what trade would you guys recommend for a teenage boy?

Wow, the ambition of the posters in this thread in mind boggling! Plumbers, electricians, crane operators, waiters, sheet metal workers, HVAC, computer technician, and on and on. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with any of those professions, by any means. I know for a fact, that my plumber (he's French BTW, my wife loves it how he says "twalette" for toilet), makes a great deal more money than I do. But I don't think this is, or should be, about money. If the kid is passionate about being a guitar player, let him, for God's sake, be a guitar player. If he is really passionate, you won't be able to stop him anyway.

I think, that as a parent it is wrong to push a child in a direction he (or she) does not want to go, or has no interest in. Of course, as a parent you want only the best for your child, and "job security" is something you wish for him. Especially given all the insecurity relating to so many jobs in the US these days. As a parent, you also have to realize that a child has to find his or her own way. And "security" only comes from within, not necessarily from a job.

If the kid is passionate about music, no matter how good or how bad you perceive him to be, let him try. So what if he finds out that he can't cut it? My oldest son is pretty good at playing the violin. In May of 2002, at age 10 he played with the string orchestra of his teacher at Carnegie Hall in NYC. However, he is not a passionate violin player. He says he wants to be a goldsmith. Which is better? Which provides better job security? You tell me. All I can do, is gently guide and steer him, never force him. Force does not work.

As far as finding your own way, that happened to me too. I had to find my own passion. I tried to become a dentist before I dropped out of school and became a goldsmith. I went to dental school for other reasons than passion about fixing teeth. I am much happier being a goldsmith, although my parents did not approve of my choice when I made that choice. My life would have turned out much different, had my parents supported my choices rather than forced me in a direction they thought was "better" for me. For one thing, my relationship with them would have been a lot better.

I lecture about my work from time to time. When students ask me what "it takes", I almost always tell them, that they have to be passionate about what they do. That is the only thing that has gotten me through hard times. I think Billy Joel said: "If you don't love what you are doing, you are just wasting your time."

Sorry if I rambled a bit Grant, I am sure you only wish the best for your son, and you are concerned. Right now I may have it a bit easier, because my boys are only 12 and 8. They are not teenagers yet. Everybody tells me I better hold on to my pants the next 10 years or so.

Being a parent sure is an interesting ride.

Abrasha

formatting link

Reply to
Abrasha
Loading thread data ...

Haha! Mine is 16. You need to hold onto your pants and everything else. Most of all, stock up on plenty of whatever calms you down...booze, soft music, or drugs. I recommend drugs.

Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Heavy metal..... sheet metal......If he went into black smithing he would still be working with "heavy metal"...or iron worker...

Reply to
Bruce

"An interesting ride" is only the half of it. The general tenor of most of these responses is one of optimism. It doesn't always work out so nicely. Every bum, every derelict you see was once someone's pride and joy. Even with the best of efforts, sometimes it just doesn't work out. Most people have far less control over how their kids turn out than they think they do.

Mark (been there)

Reply to
M

I agree. I've raised five children and survived the notorious teenage years (not without some scars), I can tell you that you can't push them anywhere. You can encourage, praise, cajole, guide, support, entice (or any other word you want to insert); but in the end they make the decision. Plus it seems that their decision didn't have anything to do with what you did or didn't do. We all have our free agency. The only virtue that parents can use that guarantees some influence is love.

Plus, I'm an example in that I didn't listen to my dad who strongly encouraged a college education in any field of my choosing . Since I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up, I started but dropped out after one year. I kick myself now, but what can ya do? You make your decision and then you pay the price. It's all about consequences. I've tried using myself as a bad example to my kids. It worked on two of my girls, but my two boys are on the same road I took. I'm not happy, but you can't live their lives for them.

Lane

Reply to
Lane

Indeed.

Call it kharma, luck, probablility, or whatever..but it is part and parcel of our everyday lives.

Gunner

"Gun Control, the theory that a 110lb grandmother should fist fight a 250lb 19yr old criminal"

Reply to
Gunner

Hehe, today I managed to drill three 1/8" holes in a steel bar, position it over a slug of aluminum, spot the holes through the cylinder and tap 'em, and get everything to line up right. :) But it was on the wrong (aka not square) side of the cylinder and the steel traces out a cone as the cylinder spins. Poop. (That's the crank arm for my power hacksaw project BTW.) Screw luck, it doesn't work :^)

Tim

-- "I have misplaced my pants." - Homer Simpson | Electronics,

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --+ Metalcasting and Games:

formatting link

Reply to
Tim Williams

Been thinking about the original question as all the banter back and forth goes on.

I'd say a good potential job is building engineer. You know, those guys who maintain the systems in larger buildings. By getting a boiler certificate, as well as learning some HVAC and control circuit stuff, plus the rudiments of plumbing, electrical and carpentry, you can make a pretty good wage without busting your backside.

Every larger skyscraper and most smaller buildings have someone on staff who spends 90% of their time changing light bulbs and other piddly projects. They need the skills to run the boilers and HVAC along with other general skills so tend to make a good wage due to these skills. In higher tech buildings, there is more interesting stuff like PLCs and control circuits for various doodads. And, you get to do some major stuff like construction and remodeling sometimes to keep things variable and interesting.

Back in the early 80's, the 3 building engineers at the Space Needle (where I worked) made about $ 14 an hour. Not sure what they are paid now but that $ 14 translates to over $ 20 now. If you can just do the job, you generally hang around forever.

It's not glamorous but it doesn't take a high-level degree, it's steady, there are jobs in every city that has buildings, the work can be quite variable day to day so it isn't as boring as painting, or some trades that are the same thing day in and out, and it isn't all that hard on the body as some have mentioned here concerning some trades.

Just a thought.

Koz

Grant Erw>

Reply to
Koz

I agree with both of you. I've lived with mind blowing musicians that never ran into the right people. One could write a song in a couple of hours and sounded better than anything on the radio on the first take. You never know who you might run into. Sure you may not talk to hardly anyone, but that just might be the connection who doesn't talk that much either and be the one to bring you to the top.

I personally turned down many people that wanted me to try out for lead singer of bands. Never sang in my life and don't like flooseies.

To the OP I would think electronics , can't even go wrong even if the music doesn't pan out.

Reply to
Sunworshiper

I think I understand what you're trying to do here, Grant. Music and recording were all I wanted to do when I was young but my parents insisted that I go to college. Good thing too, since the odds of making a living wage in the music business are pretty slim. A lot of musicians will spend thier entire lives trying and failing. Being good just isn't enough, being great doesn't always work either. Besides, everyone should know how to do more than one thing.

Electrician strike me as the most portable trade. It requires few large tools and has a broader application than most trades. If I knew then what I know now, it's the trade I would use.

Cheers,

Kelley

Reply to
Kelley Mascher

Technicians?

Well I may speak like an MIS type, but I ain't one! I am a communications guy, radio mostly. In case you haven't noticed, the telephone companies are looking more and more like big data networks. And radio systems? ...yup, you guessed it; the future is "voice over IP" so even radio systems are starting to look depressingly like data networks.

Vaughn

Reply to
Vaughn

"Luck favors those who prepare for it"- Mario Andretti

-Carl

Reply to
Carl Byrns

Go in the service.

See the world.

Get some life experiences.

Get some training.

GET THE BENEFITS ! ! ! ! !

GET THE BENEFITS ! ! ! ! ! ( Sorry, but I felt that needed repeating.)

Take the training, and do something with it when he gets out.

Take the benefits and go to college when he gets out.

Just take the benefits the rest of his life to help whenever he can use them to get a house, get medical, etc.

A few years in the military are like money in the bank. But, like money in the bank, you have to put it in to take it out.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

Reply to
Grant Erwin

On Sat, 06 Mar 2004 01:52:58 GMT, Carl Byrns brought forth from the murky depths:

formatting link
"Chance favors the prepared mind." -Louis Pasteur

------------------------------- Iguana: The other green meat! -------------------------------

formatting link
Comprehensive Website Development

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Good for him. Besides by joining the military now or in the next couple of years, he might be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan, because those conflicts are not going to be over any time soon.

Abrasha

formatting link

Reply to
Abrasha

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 05:03:16 GMT, Abrasha vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

Gawd I hate that silly saying. Absolute crap.

**************************************************** sorry

.........no I'm not! remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Spike....Spike? Hello?

Reply to
Old Nick

On Sat, 06 Mar 2004 01:52:58 GMT, Carl Byrns vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

That's fair enough. That is NOT to say there is no such thing as luck. There are many people who spend their whole lives preparing and get run over by a bus. (replace with any other failure)

**************************************************** sorry

.........no I'm not! remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Spike....Spike? Hello?

Reply to
Old Nick

On Thu, 04 Mar 2004 14:49:51 -0800, Grant Erwin vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

Anything that can only be done onsite...installation. Then think about jobs that are not _worth_ automating (anything _can_ be) because each job is different that little bit. ALso makes for a bit of variety.

**************************************************** sorry

.........no I'm not! remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Spike....Spike? Hello?

Reply to
Old Nick

Gee, it sounds like you've got a real spoiled little punk who could use some shaping up - that he didn't get at home.

Reply to
larsen-tools

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.