Is it difficult to balance trades with college?

[Epicwinguy]

I will work outside with my hands if it needs to be done, but really don't want to do it for life. If I were to take college classes while workin a trade, what would be the best way to balance it?

 

[Bible_Belt]

Do you have ideas about which trades and which degrees interest you? A lot of tradesman work is indoor stuff, at least out of the weather.

 

[Epicwinguy]

My degree would be in finance or teaching. As for trades I always hear plumbing, carpentry, electrician as examples. Im not interested but I need better money for my master life plan.

 

[speed dawg]

What are you best at, tinkering/working with your hands, or school? My advice would be take your skills (assuming it's the trades), and cater your education around that. If you are good at electrical work, think about maybe getting a business degree, so you'll have that background to start an electrical company or something, which works for any trade. If you're hardcore, get an electrical engineering degree.

I am the opposite, I'm more of a thinker, so I went and got a high-powered degree, although I'm not very good with my hands. What I've tried to do, is cater my 'tinkering' around my degree. Still haven't found a way to do that yet though, but eventually I do want to start my own side business doing some type of trade, may be as simple as striping parking lots.

If you don't want a degree, there are high-skill manufacturing trades out there, take a look around your immediate area. But be advised, those jobs are usually meant for the local workforce, because they can teach you the specialized stuff. To truly rise up with a trade, I think you need some educational background.

 

[Epicwinguy]

What are you best at, tinkering/working with your hands, or school? My advice would be take your skills (assuming it's the trades), and cater your education around that. If you are good at electrical work, think about maybe getting a business degree, so you'll have that background to start an electrical company or something, which works for any trade. If you're hardcore, get an electrical engineering degree.

I am the opposite, I'm more of a thinker, so I went and got a high-powered degree, although I'm not very good with my hands. What I've tried to do, is cater my 'tinkering' around my degree. Still haven't found a way to do that yet though, but eventually I do want to start my own side business doing some type of trade, may be as simple as striping parking lots.

If you don't want a degree, there are high-skill manufacturing trades out there, take a look around your immediate area. But be advised, those jobs are usually meant for the local workforce, because they can teach you the specialized stuff. To truly rise up with a trade, I think you need some educational background.

Ah. You are mistaken, in fact. I am more of a school person. Hate working manual labor (did it before. Labor office.)

As far as skills though, my only real skills are some line cook experience and customer service. Maybe I could get a job at a warehouse (at least some climate control there sometimes.) Only big thing holding me back is my lack of college credits. I am 23 and at least 3 years from any degree I could get a job with (thanks to moving so much).

 

[Bible_Belt]

If you want a tech job where you work indoors, there are a lot of them in the medical field. Every big expensive piece of equipment in a hospital has a tech job associated with it: ekg, x-ray/scan, dialysis. The school required is usually minimal. I think you would do a lot better job-wise with a 2-year medical degree than a 4-year bachelor's like finance. The sad truth of modern education is that most 4-year degrees being handed out are worth far less than the debt incurred to purchase them. If you want a bachelor's that actually gets you a decent job (and you're not Ivy League), you had better pick something really hard that no one wants to do, like engineering, math, or hardcore science.

 

[speed dawg]

Ah. You are mistaken, in fact. I am more of a school person. Hate working manual labor (did it before. Labor office.)

As far as skills though, my only real skills are some line cook experience and customer service. Maybe I could get a job at a warehouse (at least some climate control there sometimes.) Only big thing holding me back is my lack of college credits. I am 23 and at least 3 years from any degree I could get a job with (thanks to moving so much).

Either way, the advice still stands. Why are you even looking at trades, in your case?

Go to school, get a good degree. If you are attempting to find work while you go to school, you still need to identify what it is you are good at. I wish I had done this when I was your age. Do you have any idea what type of degree you want? What subjects were your best in high school?

 

[Epicwinguy]

Either way, the advice still stands. Why are you even looking at trades, in your case?

Go to school, get a good degree. If you are attempting to find work while you go to school, you still need to identify what it is you are good at. I wish I had done this when I was your age. Do you have any idea what type of degree you want? What subjects were your best in high school?

I spent a lot of the last 23 years wasting time on video games and internet trolling. I haven't really learned many skills. I've been told im a good writer, I work out but im not body builder, and I know a bit about cooking.

I wanted a degree in business or financing to get my foot in the door some places. I was **** at math all through high school but I took a couple college classes for math and find I understand it pretty well when I actually try. As for what I was good at in high school? I always loved history.

 

[TheCuckSlayer]

I wouldn't be wondering *if* you can learn a trade while in college, I would question "why"?

Based on your responses, it's clear you would have to learn said trade before working and earning money. Given that you're not interested in a trade in the long run and assuming 4 years for college, why would you spend 2 years learning a trade only to have 2 years to work in it?

If your goal is to get a college education and break into the middle class income level with a white collar job ASAP, I'd say start school as soon as you can and devote extra time to securing financial aid and earning money on the side in whatever hustles you can make - preferably those that don't involve more up front time/money investment.

I'd also strongly recommend considering beginning your 4 year degree with 2 years at a community college. Especially since you've expressed uncertainty toward your field of study.

 

[speed dawg]

I spent a lot of the last 23 years wasting time on video games and internet trolling. I haven't really learned many skills. I've been told im a good writer, I work out but im not body builder, and I know a bit about cooking.

I wanted a degree in business or financing to get my foot in the door some places. I was **** at math all through high school but I took a couple college classes for math and find I understand it pretty well when I actually try. As for what I was good at in high school? I always loved history.

Love history + enjoy trolling = be a lawyer.