caseyfox•13d agoProlific Poster

I used to think going to college was the only smart move for a good career

For years I believed a 4 year degree was the only way to get a stable job with benefits. Then my cousin finished a 6 month welding program at our local trade school in Austin and got a job making $28 an hour right after. He has zero student debt and already bought a house. I'm now looking into HVAC certification myself. Has anyone else here made a similar switch from a college path to a trade?

2 comments

2 Comments

carter.hugo13d ago

Well hold on I think you might be looking at this wrong. The cousin who took that welding job is probably working 50-60 hour weeks some of them in a hot metal shop that'll wreck his body by 45. Plus those 28 dollar an hour jobs don't always have health insurance or retirement plans the way a company with a degree requirement might. I got a buddy who did HVAC for 10 years and now his knees are shot and he's trying to get into management just to stay out of crawlspaces. Also the college path opens doors later that a trade might not like if you want to move into a leadership role or switch industries entirely. Not saying trades are bad but the stability thing can be a trade off you don't see until later.

the_phoenix13d ago

Seems like every path has a hidden cost nobody talks about upfront.