Men skipping college

I've got a nephew who's in high school, at the age where it's time to start thinking about life after school.

It's very interesting. A couple years ago it seemed like he'd definitely be going to college. He's always wanted to go to Ohio State. (My whole extended family is obsessed with Ohio State, maybe that's why I moved to Ann Arbor?)

Now... it's not so clear what he's going to do. He's not sure what he wants to do with his life. Why spend thousands of dollars taking generic courses if you might not even stick around to get a degree? Last I heard, it seems like everyone is pushing him towards some sort of trade school. His dad is a very successful electrician who never went to college. Maybe he'll do something similar.

Quote: terapined

Quote: kenarman

Quote: terapined

Quote: AZDuffman

Related: Why Old-Timey Jobs Are Hot Again.

While the article says many of the people taking these old-school jobs are college educated, I doubt that lasts. No reason you need a degree to be a bartender or a butcher.

Bartender or butcher
No thanks
Look at Pai gow Dan. Things got tough financially and he had to go back to dealing
Standing up all day sucks if you had back problems like Dan
I would much rather use my educated brain at work at my age rather then do something physical
Once you get to a physical age such as me, butcher and bartender jobs are not easy
Any bartenders or butchers that are my age probably wish they got educated and had a sit down job using a brain like me

Physical jobs keep you in good physical shape. You get paid for your work out instead of paying to go to a gym. I am still working as a tradesman and spend a lot of my work days on ladders terapined. I do this because I still enjoy doing physical work, don't knock it unless you try it.

Gee, I just had a major operation
I'm an old guy
If I was doing what you are doing, I would have to seek different work since my operation
Since I use my brain, I went right back to work after major surgery :-)
The brain generally functions great well into old age. The physical body starts to give out around my age
I am not knocking physical work. The reality is its not for everyone, especially as you get older.

I expect I am older than you terapined.

Quote: ams288

Now... it's not so clear what he's going to do. He's not sure what he wants to do with his life. Why spend thousands of dollars taking generic courses if you might not even stick around to get a degree? Last I heard, it seems like everyone is pushing him towards some sort of trade school. His dad is a very successful electrician who never went to college. Maybe he'll do something similar.

Good for him! Tell him to try out a few things, take a couple intro courses at the local community college. He may like welding better than electrician, or not.

The college system needs to adapt or die. One thing I see right now is the feminists seem to think they are winning some kind of gender war on campuses while the men are just leaving the game, disgusted with the college product. Watch in 15 years we will see how it is "unfair" that "women have all these student loans."

Quote: AZDuffman

What on earth makes you think people in the trades do not use their brains?

Pai Gow dan is an excellent example
Yes he used his brain dealing. He also had to stand which was tough on his back at his age

Quote: kenarman

Quote: terapined

Quote: kenarman

Quote: terapined

Quote: AZDuffman

Related: Why Old-Timey Jobs Are Hot Again.

While the article says many of the people taking these old-school jobs are college educated, I doubt that lasts. No reason you need a degree to be a bartender or a butcher.

Bartender or butcher
No thanks
Look at Pai gow Dan. Things got tough financially and he had to go back to dealing
Standing up all day sucks if you had back problems like Dan
I would much rather use my educated brain at work at my age rather then do something physical
Once you get to a physical age such as me, butcher and bartender jobs are not easy
Any bartenders or butchers that are my age probably wish they got educated and had a sit down job using a brain like me

Physical jobs keep you in good physical shape. You get paid for your work out instead of paying to go to a gym. I am still working as a tradesman and spend a lot of my work days on ladders terapined. I do this because I still enjoy doing physical work, don't knock it unless you try it.

Gee, I just had a major operation
I'm an old guy
If I was doing what you are doing, I would have to seek different work since my operation
Since I use my brain, I went right back to work after major surgery :-)
The brain generally functions great well into old age. The physical body starts to give out around my age
I am not knocking physical work. The reality is its not for everyone, especially as you get older.

I expect I am older than you terapined.

I'm 58

I have a college degree and my daughter does also but today I believe going to college is a waste of time and resources for most people (not all, but most).

With the internet age we now have almost every resource available to us without going to college. It is not hard to find a curriculum listed for a particular degree. My thought now is that if you are motivated you can just find the text books used for all of these courses and there is plenty of help available on the internet to help answer your specific questions.

Quote: terapined

Quote: kenarman

Quote: terapined

Quote: kenarman

Quote: terapined

Quote: AZDuffman

Related: Why Old-Timey Jobs Are Hot Again.

While the article says many of the people taking these old-school jobs are college educated, I doubt that lasts. No reason you need a degree to be a bartender or a butcher.

Bartender or butcher
No thanks
Look at Pai gow Dan. Things got tough financially and he had to go back to dealing
Standing up all day sucks if you had back problems like Dan
I would much rather use my educated brain at work at my age rather then do something physical
Once you get to a physical age such as me, butcher and bartender jobs are not easy
Any bartenders or butchers that are my age probably wish they got educated and had a sit down job using a brain like me

Physical jobs keep you in good physical shape. You get paid for your work out instead of paying to go to a gym. I am still working as a tradesman and spend a lot of my work days on ladders terapined. I do this because I still enjoy doing physical work, don't knock it unless you try it.

Gee, I just had a major operation
I'm an old guy
If I was doing what you are doing, I would have to seek different work since my operation
Since I use my brain, I went right back to work after major surgery :-)
The brain generally functions great well into old age. The physical body starts to give out around my age
I am not knocking physical work. The reality is its not for everyone, especially as you get older.

I expect I am older than you terapined.

I'm 58

You could do the math from my post yesterday about by first trip to Europe but I am 70. Still no plans to retire until my body and/or mind quit. If I am lucky I have the genes of my uncle who went downhill skiing for his 90th birthday. One of the benefits of a physical job is that you stay fit just by going to work.

Article today on how ill prepared Millennials
are for college life. Half of them are terrified
of leaving home, 25% have regular panic
attacks. Half of them think eating out and
nights out will be their biggest college
expense, when by far and not even close,
it's lodging costs that are the biggest.
Most have no idea what rent really costs
in the real world or what it costs to live.

But is it really all that different than the
past? I knew a guy in the mid 80's who
had an employment agency. He would
place college grads in jobs. He said they
typically swaggered into his office with
a degree in one hand and a list in the
other of their demands for their first
job. Some would literally put their feet
up on his desk, they were so smug and
self confident.

When he broke it to them they would be
lucky if he could get them an assistant
manager job at a mall shoe store, some
of them would bust out bawling. That
was over 30 years ago. So things haven't
changed all that much.

Quote: ams288

I've got a nephew who's in high school, at the age where it's time to start thinking about life after school.

It's very interesting. A couple years ago it seemed like he'd definitely be going to college. He's always wanted to go to Ohio State. (My whole extended family is obsessed with Ohio State, maybe that's why I moved to Ann Arbor?)

Now... it's not so clear what he's going to do. He's not sure what he wants to do with his life. Why spend thousands of dollars taking generic courses if you might not even stick around to get a degree? Last I heard, it seems like everyone is pushing him towards some sort of trade school. His dad is a very successful electrician who never went to college. Maybe he'll do something similar.

Despite my snap, no-thought typical response of pro-trades, I'd seriously suggest it for anyone leaving high school and unsure of what to do. Best case scenario, he finds he loves it, discovers a career, and avoids a lifetime of soul crushing debt. But even if we skip all the possibilities and go right to worse case, it's a cheap(er) experience that will keep him off the street and will leave him with a skill that can be used in his real life, often with a tremendous cost savings / elimination.

Quote: kenarman

I am still working as a tradesman and spend a lot of my work days on ladders terapined. I do this because I still enjoy doing physical work, don't knock it unless you try it.

Quote: kenarman

I am 70.

Jesus wept. I can't tell if you've just given me a glimmer of hope, or snuffed out my last one.

34 more years of this s#$%? I think the line is more like 3 point 4, and smart money is on the under ;)