The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
QUESTION: If you had to do it all over again, would you attend college or a trade school?
Talk about it.
I wouldn’t change anything. I got into an apprentice program when I got out of the Marines,
and landed a job as a machinist at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in the City. After taking an early retirement, I went to college and got a degree in nursing. So, I had the best of both
worlds without the need of a trade school.
Working as a machinist was a good career choice because I have always been mechanically inclined, but it wasn’t satisfying, I wanted to do something more where I can make a difference in people’s lives. I thought about becoming a doctor, but it can take 12 years, and I wasn’t getting any younger, so I decided on nursing.
College is a good choice if you research careers and choose one that has employment opportunities. Too many people go to college without doing the necessary research, and end up with a useless degree because they cannot find a job in their field. Trade school on the other hand is an excellent choice for people that are good at working with their hands. I
College. The point of education is not to make money.
Depends on the career path I would be taking – professional, I would choose college….. crafts / trades – I would use trade schools …. Salaries now are about the same
College. My job requires an undergraduate and graduate degree, and I don’t regret it. The salary is lucrative as well.
Trade school is a good idea if you want a skilled labor job, and you have the skills to succeed. If you did well academically, and you want to make more money, go to college.
Different strokes for different folks.
Trade easily, college is a bust!
True only if you did not apply yourself in school. Trades have an upper limit of income.
I believe that everyone should attend at least two years of college. That is when critical thinking skills are honed. My PREFERENCE is that everyone keep taking classes. I recommend Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, AKA “OLLI,” to everyone over 50. The website for the local branch at CSUEB, Concord is scholarolli.com
Trade School or College works for certain Jobs.
I started with Drafting classes in High School.
It helped me land a jr. draftsman’s job.
Then worked my way up to a civil designer for a bit.
But stepped back to be Mommy to our daughter, … worth it.
It would be nice if at 16 (and parent’s permission) that they could chose to go for college prep or trade school. We need people in trades!
Do they still have trade school styled classes in middle and high school? I recall taking a class in small engine repair (lawn mowers, chain saws, etc.) The school also had an automobile garage but I don’t recall taking one of those classes. While I went to Concord High some of the trade-school classes were at Mt. Diablo High. It seems the automobile garage was at Concord High. I vaguely recall a drafting class plus a number of electronics and computer classes. Electronics was at Concord High and the computer classes either at the MDUSD district office and Mt. Diablo High.
A third and honorable choice is military service. 🇺🇸
Would highly recommend high school graduates, or anyone else, consider
(LMC) Los Medanos ETEC program, . . . . . I very highly recommend.
https://www.losmedanos.edu/EETEC/curic.aspx
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Learn a portable skill set, that is in demand.
Not uncommon for LMC students to get firm job offers near end of program.
After 3 – 5 years experience can make a California LIVING WAGE.
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All it takes is four semesters.
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Taught some LMC students, former company hired as summer interns.
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Union, BART electricians, check out pay
https://tinyurl.com/ybm83ufp
https://tinyurl.com/bpak6kuc
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Learn a portable skill set.
“Get a little experience and a little credibility and you can walk out one door
on Friday and into another on Monday, usually at a better pay rate.”
https://mostlycajun.com/wordpress/?p=31620
College. That’s me. Like Dawg’s post. My husband got out of Army. Was a sharp shooter Infantry.
Joined Police Force San Francisco. When I met him, he had just entered the Apprenticeship.
Did his four years at Salinas while Employed with Alamed Naval Air. Trade was his forte.
He was very precise and knew his Trigonometry and Graduated Tops. Ended his Trade as a
Toolmaker with the US Mint, Denver. Then USS-POSCO Industries, Pittsburg.
Bella ~ Our Son-in-Law retied from Coast Guards 2020.
He worked at the US Mint Denver a couple of years, … managed maintenance crew.
We were able to visit the guided tour and learned a lot.
Now he is at BLM, Bureau of Land Management, in management there now.
I have no idea. Took the college route, no exposure to trade school, so I would have no idea if I would have the inclination of a specific skill/trade. I did all right by way of college as far as success goes, but I cannot state that the right trade would have been just as fruitful. I expect at this stage, earning potential has surpassed the average of a tradesman, but again, no idea.
You should do what works for you. I told all of our children to do something they like to do and not do anything just for the money and that’s what they did. I decided to be an aerospace engineer in the fifth grade. I got my BS and MS engineering degrees and had a 35 year career being an aerospace engineer, project manager and engineering manager. I couldn’t imagine doing anything that didn’t involve aircraft or spacecraft. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I work at an engineering consultancy, some of the best people I’ve hired have come the Trade School route, some of the worst have come from UC Berkeley or Cal Poly … it’s all about attitude and hard work.
Some of the best engineers I ever hired were from Cal Poly SLO because they understood the theory and were able to apply it to solving engineering problems. The one I hired from Cal Poly Pomona was not in the same class as the ones from SLO. Two other outstanding engineers were from UC Berkeley and Davis, while one of the worst was from Stanford. However, I’ve also worked with some great Stanford engineers. In some cases, where you graduated from has an impact on you getting hired, however you then need to demonstrate that you can do the job.
Of all the people I know who are looking for work, not one is a tradesperson. Good welders, electricians, plumbers, and mechanics are ALWAYS in demand and make good money.