Your kids careers

[Deleted User]

My dad used to take me to work with him as a child. I hated it. "Gotta go to work", I'd tell my friends. You see, they all got to stay at home playing Army, and Cowboys and Indians and I had to "go to work". As I went through high school, I became my own person. My dad did instill a good work ethic in me. I've had a job since I was 12 years old. But as I prepared to leave high school, and make a life for myself, the trades was the last thing on my mind. I was into management. I was the youngest Equipment Rental Store manager in Colorado. And it was a valuable business experience for sure. But then one day, I sat down and looked where I'd been, and looked forward to see where I could go, and realized that at a young 20 years old, there was no place else for me to go in that industry short of owning my own rental store, and that certainly wasn't going to happen.

So, I sat down with the old man, told him of my dilemma and asked him if he thought I could make it as a plumber. He told me he thought I could, and said there was no reason at all that I couldn't own my own business in a short (relatively so) period of time.

After having served my apprenticeship under him, and tested out for my journeymans and eventually turning out for my masters, he came to me one day and said "Son, I think it's time to venture out on your own." He lent me a vehilce and some tools which I paid him back for and started my own business, Eatherton and SUNS, Inc.

I thank him to this day for giving me the ability to prove myself, I do agree with Tim. I think you can show them the way, but you can't force them down the path. If they don't want to go to college, don't force them. You'll just waste their time and your money.

Oddly enough, both of my daughters went to college, and both graduated. Now the youngest one has decided to go back to school part time and learn construction management. Said she "wants to build something". So, shes gone back to school at the same college that I teach at. Is that irony or what.

Give thenm free rein, show them the way and let them make their own minds up, Just be there to help them along the way. You never know what direction they will go.

ME

Mark Hunt

Your kids careers

Just a curious question. How are you or how would you guide your children on a career path? Would you want them to come into this trade or choose another career path? Would you want them to go to college and then pursue something in the mechanical trades? Questions of a concerned parent.

Jackchips

Hi Darin,

That is an excellent question. I have two grown daughters who never showed any inclination to learn the trade. If they had I would have taught them but still would have wanted them to get a College degree.

It's hard to give personal advice about boys but I would like to think that I would have raised them as mechanics, got them through College (pushed if necessary!) and then let them make up their own minds. I definetly would have welcomed them into a very satisfying profession if that was their choice.

Unknown

My Son worked

with me from the time he was nine. At 12 years old he could do just about anything with gas, plumbing as far as heat goes and other associated skills. He loved tools and working with his hands.

He was a fair student, loved sports and girls. When he finally got to the point of making a career choice his first choice was to get into the plumbing trade. He went to techncial school for a year and worked with a very good plumbing company for about six months. He was scheduled to go back for his second year of trade school. He came to me and said "Dad I do not think I want to be a plumber" my answer to him was go be whatever you want.

He went to full time college with plans to be an athletic trainer. He eventully got into physical therapy. Graduated with honors. got his masters degree. Today he is a doctor, has two full time clinics he owns, teaches at three different universities, and recently took a job with the military as a civilian therapist and doctor for military personnel.

Here is the irony, two years ago he started a construction company because he likes working with his hands. He still does plumbing and heating for fun (has a liscense).

The most important thing you can do is to love your kids unconditionally, encourage them often, be there when they need you, stay patiently involved in their lives. Let them rise to whatever level they can, just be there at each level just in case they need you. It never hurts to pray for them every day and ask the Lord to look over them.

Gary Fereday

Now that says it all

Thanks Timmie.

enough said! as a father of a bunch I concur with Timmie.

bigugh

Mad Dog

My kids can do what ever they want, but.........................

They better strive to be the top of their respective fields. I would have to say that the vast majority of tradesmen that I have known over the years DON'T want their kids involved in any way: "...go to college, learn computers, blah, blah, blah." All well and good, but when a college degree is worth about as much as a high school diploma was 25 years ago, one has to explore other options. I did the college thing - even got into a few law schools, but when i realized that another 3 years and $100,000 in loans would land me in an 80-100 work week for $40,000.00 a year(that was the average salary of a typical law school graduate back in the mid 90s), I fell in LOVE with plumbing and heating - all over again. Today, everyone and their mother have a college degree and "computer" skills. The smarter kids today are getting into the trades, but doing it right under the tutelage of industry pioneers like DAN, Blau, Ellen, Mayo, Al Levi. If my boy goes to college, it's to play football or wrastle. To make a good buck and support a family....the trades rule. I know more tradesmen who's wive's stay home with the kids (where they need to be in the younger years)than the yuppies, who both need to work. College gave me some spit 'n' polish - which I needed, but when it came down to settlin' down, swingin' the wrenches is a sure bet!!!! Mad Dog

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Mark Hunt

Thanks for the responses

My kids are still pretty young 11 & 8 and my son 11 loves to work with his dad when he gets the chance. He is already a grade A fitting cleaner. I would like to see him come into the trades. I will have to see where his real interests lie. I really did not know when I graduated from high school what I wanted to do. So I joined the Air Force and what do you know they made me a plumber in a civil engineering squadron. It so turns out I loved the mechanical trade. In fact starting out by snaking drains turned me into the radiant heat extrodinaire that I am today. I still belong to the Air National Guard in of all things, the HVAC shop. So I also hope my kids may want to start out with a stint in the military. Good place to see what is out there in the world, and see alot of things and places that just by going to work you may not ever get to see.

Jeff Lawrence_7

My kids

My 14 year old son has told me he has no interest in going into my trade. I really don't want him to unless HE wants to. I do tell him that he should learn the trade for something to fall back onto in case of hard times. He'll work with me some this summer to get a better taste of what I do for a living.

My 12 year old daughter has said she wants to get into the trade, but I'm a little cautious about that. She also will know the trade if she wants to, her choice.

I hope they both go to college.

MURPH'

FITTING CLEANERS.....????

WHADDAYA MEAN FITTING CLEANERS???


Get them kids to the academy soon @!@!



Murph'

Glenn Harrison

I'm damn proud to say that,

My oldest Daughter wants to be a PARAMEDIC (GO CEI CEI).I am more than happy with this choice, and am very glad she made the choice on her own. I do on the other hand bust her chops when it comes to schoolwork. I tell her on a regular basis that she needs to learn a lot to be a Paramedic, so schoolwork comes first and it must be done well. She has decided to do something and I will give her every push she needs to get there.

My 12 year old daughter is only interested in boys right now (where did I leave the shotgun:-) ), If she shows an interest in the trades, I will help any and all ways I can.

My two little girls, 6 & 4 are just interested in toys and cartoons right now., so we will se what happens with them.

I would like to see all of them take some College, but wont shove it down there throats. Just so long as they continue to learn and evolve with something and not sit on there butts, (like I'm going to let that happen).

J.C.A.

Jeez Murph! I thought Milne was a slave driver but you just took the cake ! Making your kids do your work , thats a new hurtle to surpass !
They're a handsome bunch , they must take after Mom , EH?(just bustin) Have a great time in OH. Chris

Frank_17

14 year old son

wanted xtra money this past summer. So I let him work with me. We put in a boiler, a couple cleanings, ac service calls, etc... He was asking lots of questions about the schooling, the money.... was really interested in making it his carreer..UNTIL.........I got a call for a backed up sewer line. after we finished and was coming out of the basement he told me he decided he wanted to pursue a music career.

J.C.A.

My Dad....

Was a tin knocker for 30+ years . I went kicking and screaming to work with him for a few summers before getting out of high school . He didn't do the normal duct work that we think of , most of the work was school lockers, bathroom partitions ,stock shelving and at the end of the work years he did a bunch of "pressurized environment" jobs for computer companies.

It gave me an appreciation for the trades, but most of all instilled a great "work ethic" that will never go away . I have to agree with the going into the service(armed forces) comments . Not only will it give anyone some sense of feeling out what they want to do , but it also teaches a bit of dicipline (sp). I find this more important than a great tech. One who shows up every day , and does the tasks at hand is worth more than the guy who knows everything but is pig headed and treats everyone around him like s%^#.
To answer the original question... Yes , I would like my son/daughter to go into the field....IF IT'S what THEY want . I can't see forcing anyone into doing something because "it's the family business" . Saw what happens to a successful family business when a boneheaded son took over . Let's just say it went south really quickly because he had the people skills of a turnip..not to mention the same personality.

Give them choices but don't force it unless you wnt to be working forever. Some insight from a longtime veteran in the field. Chris

Mad Dog

Boy! What a good topic Huh!!!!!!!!

Your kids are precious Murph...they are already learning how to earn a buck that's great. Also a great idea Chris....the military can put life in to perspective for youngsters. All very interesting stories. Mad Dog

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MURPH'

The work force........

Ya gotta watch 'em, lots of times they tend to start goofing off during thier shift. After this stunt, Miss rachel was rescheduled to eat ice cream and watch cartoons. this was of course after being made to take a bath by dispatch !!



Murph'

Dan Law

Careers

What a great question to pose to folks passionate about their field! You’ve
opened up the core of what makes us all tick along happily each day.

I have two sons, both now working for my co. The older was a whiz at high school
in languages, chemistry. The younger is dyslexic, and struggled in High school for
lack of sufficient teacher training in learning disabilities. (a whole other subject
that really lights my fuse)

The older originally thought he’d like to go into medicine, but after a 1 1/2 yr. in
Gen. college classes finally came to us and said he wanted to try the trade. He’s
now in his last year of a five year apprenticeship, and has really excelled - now
one of my top troubleshooters, and has the gift of loving his field. I think doing the
one year and coming to the trade as a choice, having tried general education, has
been a plus.

The younger has gone into the digital controls side of our co. and has excelled
there. I don’t think he’ll ever enjoy unraveling the mysteries of a one pipe steam
system, but he loves excelling in an area he’s always been good at, and now
found a vocation where he can put this love to work, profitably. A BIG plus for a
kid who took a lot of hard knocks in a conventional education system.

My feeling is that general college education is EXTREMELY bias to the general &
theoretical, primarily because it is controlled and inhabited by people who have
very narrow views of other fields, due to their own employment history.

Consider a typical high school teacher or college professor. Just as some folks
who gravitate to mechanics, tend to shy away from conventional classes, the
folks who gravitate to teaching inherently enjoy being educated. They have a
desire to be involved in education, in and of itself, opposed to education for the
sake of becoming employed. They go through high school, then college, and find
themselves at the end of 4 years prepared to enter the job market as educators
..........of EDUCATION. See the circle and the confining aspects of it? Where
does a student get exposure and insights of the opportunities in the real world
while in a college setting controlled by these folks? Answer - he doesn’t.

Exposure to all the varied and rewarding careers in the world can only come from
experiencing them first hand. The message we’ve been giving our kids for
decades is that the way to happiness and reward is automatically college. It ain’t
necessarily so. In fact, my thought is that it’s infrequently so.

Short version of all this is, I’d encourage any kid coming out of high school to
work in as many fields as he has interest in to find his passion first, then pursue
whatever education is required to excel in that field.

It means you need to be the “parent” a bit longer, and be there for guidance, and
to be certain he / she doesn’t get seduced by having a little jingle in their jeans
from the first job, and stop there forever. (an assembly line worker for example
makes what appears to be a big salary to a 19 year old).

But if you make this commitment to that young adult, you help him to find the
greatest gift you could ever “give” him - a career he loves to go to every morning
of his life. It’s what being a Dad is all about, and you’ll never have a more
important, or rewarding responsibility to fulfill. Don’t hand it off to an institution. I’m
sure you won’t by the very tone of your posting.

All this is in the greatest tradition of our trades, and is much more than teaching
him how to use “the tools”. It’s helping him to discover the passion of being a
professional.

Sorry for the long winded response, but trade education is one of my passions.
Thanks again for coming up with such a great inquiry.

-temptrol

eddie grierson_3

I have a little girl coming this May, my first. I have done a lot of thinking about raiseing her, I am not worried as much about her younger years, its those teenage years I'm worried about. I am worried about payback for those things I did when I was a teenager. Anyway I started rideing with my Grandfather in the work truck when I was still in a car seat. I worked with every summer from the time I was about 8 years old. Sometimes I wished I could have stayed home and played with my friends, he never made me go with him, but I liked having the money. Customers would always joke with him about child labor laws. I sure miss those days. Needless to say as I got older I left and went to work for someone else, we butted heads to much at work and I didn't want to ruin our relasonship. But I will never forget all that he taught me. I hope I can do the same for my childeren as he did for me and maybe they will get in the trade.

Tom Simensen

I have had the priviledge of having both of my kids working with me for the last few years.I don't know if they will stay with the trade, but I feel very fortunate to have them with me while they decide what they want to do for their life's work. We have a lot of fun at work and they are learning a trade to fall back on, or one to get into full time if they should decide to. In the mean time, I am enjoying the time I get to spend with them,and proud of the meticulous craftspersons they have both become.