Listen young un,I've not got time to read through the whole of this thread, so here's my teaspoonful of "wisdom": Go for the civil engineering career son, and learn your carpentry as a hobby. A professional civil engineer will be far more comfortably off and be in a far better position to enjoy life, when they get to their 40's onwards, than any carpenter I know of. I've seen too many rusty white vans or Japanese pick ups (not all white but mostly) with "So&So Carpenters and Joiners" with lads who while very highly skilled and able are still struggling to make a comfortable living. Hillbill and Nuggets are both absolutely correct. The other thing about medium to heavy, labour intensive work, is that you will be physically buxxered by the time you're 50, your hands, knees and back will be goosed and you'll struggle to keep going and eventually you'll end up not being to work or do much in the way of recreation at all if you're not careful.
There will be loads of folk who will say: "Oh brilliant, go for it son, I've been a carpenter for x years and loved every minute." Fine, excellent, well done, when are they in hospital for the new knee? or the Carpal tunnel op? How do they decide whether to pay for a new set of tyres for the van or a new heating boiler or washing machine etc?
No Charlie, go for the professional qualification, take up carpentry as a hobby.
sincere best wishes
Steve (Now aged 52, trained numerous apprentices in the paper industry and wish I'd been given similar advice at your age)
The one way to get a rock solid gaurentee I would not listen to a word you say, when I was younger, was to address me as "son".
