I'm at a cross road in life and I'm looking into a skilled trade at this point. Not because I can't find other stuff but I can no longer do what I love, at least safely anyhow with this administration and the feature is not looking to bright either. So with that being said is there any other members that work skilled trades if so how long have you been doing it and tell a bit about it. I'm currently looking into the linemen trade.

I know there a few guys that are out there because we have sat around the camp fire telling tall tails Mr. Bestgen.....


Blue

Who the hell is Mr. BestGen???

Sounds like a really awesome guy...

Ever thought about going back to school? I was working as a grocery store manager making 30000 a year and hating, i mean HATING every single day. So I quit, got an entry level job at an engineering firm making 12 an hour. Going to school at night and in 2 years ill be making at least 65k a year at the firm im working at right now. And I love this job. Civil engineering is my shit!!!

Instead of reinventing yourself just yet, do you have any business ideas that would focus on your current talents and knowledge? There has been a surge in new companies and products developed by men like you who know how to design tools and products better and tougher because you've been there and understand the stress those tools need to be able to handle. Just look at where Magpul came from, out of a desire to build a more solid magazine by a former Marine, and look how they took off. You have any ideas floating around in your noggin?

I hold a Bachelors Degree already. Not really interested in continuing in that field and we will just leave that at that. It will carry over to business and I use it but not in the specialized field I studied. I'm looking at a MBA program now.

Blue

I have thought about that too. I just love working outdoors and with tools etc.

Blue

Just thinking about being a pole monkey...

My career is headed the same direction as yours and I've been thinking about what I'd do if I got out of law enforcement. I've dedicated a decade of my life to it at this point and I really have no clue what I could do outside of it. School money went out the window with budget cuts years ago so I can't afford that option. The railroad guys seem to have it really good. Amazing pension, great pay, never seen a pissed off railroader either.

I was doing the LEO thing in a way but on a international level. Honestly it sucks. That's why I have no desire to even attempt to go back in any way at all even if I could. I looked at the railroad also it was one of the ones that peaked my interest also.

Blue

You can chime in at any point about life in the union etc. Being that you are a big button pusher and all...

Blue

Hah! Idk about being a 'button pusher'! More of a lever puller! As far as life in the union, well it's sort of a two-edged sword. On the one hand, if you're working steady, the money's great. But when the jobs over and you're sitting on the 'out-of-work' list, waiting on a call-out, it sucks big time. I've seen many a union bro, making fat checks, roll up in a brand new F-350 or Harley, whatever, and later having to sell at a loss when the project ended. The old hands tell u to save for a rainy day. All jobs come to an end, u gotta weather the storm in between.

I feel ya, I too made the switch at 38 years old. Just got burned out on the business management thing. Although I was very successful, I needed a change. I found a good technical college locally and a whole new world opened up for me. I found the course work both challenging and fulfilling. Circuits 1-2, Motor controls 1-2, Digital/Devices, Physics, Technical algebra/trig, Robotics, etc. etc. etc... When I attended college we were constantly approached by companies like Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes Benz, even Corvette came calling...looking for skilled electronics techs for their manufacturing facilities.

There seems to be a great demand for Industrial Maintenance Technicians around these parts lately... With a two year IMT degree added to your resume, you shouldn't be hard pressed to find a ~30.00hr job with good benefits and retirement...Probably because manufacturing facilities know full well that they can not function without good maintenance techs and will not hesitate to pay a premium for the right people.

Currently I'm gainfully employed as a General Technician at an aluminum rolling mill. Working closely with both mechanical and electrical engineers, I'm a member of a group of fantastic people who love their work and have every reason to continue feeling optimistic about the future.

The Lineman trade is also a great choice. Those guys are pretty hard core and very tight knit around here. I think there are Ab-Initio Lineman schools you can go to that can qualify you for a good job. Us ex-military types would fit in good here I think, were I 10yrs younger and 50lbs lighter, I would have loved to have done this.

Here's a link to a lineman course in Somerset: http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV...x6Biv_NFICbiQ-

That's a dying breed. Telco and electric is all going underground. Telco isn't even hardly using copper anymore, on lines or in trenches, it's all fiber and microwave now.

Thought about firefighting? Get with the right contracting company and a wildland firefighter can make a small year's salary in a summer. Spend the winter working ski resorts and volunteering with your search and rescue, spring is spent planting trees and supervising controlled burns, then summer and fall and you're working again.

And that's if you don't want to be employed by the Forest Service. With your background and hobbies and a Bachelors in your pocket, you might find a FS job is just the ticket. It's definitely a more stable paycheck.

I see what you are saying but I just can't see all of the power lines that are now up coming down fast any time soon. Even if it is replaced it would still take a lineman to take them down.

I would have to read on that one more but good point.

I have looked into FS. As for the Firefighting thing. Sorry I'll pass, There was a reason I took the Law Enforcement first.

Like I said before I'm just at a cross road to buy and build a business that I'm currently at or take a different road in life.

Blue