OT - Career suggestions for son! :)

[BLKGUY2006]

@BLKGUY2006, your side gig happen to be in ES&H? Seems like a lot of the environmental, safety, and health outfits have firefighters on payroll. The jobs do go hand in hand.

Cage99

I can’t say I know any that do that on the side. Many run lawn care, businesses, or work part-time at volunteer fire stations. I worked in security then to a local grocery store. That grocery store was great. Now I just detail cars here and there and pick up overtime..

 

[gauge22-v2]

Quick update, hot off the press.

I worked my network, and my son is starting this Tuesday with an fairly large electrical company (residential, commercial, and solar).

They completely support the required work for him to get his ticket (schooling etc).

 

[BLKGUY2006]

Quick update, hot off the press.

I worked my network, and my son is starting this Tuesday with an fairly large electrical company (residential, commercial, and solar).

They completely support the required work for him to get his ticket (schooling etc).

Heck yea!!!! Electricians are always going to be in high demand!!!! I’m happy for him!!

 

[j2048b]

Pilot
Cyber security
Military (can lead to both or one above)
Engineering / aerospace, cloud, multiple options here)
Architecture in anything including IT,
Project management
Aircraft specialist (or even mechanic)
Sciences
AI,
Cloud architecture
Systems engineering (can be on the tradesman side as well with oil and gas, electric companies)

Electricians get paid well
Linesman

Fema

DOD
BOEING
NORTHROP

3 letter agencies

 

[3BILLS]

Sanitation engineer ..well

Garbage man

 

[Samson250]

Sanitation engineer ..well

Garbage man

I remember that episode as being really interesting actually he has some great stories and dude made money man!

 

[luki7788]

don't plan a career for him - that's the worst thing you can do for a young person

let him find something he really loves and start doing it - then he'll work and live happily "without working a single day in his life"

 

[3BILLS]

I remember that episode as being really interesting actually he has some great stories and dude made money man!

I'm a garbage man to and he's spot on

 

[gauge22-v2]

don't plan a career for him - that's the worst thing you can do for a young person

let him find something he really loves and start doing it - then he'll work and live happily "without working a single day in his life"

Absolutely! Was gathering ideas that I sent to him. We talked it through a ton.

I also hammered it home to him that careers CAN and WILL change throughout your life. One path may open up exposure to other things you never knew you would enjoy, then it is down a different path.

 

[Orville Shreddenbacher]

Absolutely! Was gathering ideas that I sent to him. We talked it through a ton.

I also hammered it home to him that careers CAN and WILL change throughout your life. One path may open up exposure to other things you never knew you would enjoy, then it is down a different path.

Hopefully the electrical field opens the door to being a lineman I work on the road half the year and run into them in hotels. They make a ton of money

 

[Heath82]

Hopefully the electrical field opens the door to being a lineman I work on the road half the year and run into them in hotels. They make a ton of money

If they stop taxing overtime… these guys working the storms will make a fortune. We had guys roll out from Texas headed to Georgia/florida.

 

[Bleed]

All the guys in my family that did well with no degrees were union plumbers and electricians. But a few of them have had multiple knee replacements by 50. The rest are so beat up they cant or dont want to do anything outside of work. I was told not to go into trades because of it. The hardwork isnt an issue. Sacrificing health is.

I was told to "go into computers" when I was a teenager.

If your kid is as smart as you say he is, then engineering is a great option. If he can hack the math, engineering, labs, the sky is the limit. You dont need to be the best of the best either. Just got to an ABET accredited school. C's will get you in the door because the washout rate is high and the number of people who dont have the organizational skills to manage million dollar projects is also high.

Civil engineers can work literally anywhere in the world. The pay is good to excellent. You work in an AC building most of the time and you are paid for your specialized knowledge that cant easily be replaced. Then theres the PE (professional engineer) that is paid for the stamp on all the projects they work on that cant be replaced by a machine. And even if they could (which isnt happening because you cant sue a computer when a bridge fails), it's not a huge deal because most have such a broad skillset that they're set for life.

It's trendy to hate on an education but it pays off. Especially when you are 40 plus years old. It's not low stress but to me its better than limping around or not being able to lift your hands over your head.

 

[Barbell-king SC]

Why am I asking PM about this? Well I actually trust the opinions here.

He is 20 and a bit aimless. Working in a cell phone shop.

He is amazingly brilliant with math, physics etc. He is rebuilding laptops (old chasis making them "sleeper" laptops).

He is a geek at heart, regardless of playing football for 10 years. Yes, he works out!

Things I have suggested:
- CFA
- Internet security
- Electrician

Any suggestions that might be a fit? Any experience that you have had that led you into a lucrative/rewarding career?

BTW - he has VERY little interest in taking traditional university.

Boom truck operator can definitely be a great job especially when you start running the crane and your own jobs made me a good life

 

[juiceball44]

I went to an hvac trade school 1 year program and I was out and working for an hvac company in 6 months. 4 years of working for different companies I took my states license exams (1 trade exam and 1 business and finance exam) and became a licensed hvac contractor.

Started a business by myself, bought a van for $5k, small storage unit $100/month and built a solid customer base by just word of mouth and referrals. I’m still working in the field now but soon I’ll be able to just do estimates and have my guys to all the work. Can do $1M+ in sales annually with one sales guy and a crew of 2 guys doing 2-3 ac installs a week.

 

[hevi-head]

All the guys in my family that did well with no degrees were union plumbers and electricians. But a few of them have had multiple knee replacements by 50. The rest are so beat up they cant or dont want to do anything outside of work. I was told not to go into trades because of it. The hardwork isnt an issue. Sacrificing health is.

I was told to "go into computers" when I was a teenager.

If your kid is as smart as you say he is, then engineering is a great option. If he can hack the math, engineering, labs, the sky is the limit. You dont need to be the best of the best either. Just got to an ABET accredited school. C's will get you in the door because the washout rate is high and the number of people who dont have the organizational skills to manage million dollar projects is also high.

Civil engineers can work literally anywhere in the world. The pay is good to excellent. You work in an AC building most of the time and you are paid for your specialized knowledge that cant easily be replaced. Then theres the PE (professional engineer) that is paid for the stamp on all the projects they work on that cant be replaced by a machine. And even if they could (which isnt happening because you cant sue a computer when a bridge fails), it's not a huge deal because most have such a broad skillset that they're set for life.

It's trendy to hate on an education but it pays off. Especially when you are 40 plus years old. It's not low stress but to me its better than limping around or not being able to lift your hands over your head.

A Civil Engineer is just another field of engineering just like structural, electrical and mechanical.
All of them require the PE level and have the stamp be able to stamp the drawing. All of them can be engineers but an extra layer is required for the stamp.

 

[Sectør]

Hopefully the electrical field opens the door to being a lineman I work on the road half the year and run into them in hotels. They make a ton of money

Yeah lineman make bank. Used to run the financials for a few line construction companies. Starting pay typically around $40/hr, with some of the more experienced guys pushing $80/hr. Obviously this varies by location and company

If you have your contractors license, even better. Some people were kept on payroll and paid just for the usage of their license

Then you add in the heavy overtime, anywhere from 60-80 hours a week + per diem. They were making more than they could spend.

Sadly it does seem to be a high turnover position. Many people had issues with drugs and stimulants working crazy hours, coupled with the frequent drug testing. There was always a need for more lineman

Back to OPs question though:
Cybersecurity and AI have extreme potential if the trade school route doesn't interest your son

 

[hevi-head]

Why am I asking PM about this? Well I actually trust the opinions here.

He is 20 and a bit aimless. Working in a cell phone shop.

He is amazingly brilliant with math, physics etc. He is rebuilding laptops (old chasis making them "sleeper" laptops).

He is a geek at heart, regardless of playing football for 10 years. Yes, he works out!

Things I have suggested:
- CFA
- Internet security
- Electrician

Any suggestions that might be a fit? Any experience that you have had that led you into a lucrative/rewarding career?

BTW - he has VERY little interest in taking traditional university.

Not sure of your location but look into elevator mechanic/installer. They have the highest wages and best benefits of all the union construction trades

 

[Bleed]

The PE level is not required to work in any field of engineering. There are EIs (engineer interns) and designers in all fields who do not have PEs.

The only one with a stamp is the PE. The PEs name and seal go on the signature sheet. All other sheets they are responsible for get their name, firm, and PE number in the title block.

The rest of the engineers perform work on the jobs with the PEs name bearing ultimate responsibility. They develop the plan set and actually create the plans for the PE.

Structural engineering falls under civil engineering. You need basic Statics and structures classes before you can take steel or concrete design.

Most electrical engineers dont have PEs.

To be called a PE in any field you have to take a 9 hour test after having 4 to 5 years as an intern.

Civil engineers and electrical can literally work in any state or any country in their profession. Thats why I put the emphasis on civil.

A Civil Engineer is just another field of engineering just like structural, electrical and mechanical.
All of them require the PE level and have the stamp be able to stamp the drawing. All of them can be engineers but an extra layer is required for the stamp.

 

[Cv215]

I wish i would have started trading the financial markets out of highschool or earlier because thats when i think your best equipped to learn those skills. It is extremely difficult and you have to really really want it and enjoy what youre doing, but so is becoming a doctor. Successfull traders probably make about 10 times more for a fraction of the work though.

 

[Shelby]

I wish i would have started trading the financial markets out of highschool or earlier because thats when i think your best equipped to learn those skills. It is extremely difficult and you have to really really want it and enjoy what youre doing, but so is becoming a doctor. Successfull traders probably make about 10 times more for a fraction of the work though.

Just curious how you're getting these numbers (I'm clueless on this stuff, other than Google lol). I think an average doctor makes about $250k nowadays? So a successful trader is making 2.5 million per year? How successful do you have to be? Like what percentage of traders make that much, and how much is attributed to skill?