going into trades vs doin 2 yrs for business degree, pros and cons of each

[joel]

you hear some ppl say don't bother with university and just go to trades(plumber, electrican, construction, ..etc). its shorter, cheaper and when ur done u start making money right away, while univ you not even guaranteed a job after finishing ur 4 yrs of schooling.

then why do ppl even go to univ. thats what i'm asking. is it b/c their parents forced them to go.

 

i'm thinkin of either goin and doin 2 more yrs and getting a business degree(i already completed my 2 yr diploma) at a college. and specialize in either international marketing, marketing, business management, or accounting.

of which of the specialities do u think has the best chance of gaining and getting a job.

 

lol my folks b/c of their love of money want me to get into the trades. the trades ppl make like 30-50/hr. and plumbers make 50/hr. not sure but thats what they say. the thing is i don;t even now one thing about being a plumber(which they really want me to do). i never learned it , did it, but followed my dad as he really showed interest in it. i not really keen on plumbing as its dirty, digusting, smelly and considrered a low status job. "hey i'm joe, i work as a plumber".

also i'm not a big guy. i'm 5 7 140lbs and mostly skinny. i'm in my mid 20's and soon late 20's and i just feel i might not even have the stamina, strength to do plumbing , or even any trades job, esp if its heavy , and physical oriented.,

 

not sure what to do continue with my college with 2 more yrs and get a degree in business or just do something different and sign up for trades. the thing my folks worry about is my chances of obtaining employment with my degree since i can;t with my dilpoma. i work ,but not in a field related to my diploma.

 

anyone in trades, and if so what trade. what is it like. who would u recomment it for. whats the work load like. do you enjoy your job.

[norajane]

Interesting...it's usually the other way around, where the parents urge their kids to get a degree vs. going into a trade.

 

I can't speak for the plumbers, electricians, etc. out there, but many are in high demand because everyone needs them at some point in time. And yes, they can charge all kinds of fees for the work they do. The thing is, you have to have an aptitude for the trades...if you have no interest or talent, then what's the point?

 

At the same time, you also have to have some sort of interest or aptitude for business. Accounting is very much a "trade" as far as the business world is concerned. You have to be very detail oriented, numbers and finance oriented. There are always opening for accountants! Every business needs a good one, or many of them. In the U.S., once you pass a CPA exam, you are only limited by your own ambitions.

 

Marketing and business management are very different from accounting. What I'd suggest is going to your university, and seeing if they have career counselors or an alumni file of graduates who are willing to talk to students about their careers. Try and get a much better feel for what they do and how they do it, as well as understanding the job market better.

 

In the end, they always say to do what you love. I don't know that I entirely agree with that...if I did what I loved, I'd be broke.

[Enema]

I guess the thing with doing a trade is that your earning potential is capped unless you own your own business and continue to expand.

 

With business degrees, you can climb that ladder for a long time and never really hit an earnings ceiling.

 

Forget about what your parents want.. it's your life. Choose the path that holds the most interest for you, as long as it's not something like "musician" or "actor", you'll be ok

[Steveto]

Ok,

 

I thought about this a lot when I was younger..here is what I came up with..when you get a trade, you start earning money quicker, but in the end, the salaries even out and eventually, those with degrees make more in the end..this is lifetime earnings. There are also studies regarding this.

 

Also, if you have a trade, you would be pretty screwed if your trade suddenly went obsolete due to new technology...like robots building vehicles now..sure they still need people, but not as many.

 

Diplomas open doors..degrees open a lot more doors.

 

I got my degree because I wanted to, my father wanted me to as he wasn't able to get one (had to drop out early to help out the family) and he spent an obscene amount of money on my education, so it was like..I better go to university..I look at a degree as only a status symbol.I'll never use what I learned..I never specialized, but subconsciously, people look at you differently..they may not be forthcoming, but I think people do look at people with degrees much different (not all) than those without.

 

My father has a trade which is also his business. I could have gotten my trade diploma and seriously stepped into a comfy job earning 6 figures within 5-6 years..but you know..it just wasn't appealing..like your father..my fathers job was dirty..long hours and tons of labour...lots of standing too...I'm a lazy bastard...and still like to get paid..

 

I really do think I am much happier with my decision..the path I took. The money thing is also starting to equal out....

[yongyong]

the painter charged me $2000 for painting my business and it took him 3 hours to do it. After subtracting paint and everything, he made at least $1000 in 3 hours. I mean if painter makes money like that, why everyone doesn't want to be a painter??

 

You are comparing university versus plumber?

I don't know what else to say

[sb129]

You could combine both- tradespeople who own their own businesses still need aptitude for business..create a trade based business empire..... when you feel like the physical work is getting too much, you can employ people to do it for you!

 

I think that university degrees are useful to a point, but some of the most successful people I know didn't get degrees- they used their business acumen to get ahead, and made their money that way.

 

I have a degree that is very specific and taught me a skill that is in demand, however I will be comfortable, never loaded, if I stay in this field. I have friends who have degrees who have never used them..... but then again as another poster said, there are certain areas where a degree will get you an interview, and the rest is learnt on the job..

[joel]

can u show me the studies if possible.internet site..etc

 

usually u see big guys doing trade jobs hey. how often u see a 5 7 guy doing it. or especially at asian guy ah hardly.

 

Ok,

 

I thought about this a lot when I was younger..here is what I came up with..when you get a trade, you start earning money quicker, but in the end, the salaries even out and eventually, those with degrees make more in the end..this is lifetime earnings. There are also studies regarding this.

 

Also, if you have a trade, you would be pretty screwed if your trade suddenly went obsolete due to new technology...like robots building vehicles now..sure they still need people, but not as many.

 

Diplomas open doors..degrees open a lot more doors.

 

I got my degree because I wanted to, my father wanted me to as he wasn't able to get one (had to drop out early to help out the family) and he spent an obscene amount of money on my education, so it was like..I better go to university..I look at a degree as only a status symbol.I'll never use what I learned..I never specialized, but subconsciously, people look at you differently..they may not be forthcoming, but I think people do look at people with degrees much different (not all) than those without.

 

My father has a trade which is also his business. I could have gotten my trade diploma and seriously stepped into a comfy job earning 6 figures within 5-6 years..but you know..it just wasn't appealing..like your father..my fathers job was dirty..long hours and tons of labour...lots of standing too...I'm a lazy bastard...and still like to get paid..

 

I really do think I am much happier with my decision..the path I took. The money thing is also starting to equal out....

[sb129]

More and more women are going into the trades too, so the size argument doesn't really cut it Joel.

 

Do you want to? Thats really what it boils down to.

You don't HAVE to make a decision now, you can always go back to university later on, or vice versa.

 

If you don't want to do something, then you will most likely end up unhappy with your decision to do it, and as most of us spend at least 40 hours at work, 40+ weeks of the year, thats alot of hours to be unhappy..... but bear in mind that you can change your mind, and you don't have to commit to something that will make you unhappy.....

[Steveto]

First..I just wanna say that education is not the be all and end all...you need to have the drive, business sense and a little luck to get stinky rich. Look at that Branson dude from Virgin...little education and super dude..

 

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-advisor/indepth/will-getting-an-education-pay-for-itself.php

 

http://www.money-zine.com/Career-Development/Finding-a-Job/High-Paying-Careers/

 

http://www2.edc.org/gdi/Work_Economy_Facts.htm

 

These links will give you a better idea...

 

The stats I was referring to before..I saw them long ago and can't remember where, but check these out.

[joel]

well the only reason i was even thinking of the trades and esp plumbing is b/c my dad thinks its a job that makes mad $. he thinks one can make tons of money being a independent contractor, its not that hard to learn and u can make as much or even more money than a doctor, lawyer. well ya since they are in demand and a big shortage.

 

myself i never really done plumbing other than shadowing my dad which he yells out "come joe i need your help in fixing the pipes" i come since i have to-being the eldest son. dads not a plumber ,but learns it from the library books he reads.

heck i don;t want to go to bcit for 9 months and do a plumbing program for all i now not sure if i am good at it, or can even do the job. never done it before and looking at it, i doesn;t really look interesting.

i just don't really like heavy lifting jobs. anything over 40 to 45lbs or repetive lifting and moving big and heavy objects around does not appeal to me. i'm not a big guy either 5 7 140lbs.

i rather do another 2 yrs for a degree in international business. in which i plan on registering for.

my dad says if i do a trade i am guaranteed a job, and a job that pays well. 30- 50/hr , but if i do a international degree at community college i might not even be able to find work related to the field or even make good money.

do u guys thinks this it true.

i already done my first 2 yrs already in business already.

any opinions or thoughts.

 

what annoying is he brings up the idea of me pursuing a career in the plumbing every so often. " why don't you try trades", " you can make 50/hr" , "its not that hard to learn". " trades make good money", ...etc. i already said i'm not really intersted into it. but he still brings up the topic up. arrrrr.

my parents said if i do plumbing they would pay for my school, but if i went back and did a degree in international business i would have to pay for it. what is so wrong with doing a degree. from what i now asian parents love degrees and school and hate trades.

 

 

i am in my mid 20's and i just don;t want to jump into trades and do this and that. i was in computer support program before, and it didn;t really help me out in the career field. i just don;t want to try plumbing out and what if it doesn;t work out again.

i need help guys . opinions and thoughts