Discussion recently at my college is about an associate degree in welding. I questioned it, do we really need a degree; there’s already a certificate. They insist there’s a market for it.
Most union trades have an apprenticeship program that lasts several years that’s a combination of classroom and on the job training where they’re paid. Some trades you can take classes at community college and get a decent job, such as HVAC tech or auto mechanic.
Welding is more than making two pieces of metal stick together. Anything critical requires additional credentials. Do you want the farmer boy welding your sky scraper, pipeline, or bridge? Do you want your $100K metal goods to be cut on and welded by someone that can’t read a tape measure? Good welders also need to know how to read blue prints, types of metals (including alloys), and what welding process is needed for the application. Sure you can learn on the job or just as a hobby. It is much easier and faster to learn in a classroom setting.
I am the hobby welder. I have a commercial mig welder that I do most of my hobby work. My brother was a welding instructor but never taught me. I was self taught and graduate of youtube university. I have no issues welding things up but I know my limits. Last year, I did take a night welding class to learn stick welding. I am now pretty good with the stick welder. I bought a gas powered stick welder for all my portable welding jobs.
I will have no issues building a trailer, farm bridge, farm equipment, motorcycles, or even metal building. I will not build someone else these things. I don’t have the certifications or liability insurance so I just stay in my lane.
Here are the issues with doing a trade like welding. It is HOTTTT and to be safe from things like skin cancer and lung cancer it is going to be even hotter. Most welding jobs are shop type jobs in low or non critical things. These jobs are plentiful but pay and benefits sucks. If you have a mobile welder, skills, and no family you can go make bank laying pipe. Soon the bridge builders in Maryland are going to get paid nicely. Willing to travel, work 60+ hours, and you can make $200K.
So is the industry saying there is a market for it ??? Or is the college saying there is a market for it ?? Im betting its the latter…
This is the way!!! Locally there is a Votech that you can do the 18 month welding program for about $5,000. If you go to the places like Tulsa Welding School or the others that are blowing up on social media, you are going to pay $50K for the 8-10 month program. Also for high schoolers, they can often do these programs for free during their junior and senior year. This is what my brother did. High school untilo lunch then Votech after lunch. When he was 18 and graduated he was doing mobile welding making $30/hr + $50/hr truck rental + perdiem. He would bank about $20K in a short period then not work for 3-6 months until he needed money again.
IMO, two trades would be the best to go into.
HVAC. They are shielded from the federal epa license. This keeps homeowner or average contractor out of the trade. It also keeps illegals out of the trade undercutting your margins.
Electrician. WIth the push to electrify everything, there is going to be never ending amount of work. Most people are afraid of electricity.
A bonus that doesn’t require trade school. Septic tank pumper. This job is 100% secure. DIYers aren’t going to pump their own turds. The guy I hired to pump mine was a former store manager for Walgreens. He said this was the best job he ever had. He makes $1,000 before lunch and usually only works half days. He said his used truck only cost him $20K.
Way back when I was in high school there was a work program like that. One buddy took drafting, certain math classes and metal shop classes at school then worked at a local machine shop in the afternoon that hired him full time after graduation. He worked there for years and bought the place when the owner retired. The sooner a youngster knows what they want to do the better, I’m sure a lot of people wasted 4 years and a lot of money in college to realize what ever they got their degree in isn’t for them.
Yeah good question. I’m not yet convinced industry needs/wants it.
Around here, you add plumber to the list. Getting one to your house can be difficult as getting a doctor’s appointment in this decade.
I would suspect some loans, government program, etc is tied to a degree and not a certificate. Just a guess.
Not 100% sure, but I don’t think so.
It often seems like 90% of the college degrees being offered are fairly worthless.
And considering the tuition people are paying, that is pretty tragic.
Good for Gen Z for checking out the trades.
That’s true, college isn’t for everyone and the sooner someone realizes that the better. My son’s buddies all went to college and graduated last summer or earlier and all have good jobs. A friends kid went to college for 2 years and hated it, he got into the the IBEW and loves it. He’s in a lineman apprenticeship program at a big local company and is doing well. IMO the problem is a lot of young people don’t know what they want to do and end up working crappy jobs with no future.
I’m shocked at what a plumber costs. I got a quote to remove and later reinstall a toilet for wood flooring to go down. It was $300 each visit, took me 10 minutes to pull and a buddy helped me put it back in over 15 minutes.
I know that you can use your 529 plan to pay for trade schools.
Several years ago I couldn’t replace my handle on my toilet.
Called a buddy who was a plumber but he didn’t answer.
Figured out it was left handed threaded, but doesn’t say that on the package.
He called me back and I told him that it was a conspiracy between the makers of part and the plumbers so they could charge $100 just to show up.
Only reason why I didn’t add plumber to my list is because it is not difficult and any tom dick or harry that doesn’t mind getting their hands really dirty can do 90% of plumbing related things. I DIY my plumbing. It is not rocket science. I trenched about 100’ to add a RV dump into my septic. I also trenched the other way for the bathroom addition. I also installed new pex water lines in the house. The only thing I drew the line at was getting my septic pumped. Sure I could go get a sewage pump and some IBC totes and haul 1,000 gallons of shitty sludge, or I could pay a guy $400 to do it for me. I am about to build a shop and I am going to dig and install a small septic tank for the shop for the toilet I am going to install.
We have a grinder in our basement because it is below the water line.
When it went out replacing that was the worst DIY I have ever done in my life.
Not really that difficult, but, well, you know.
Trying to get our son to do it - HVAC or auto repair in HS. He is brainwashed by having access to free college in Texas which is real but likely doesn’t have the maturity at 18 to take full advantage. When he is mature, it’s an awesome deal because if he’s an RA at a dorm, it is truly free college
Thinking a trade could help him with some maturity and be an option if he needs a gap year or FT college just isn’t for him right away. Even if he doesn’t get free college in Texas, he’s an independent student at most colleges for financial aid which helps as we only had four years to save
We also have a great community college program for these trades or business. I’d like to see him have a business of some type or even become an attorney. He gets much lower grades but is much better at logic and rhetoric. It’s just about finding what motivates him more than being a professional gamer or professional athlete