There is going to be massive demand for engineers of all types in the next few decades, I'd stick with the engineering.
Cheers, Michael.
Cheers, Michael.
Should I become a Carpenter?
- Thread starter chassybold
- Start date
Completely agree with that.. probably lots of new types of engineering coming into play too.
Everyone on this entire forum is so helpful, I'm glad I became a member. Not sure what I would have done without your help, even if an hour ago I was unsure.
It's just daunting trying to decide what to do at 17, something I love now, or something that pays well and might not love. I will try and keep in contact
It's just daunting trying to decide what to do at 17, something I love now, or something that pays well and might not love. I will try and keep in contact
now if i was in your position at your time in life (young and a lot of it left in front of me ) i would be considering my footy skills , 90k a week - not bad for a 90 minute run around !! barrister maybe ?? 1k an hour to get some drug dealing scum off the hook !! all respectful careers !!!! or you could start dealing in crack cocaine and have a penchant for rent boys, maybe get you a top job with the co-op bank !!!!
but can you put a name to any of the carpenters who built the Mary Rose ?? or any other wooden structure that has stood the the test of time for the last few hundred years ?? nah me neither
) i would be considering my footy skills , 90k a week - not bad for a 90 minute run around !! barrister maybe ?? 1k an hour to get some drug dealing scum off the hook !! all respectful careers !!!! or you could start dealing in crack cocaine and have a penchant for rent boys, maybe get you a top job with the co-op bank !!!! but can you put a name to any of the carpenters who built the Mary Rose ?? or any other wooden structure that has stood the the test of time for the last few hundred years ?? nah me neither
hi....as a parent i've found this all rather touching.
and most of you know i'm a ''follow your heart'' type.
however....i would very much listen to what the guys here have said.....theres some wise old heads here who have taken the time to reply to you. get your education....to the max!!!.....and most definitely in engineering! a lot of what theyve said may well make sense to you ''on paper'' but you aint really gona ''understand'' for another 20 years.....no-one expects a young'un to be wise....but do be clever.
be a good guy....and fight the good fight.
vaya con dios!
s
ps....and by the way....its daunting being 41 too.....or 34....or 79.....
pps...i wouldve loved to have been a 'proper' carpenter....
and most of you know i'm a ''follow your heart'' type.
however....i would very much listen to what the guys here have said.....theres some wise old heads here who have taken the time to reply to you. get your education....to the max!!!.....and most definitely in engineering! a lot of what theyve said may well make sense to you ''on paper'' but you aint really gona ''understand'' for another 20 years.....no-one expects a young'un to be wise....but do be clever.
be a good guy....and fight the good fight.
vaya con dios!
s
ps....and by the way....its daunting being 41 too.....or 34....or 79.....
pps...i wouldve loved to have been a 'proper' carpenter....
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Hi reading all the comments there are people talking sense. I spent 26years in the wood game joinery shop fitting 16 years furniture restoration. I have all the qualifications but I now do something different. The thing is you can always go back to it because you never what doors will open. Be a sponge and learn as much as you can plus get the qualifications under your belt.
One last thing try and aim for high standards and you shall do well.
One last thing try and aim for high standards and you shall do well.
heres my two pennies worth, i started to train as a computer programmer 12 years ago, if i had carried on, id be minted, i didnt and im not.
now im a mechanic, i love it but there isnt a future for me cause i swapped jobs for years and got into it too late.
if i were you, and believe me somedays i wish i could go back and start again, id carry on with the engineering, keep asking the advice of the people at the top of the industry and work your bottom off at it.
BUT keep doing the carpentry, do it as a hobby, keep it as something you love, dont turn it into 'work'
now im a mechanic, i love it but there isnt a future for me cause i swapped jobs for years and got into it too late.
if i were you, and believe me somedays i wish i could go back and start again, id carry on with the engineering, keep asking the advice of the people at the top of the industry and work your bottom off at it.
BUT keep doing the carpentry, do it as a hobby, keep it as something you love, dont turn it into 'work'
Oh Gawd !!
i've just realised............we all sound like our parents ! AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH !!
i need beer !
i've just realised............we all sound like our parents ! AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH !!
i need beer !
Back in the dark ages when I had just finished secondary education a family friend wanted me to start a job as a trainee solicitor with his firm, all I had to do was go back to nightschool and get myself an English A level... No way was I putting up with any more education, so I followed my heart and started a job as a general labourer on a building site...... Do I regret it?........ Hell yes, I may be an idiot but even I'm not that stupid... Instead of being minted, I'm **** poor.... Anyone ever tells you money can't buy you happiness.......... Whack em.. ;-)
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Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 4
I was once 17 and everybody told me to follow my heart, find something that I love doing and I'd find happiness.
Worst advice ever!
Firstly, at that age, the things that look cool/romantic/interesting are pretty neat. But what's the long term on them? Your body will break down, and it's going to start about the time you turn 25. How much money can you expect to make in a year vs. the cost of living in a given area? What about saving money for a rainy day? What about vacations? What about a retirement fund or continuing education?
I know two very accomplished craftsmen. Both are fantastic gentlemen in their "golden years" and both are stinking rich. They didn't work up the ladder in their chosen hobby to become fantastically wealthy - they pulled the long hours at a profession that allowed them to earn enough money to spend their off-time pursuing something that made them happy. Now they live in million-dollar homes in beautiful gated communities.
Do you have the business acumen to run your own carpentry business? The guy that owns the shop actually spends more time doing paperwork than he does building stuff. If you want to be the guy pounding nails, you're gonna have to be the guy at the bottom of the ladder, the laborer that does the actual work. That means you struggle to make ends meet and wear your body out.
Yes, it can be very fulfilling to build something with your own two hands. I do it just about every day. But it also gets very old very quick - especially when you're working on a gorgeous house just off the golf course, and it's not yours!
Worst advice ever!
Firstly, at that age, the things that look cool/romantic/interesting are pretty neat. But what's the long term on them? Your body will break down, and it's going to start about the time you turn 25. How much money can you expect to make in a year vs. the cost of living in a given area? What about saving money for a rainy day? What about vacations? What about a retirement fund or continuing education?
I know two very accomplished craftsmen. Both are fantastic gentlemen in their "golden years" and both are stinking rich. They didn't work up the ladder in their chosen hobby to become fantastically wealthy - they pulled the long hours at a profession that allowed them to earn enough money to spend their off-time pursuing something that made them happy. Now they live in million-dollar homes in beautiful gated communities.
Do you have the business acumen to run your own carpentry business? The guy that owns the shop actually spends more time doing paperwork than he does building stuff. If you want to be the guy pounding nails, you're gonna have to be the guy at the bottom of the ladder, the laborer that does the actual work. That means you struggle to make ends meet and wear your body out.
Yes, it can be very fulfilling to build something with your own two hands. I do it just about every day. But it also gets very old very quick - especially when you're working on a gorgeous house just off the golf course, and it's not yours!
Money can buy you freedom.... Yep... And a bucket load of nice shiny knives.... or maybe that's just MY obsession..
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Another joiner/chippy here , stick in at school and become a engineer you should then have a not bad and steady income .
keep up with the woodworking as a hobby you might even be able to have your own workshop at home where you can do commission work or just build what you like possibly earning some money as you go . You might even become good enough to make a full time living out of it .
I was lucky enough to find a job that I really enjoy
you might be lucky like me and find a job that you really enjoy , I look at each new project as a challenge .I spent 10 years travelling the country bar fitting and it was some of the best most challenging work , but great fun with some amazing characters .
over the last year I have been thinking about new career paths but at 45 im not ready to move of the tools yet as I cant think of anything else I could go into and enjoy as much but in 10 years time I can't see myself doing what I do now as it can be a bit full on at times.
sorry that was a bit of a ramble .
Craig. .......
keep up with the woodworking as a hobby you might even be able to have your own workshop at home where you can do commission work or just build what you like possibly earning some money as you go . You might even become good enough to make a full time living out of it .
I was lucky enough to find a job that I really enjoy
you might be lucky like me and find a job that you really enjoy , I look at each new project as a challenge .I spent 10 years travelling the country bar fitting and it was some of the best most challenging work , but great fun with some amazing characters .
over the last year I have been thinking about new career paths but at 45 im not ready to move of the tools yet as I cant think of anything else I could go into and enjoy as much but in 10 years time I can't see myself doing what I do now as it can be a bit full on at times.
sorry that was a bit of a ramble .
Craig. .......
Some of the posts here remind me of a Chris Ryan quote, "Think smart before you work hard".
Building a career later in life is hard, especially if you have to work from the ground up.
OU degrees may be well thought of but they take 30 hours a week over 6 years on top of a job later on which leaves time for nowt else.
On the other hand I've seen quite a few people get a degree in something they didn't like, then do a year's conversion course or 2 years on a Masters they did like something they did like.
Even without a conversion or masters, a degree gives you more options.
To be fair this was easier to say back pre-90's when fees were paid and you got a grant instead of a loan.
Having many options is powerful, having few options isn't.
Building a career later in life is hard, especially if you have to work from the ground up.
OU degrees may be well thought of but they take 30 hours a week over 6 years on top of a job later on which leaves time for nowt else.
On the other hand I've seen quite a few people get a degree in something they didn't like, then do a year's conversion course or 2 years on a Masters they did like something they did like.
Even without a conversion or masters, a degree gives you more options.
To be fair this was easier to say back pre-90's when fees were paid and you got a grant instead of a loan.
Having many options is powerful, having few options isn't.
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