Trades another job category to consider....

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This is from John Robison's blog, he may have a link somewhere on this website but he has some great comments about jobs in the trades, anyone in the WP community who works in the trades? What has been your experience?

I am seriously considering this but I alway have a BA degree in 'something else' (Accounting). What school or training program would anyone here suggest here in the northeast USA??

I agree with you about the Trades. I am in my 50s now, and on SSI due to a number of health issues. If I had a way to communicate back in time to my younger self of about 20 years old, I would tell my younger self to take better care of myself, and to look into the Trades for a career. I never went to college, because I had such a hard time in school from the other kids, so once I finished high school (barely), I didn't want any part of more school. However, a trade school would have been a good choice. My younger brother who was much worse a student scholastically than I was, (and I was not so great), went on to Denver Automotive College, and graduated. This has always made a deep, and good impression on me. He also took shop in high school, and has made good use of both trades in his personal life. He found auto shop employers would not pay a fair wage to auto school students, and the work is often dangerous, so he stopped doing that, but he works on his cars, and those of other family members. He has also made good use of his shop knowledge in fixing up and later selling at a profit several homes. It also came in handy at one job he had.

Boy, I wish I had gone to a trade school back when I was about 20. I was not really into the scholar track, but a trade would probably have worked for me. I like using my hands, even though I am not very dextrous. I always liked playing with Lego, and earlier, with Lincoln Logs, and train sets. I once correctly assembled a new plant cart without instructions, because there weren't any in the box. After I was done I finally saw the instructions printed right on the outside of the box. I also assembled several bookcases and TV carts made by a company I think is called Sauder. They still make assemble-it-yourself stuff. I also assembled some cedar storage drawers once.

Well, I can't turn back the hands of time, but I would definitely advise young people today to consider the trades. They are cheaper then scholastic colleges, and the training can lead to steady work that can eventually lead to a really decent rate of pay.

Remember, we on the spectrum are all:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau

In response to a couple things from this article....

Trades work for me. I was exposed to carpentry starting at a young age, and began working in the field at 14. almost twenty years later, i recognize that woodwork has been one of my special interets of unusual focus and duration. it has helped me develop good coordination. I am self employed, but i recommend working for someone else if you can take direction, unless you are also interested in business.

like John E Robison says in his new book Be Different, find your interest and go for it! I am good at what i do, and it is valued by my customers. my skill comes from putting in way more than 10,000 hours towards this special interest. so find yours and stick with it.

Trades are still hard to get into, though. I've been trying to get into a union apprenticeship for a while, but there's a lot of competition with the way the economy is.

It's funny. Both my brothers and brother-in-law are, at best, semi-literate. By contrast, I could read a medical journal for fun.

One of them earns $100 000 a year working in mines, and the others are active and will do anything requiring labour. I'm unemployed and poor.

I wish I'd fixed cars or laid bricks and avoided being a book worm.

This is of personal interest to me because my son quit college....so with that in mind, I suggested he try DeVry, a for profit college and he said, 'no all they want is your money'.....so I am more than a little motivated to find a 2 year College that offers a technical or trade education.

As far as I can tell they are few and far between. I found this link on the internet, I have not figured out who is sponsoring this link and I do notice the big ads for DeVry etc. uh let me guess.

I digress, they do offer a short list of non profit colleges that offer tech/trade education:

education portal.com

For the poster who wanted names of schools in NY state, they have SUNY College of Technology at Alfred....who knew?

I suggest googling your region and query 'non profit trade technical colleges'

Best of luck to everyone....and let the buyer beware with the for profit trade colleges, I surmise their biggest failing is, they accept everyone and do not offer any support while the student is in the program. And they don't care, they are happy to take your money and see you fail....a bleak take on it but that is sort of what they are known for. I would definitely ask them for the numbers on how many students finish their degree and what is their job placement like after you finish the program....

Article from the NY Times on trade schools, universities offering 'certificates' for job preparation etc.

nytimes.com

More of let the buyer beware information.....

...

Go where the jobs are?

If you can, Utah, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Nebraska, Kansas, per Forbes magazine study, October 2010...though I agree as long as the new homes construction is down, the building industry is hit hard.

Forbes.com

I took a class once in sales and the teacher said when you see the housing starts start to rise, you will know the economy is doing better.

^^^ Moving costs money - those on the spectrum are usually in pretty dire financial straits. Plus, "those of us on the spectrum" need to have pretty strong personal networks - if we have to move someplace on our own where we know no one - yeah, that should go well.

I'm I the only one smelling whiffs of ableism and instituitionialism in here?

My experience

as a kid my grandfather and I were always "tinkering"
Dennys, ...cook (3.5yrs)
U.S.Army,... helicopter mechanic (3yrs)
"construction co",.. new homes, multi unit appts, remodeling, additions(2yrs)
"large industrial mfg",.. fitter/fabricator <main job, wiring, test technician(aero/mech), assembly, and rigging(21yrs)
....as a fitter I've got near 40,000hrs of experience

on my own, as interests/ side jobs (for friends)

Pro Mod drag racing cars , ie suspension,engine, NOS, tube chassis, sheet metal,...etc(evenings and weekends)
woodworking, ie entertainment center, bars, chest dresser, dining set,end and coffee table, mantle, etc
home plumbing, copper and pvc
home wiring,
kitchens, bathrooms, laundry room
mountain bikes, just my own 2
radio control trucks, boats, heli and plane, currently own 19

currently not working due to needing heart surgery, after the holidays
and fighting a wrongfull termination >due to a disability... law suit ! !