I gave the 'grind it out' plan a year, then switched to a trade school path

The difference was a $15,000 student loan versus a paid apprenticeship in Cincinnati that started two weeks after I enrolled. Anyone else find a clear switch that made leaving school actually work?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.emma1mo ago

Got to be honest, that trade school path sounds like the exception, not the rule. A lot of those programs still end in debt and the job placement isn't always a sure thing. The grind plan might take longer but it builds something no one can take from you, your own experience. I watched friends get sold on quick trades and then fight for scraps when the local market got full. Sometimes sticking it out in the regular workforce, even if it's slow, gives you more control in the long run. That two week turnaround is great luck, but I wouldn't bet my future on it being normal.

cole_walker266d ago

Question though, when you say "sticking it out in the regular workforce" what kind of jobs are we talking here? Because I've seen people spend ten years as a shift lead at a warehouse and still be stuck at the same pay rate, just with more wear and tear on their body. And with the whole "experience you can't lose" thing, how do you actually turn that into a better job without some kind of certification? I'm not trying to argue, just curious how that's worked out for the people you've seen.

johnb951mo ago

What kind of trade was it, and how did you find a program that actually paid you to learn?