY expensive private school. We both graduated very much debt free but could have easily been 200K + in the hole coming out of college.

I plan on doing this corporate desk job thing for another 15-18 years or so (the money too good not to) and then get a "fun" job. That should coincide nicely with my mid-life crisis and turning 50 and having the last kid out of the house. Still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

 

"Debt" was the only 4-letter word in his house growing...same in mine.

 

I worked before and after college. My income more than tripled after I graduated. My my education was aimed at a vocation, not a general degree. My GI bill paid for the education and I worked a 40 hr week, married with two kids at the time. Wife did not work outside the home then.
I don't think it is the issue of the education that measures the amount of success of this forum's members. Besides being Nuts, this forum's membership is made up of people who are driven to succeed in spite of life's challenges, college or no college. We don't represent the general population. If we did, you know darn well how different thing would be.
In that order!

 

No degree here.

I left school after three years for what was a fun occupation back then, programming computers to do useful work. Managed to have a lot of fun at it as well (except for the 24/7/365 phone/beeper thingy, and I still hate phones).

My son did likewise and is in the newer version of the same field as I was and has an overseas development team. I believe his title is Director of Systems Architecture or some such.

My youngest daughter has a Masters and is in teaching.

My oldest daughter who has an associates in hotel and restaurant management, is busy being mommy, running a cleaning business, and is on the go all the time.

It is no contest in the income arena son wins hands down.

But they are doing what they love and that is what is needed.

There are lots of folks out there that are still searching for that and burn out as a result.