I figure I'll get flamed mercilessly but I don't really care. Somethings gotta change for me and my family. Never hurts to ask anyway. Yeah this is shameless but my back is to a wall. A while back after I got out of the Army, I asked around about what to do. I was broke and jobless. Then I was all set to go to Wyotech. (The VA was going to foot the bill) So I moved out to Wyoming and a month after I got there I got offered a 55k job for Lockheed teaching students in the Army how to do the intelligence work that I did. I was torn. Should I do what I loved (cars) or the path with the money? I wanted to do the responsible thing and I thought taking a 55k job (though it wasn't what I wanted to do would make me and the wife happy) Turns out money doesnt buy happiness and i'm a miserable prick putting on a suit everyday. So I learned from my mistake and the wife says I need to do what makes me happy not what I think I should do to make money. The VA benefit is gone. Wyotech is 25k and Mcpherson is 25k per year. So I can work very little while racking up debt or I can make little to nothing and learn alot. I figure the old way of learning is the best way. Work in custom shop making little or no money but learning what schools cant teach you. I'm a hard worker and I take orders well. I was in the Army for 6 years cleaning toilets and mowing yards, doesnt bother me. I'm decent with a car. I do my own work or teach myself if I don't know something. I built my own chopper without ever having changed the oil on a motorcycle. I'm a quick learner and can figure things out. I'm willing to put in whatever hours are needed. We're willing to move anywhere in the country. We need a major change. I dont know if anyone has been down to this part of Arizona. If you have you know why we want to move out of the area. Like I said I know it's a little forward and maybe a bit desperate but I figured if anyone would know of a place it would be guys on here. Thanks guys for any leads. Didn't mean to bore anyone.
I feel you about McPhearson and the price. My wife gave me the go ahead to go there, but My problem is moving to Kansas from San Diego. She's going to look into teaching there, but They have yet to reply to her. we're going to McPhearson in January to check out how awful it could be there (remember, we are both born and raise in SoCal) during that time of year. I'm super afraid to give up a great job that I don't care for for???. At least I have her support on this one though.
If there isnt a bite in the apprenticeship there are always other tech schools that have programs that I would bet top Wyotechs(I personally havent heard fantastic things about them but the sources I have heard that from could very well be biased). I have been in school here for two years getting an AAS in Collision Repair and Refinishing at SLCC (Salt Lake Community College)to ultimately go to UVSC/UVU(Utah Valley State College, now Utah Valley University) and attend their street rod and chassis fabrication course. SLCC was just under 3g's per year as a resident. UVSC will be I believe just over 4g's for the year as a resident. I believe it is about double for tuition if you are a "new" resident and after a year you are a resident. This will have taken a total of three years as opposed to the one that Wyotech does but really I feel the extra time will absolutely be worth it. I wish I could have been at SLCC for atleast five. I have had the opportunity to learn from two super cool instructors who have been in the industry for most of their lives, they're in their 60's. They both are so full of useful information I really wish I could hang around and apprentice there or something. And I have only heard good things about the instructor at UVSC/UVU also. If not here though I have heard about other good schools around the country that have excellent courses too... I dont recall cause they didnt apply to me. I am sure someone will know of a few though.
i really don't know what to say here...i just can't understand paying to learn the skills to build a hot rod to me , i guess it just came naturally ..or i learned on my own? for the record , it did go to college..and got a degree in accounting let's see...where did that get me?
Do you Know of anything in California? I'm still at the point that I lose my teacher's credential if I leave California. I Can't go to McPhearson for two more years (the time it would take me to finish the courses so I could leave California and come back) I like the Idea of getting an actual Bachelor's Degree from McPhearson, due to the extended array of jobs available, but I'm super flexible at this point. My reservation is in the fact that I will be 30 In 2 years, and I wonder if that would hold me back. I think most of all, we are lucky to have wives that support us, regardless of what we decide to do.
I want to learn Restoration from a historic aspect. Hot Rods are something I can do on my own. I would want to work doing the historical aspects of things like museum curation, or Pebble beach level restoration. Unfortunately, the schooling matters to potential employers.
maybe in this day it is....at one time it meant somethiing . i thank God i don't have a written resume...no one would ever hire me then i judge peoples ability by what i see them do...not by some huffed up recogmendation by an " instructor" i think my customers do too your best calling card/resume is what people can see and drive good luck
I have 12 years of advanced education but don't work in that field anymore. One day, I walked away from it (for money reasons) and took a job for money. I have never regretted it. I make about 2.5x more per year than with 12 years of college and multiple advanced degrees. One should do what one loves to do but first and foremost, one must put food on the table to feed the family. It's nice that you WANT to work on cars. It would be nice if you could earn a living doing what you love to do and many/some do here, but the average Joe here would probably kill to make $55k a year working in a shop. Learning building and restoration on your own, IMHO, is the best way. Keep your day job and SAVE YOUR MONEY, work on projects, photographing everything you do. When you're ready to make the jump, you will have a resume to present to potential employers...actual finished projects that YOU BUILT. I still have my day job but I've also saved enough to open my shop. Things are fast right now, but they are moving along. When I finally jump to full time shop, at least I'll have enough business to continue to feed my family. Finally, in a long response, I'll say that while it may be wonderful to do what you love for a job, if you have to eat ALPO for 20 years of retirement and have nothing to show for 40 years of work, was it really worth it? As a social commentary, it seems todays generation is more concerned about feelings instead of obligations (not a commentary on you, just in general). Who cares if you like your job...it's something you do to earn money (the most possible) to make your life more fun. Who cares if the 8 hours at work are fun and the other 16 a day are miserable because you can't eat or play or enjoy life.
Apprentice work is still the greatest learning tool available to anyone. The main thing is that working in a shop, you get some knowledge of the full working of a business. Selling, bookkeeping, pleasing customers are all part of the equation. Building rods is a great learning experience because you learn many different trades that you can use throughout your life. When I was young I apprenticed at a sign shop, then went on to my own sign manufacturing business. I learned welding, steel and aluminum, vacuum forming, painting, electrical, metal forming, along with sales, bookkeeping, tax law, and many other things involved in business. One piece of advice to stick with, is to truly take the time to learn. Ask questions, try to do the best you can. All of the things that I learned back then, I can use today. I am retired and dabble in real estate, but can still run a good bead in any type of welding. Don't waste your time. I repeat, don't waste your time, you only have so much of it. Don't kid yourself, if you are not learning, you are falling behind. Good luck, grasshopper!
I got some good work for you if you want to come to Texas. Rite now Business is good but as you know it can change fast. I could keep you busy for awhile but 100% gaurantee I cant do. If I had good help I would probably try taking on more work which is out there. Let me know what you think Rusty
If you're working for the Civil Service, then doesn't your military time count towards your retirement? Either way, how close are you to recieving some sort of retirement from your current job? IMO, it'd be easier to 'start over' after you've retired from your current job, and are drawing some sort of retirement check to supplement your income while you go to school, and/or then apprentice into a shop. Hell, the VA supposedly has a program set up to help Veterans open up their own businesses - something along the lines of the VA Mortgage services - but don't quote me on that for 100% certainty. 27 years ago, my family left SoCal to move to Oklahoma so that us kids could be away from that 'rough' area, and my dad could open his own business. 27 years later, my dad is still struggling to have the 'good life.' He's always managed to make ends meet, but hasn't taken more than 3 week long vacations in that time - more if you count the hospital stays while he's had his 3 minor heart attacks. He has no retirement program setup, and will unfortunately work himself into the grave. Just something to think about. If you want to build and create cars, that 'drive' will keep for a few years. When you are retired, you can spend all day, every day, playing in the garage and working for yourself.
My feelings... A $25-30,000 salary will not buy much of a house, toys or essentials regardless of whether you are happy or not. In reality.... after realizing you can't send your kids to college or buy that larger home or garage or buy that dream car project because you simply dont have the money will not make you happy. Sometimes we have to make our family happy before we get to take a turn. I waited 30 years for my turn to come. Sometimes you get lucky and achieve both happiness in your work and enough money for a decent living. I wish that for you.
The race mechanic school that I run does teach some good stuff to good kids. Its been great and successful but its really the individual that controls their fate. There are those that have gone on to make good money; own their own teams and etc. There are those that went back to 'real school' to get their Mechanical Engineering degrees there are those that did well at my school then became home stereo installers. You get out of it what you put into it.
he seems to be working for Lockheed, which is a gov't contractor. And even federal civil service retirement isn't what it used to be, my wife started working for uncle the week before they changed to the new FERS system...so she gets to retire at 55 because she's in the old CSRS.
I'm all for chasing your dream job but the reality of a mortgage and insurance for the people that depend upon you has to come first. There is no reason that someone's family should have to take a back seat to job preferences. Do what gives your family the most stable environment and build out from there. If that means sucking it up for a while until you can move someplace with a better job and lower cost of living...then wait it out.
She doesn't really mean it. Once kids come along and you need the money, it will always be there that you used to make double. Maybe not in her mind but it will be in yours until you get to the point you've long surpassed that figure and any increases you would have had if you would have stayed. It is a death spiral. You make more, you learn to spend it. Once you try to go back, you can't remember how you lived without it. Keep the crappy day job, learn on the side, get a good garage/shop to work out of, and do what you enjoy after hours. I know plenty of folks (a few HAMBers) that used to do this stuff for a living and learned to hate it because it wasn't fun anymore. Let the day job not be fun and put food on the table and an English Wheel in the garage. I know, there are plenty on here that say they do this and make a living and love every minute of it. Good for you, I say. I'm all for it but how much experience did you have to start with? If he's looking at going for an educational facility to learn, there isn't enough background to open a successful shop just yet.
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