I know if I could do it all over again, I'd go right into college and follow my (now deceased) father's footsteps and go into Electrical Engineering. Or maybe Hardware Engineering - seems more fun.
Hell, I got into IT because I loved the hardware. I love troubleshooting, upgrading, repairing, etc. I went from making a lot of money doing that, to making next to nothing. These days warranties are so good and parts are so cheap you either call the company out to fix your server or throw it away and buy a new one. Make people like me useless and forced into management and programming, which I don't mind but doesn't offer me the same freedom as hardware. Hell, these days a small shop can't build a PC for the price the big dogs can, unless you want to do high end gaming or specialized servers. it sucks.
Nah, I think I want to open a bar. A nice small poolhall. I've got a lot of projects on the back burner that deal with poolhalls and the like (like a FreeBSD JukeBox that not only plays regular music but also videos and such, displaying them on 8 TV's and including dedication overlays. Doesn't that sound sweet?).
So I've restructured my life, re-prioritized things. At 27, I'm not where I want to be. I was making a lot more money at 23 then now, which sucks. So maybe IT isn't for me. I dunno. I'm still young enough where I can screw up for a few more years hehehe.
i've made a decison
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Executioner
- Life Member
- Posts: 10351
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 11:34 am
- Location: Woodland, CA USA
I do computers on the side as a hobby. My main professional career is Calibration or the field of Metrology (the science of measurement). I got into this field right out of high school as my first job in 1973. I began as a QC inspector and then one day, my boss asked if I wanted to do calibration. I had no idea what calibration was so I agreed and it's been with me ever since. Because I'm an old fart now at 48, I have 30 years experience in the field and making good money. I pull in $75k/yr, but I had job offers outside my state for more money, usually 100k or more.
Like most of you guys, I was heavily into cars in my younger and foolish days, but I hate working on cars now. Even changing my own oil I hate. I think the only advice I can give you CA is to join the military and learn a trade. If you can enter the military with some college like at 2 year degree, that will be even better since you don't start out at the bottom. I've been trying to get my 18½ year old son to join, but he does not want to. The military is great transition period if you don't know what you want to do in life. The other piece of advice is to be patience. Pick a trade field and stay with it. Before you know it, you'll be bringing in the big bucks as your experience builds.
Like most of you guys, I was heavily into cars in my younger and foolish days, but I hate working on cars now. Even changing my own oil I hate. I think the only advice I can give you CA is to join the military and learn a trade. If you can enter the military with some college like at 2 year degree, that will be even better since you don't start out at the bottom. I've been trying to get my 18½ year old son to join, but he does not want to. The military is great transition period if you don't know what you want to do in life. The other piece of advice is to be patience. Pick a trade field and stay with it. Before you know it, you'll be bringing in the big bucks as your experience builds.
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EvilHorace
- Life Member
- Posts: 6611
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 7:14 am
- Location: Greenfield, WI
Having been an auto tech since '78 and still going, working in dealers since '80, I can say that in all those years I've NEVER told one younger guy that it's a good career to go into. Unless you luck out and find a good employer from day one (which can happen but is rare), it can take many years of schooling and mostly EXPERIENCE before you'll make good money repairing cars.
Many young guys aren't so lucky and never make what they think is enough money to stick it out long enough and climbing the ladder can be tough.
As for cars and computers, it's hardly fun these days as modern day auto electronics regarding emisions and what we see (automotive on-board networking) is VERY problematic and generally annoying to work on. You use PCs (like you do in almost any job these days) BUT you're hardly like a PC technician if that's what you really like. Most auto related software programs suck (being honest), not nearly as nice and functional as what you normally use on your home PCs where most software works well as designed (even though that too could be argued).
Now.......if you end up in a dealership, which is the only way that you'll be working on new state of the art auto related equipment AND they pay for your education usually (factory schooling that is), the politics of the business is the #1 problem these days. If all I had to do and worry about was fixing cars, my job would be a peace of cake BUT new cars under warranty where the manufacturers set their rules, working with a flat rate pay system, etc all gets very old fast.
These days, getting in the door might not be so easy as many employers want experienced techs or those who've been through auto schools getting an associates degree (or similar).
If you're determined to get into the auto business, it's a good idea to work on costly cars that need alot of maintenance, break often and their owners will spend almost anything to fix them.....like costly European cars
I see domestic car techs standing around all day with nothing to do because 1) there are alot of guys everywhere who work on them. 2) the cars either aren't as problematic or people simply don't fix them as often (driving them in less than perfect condition). 3) in dealers, when the warranty expires many don't return to dealers BUT with many imports, few other shops can fix them (at least in my area).
Many young guys aren't so lucky and never make what they think is enough money to stick it out long enough and climbing the ladder can be tough.
As for cars and computers, it's hardly fun these days as modern day auto electronics regarding emisions and what we see (automotive on-board networking) is VERY problematic and generally annoying to work on. You use PCs (like you do in almost any job these days) BUT you're hardly like a PC technician if that's what you really like. Most auto related software programs suck (being honest), not nearly as nice and functional as what you normally use on your home PCs where most software works well as designed (even though that too could be argued).
Now.......if you end up in a dealership, which is the only way that you'll be working on new state of the art auto related equipment AND they pay for your education usually (factory schooling that is), the politics of the business is the #1 problem these days. If all I had to do and worry about was fixing cars, my job would be a peace of cake BUT new cars under warranty where the manufacturers set their rules, working with a flat rate pay system, etc all gets very old fast.
These days, getting in the door might not be so easy as many employers want experienced techs or those who've been through auto schools getting an associates degree (or similar).
If you're determined to get into the auto business, it's a good idea to work on costly cars that need alot of maintenance, break often and their owners will spend almost anything to fix them.....like costly European cars
I see domestic car techs standing around all day with nothing to do because 1) there are alot of guys everywhere who work on them. 2) the cars either aren't as problematic or people simply don't fix them as often (driving them in less than perfect condition). 3) in dealers, when the warranty expires many don't return to dealers BUT with many imports, few other shops can fix them (at least in my area).
<img src="http://www.pcabusers.org/images/evil2.gif">
Yeah if you don't get your ass shot off over in Iraq!I think the only advice I can give you CA is to join the military and learn a trade. If you can enter the military with some college like at 2 year degree, that will be even better since you don't start out at the bottom.
Ich bin ein PC Mißbrauch
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EvilHorace
- Life Member
- Posts: 6611
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 7:14 am
- Location: Greenfield, WI
In my experience, those I've seen that were mechanics in the military weren't at any advantage or trained enough to be better off in dealers with modern day cars.
IF one was serious about getting into the auto business and young enough with time to spare, people are better off going to one of the better auto schools like Wyoming Tech or other schools where one gets out with a degree and might get placed too.
Starting off like I did (way back when) was no easy thing and I wouldn't advise trying that these days.
IF one was serious about getting into the auto business and young enough with time to spare, people are better off going to one of the better auto schools like Wyoming Tech or other schools where one gets out with a degree and might get placed too.
Starting off like I did (way back when) was no easy thing and I wouldn't advise trying that these days.
<img src="http://www.pcabusers.org/images/evil2.gif">
If your serious about the automotive industry check out UTI in Arizona.... damn good school. My cousin who's in his mid 30's went there back in the 80's sometime... he's making over 60k a year working at a pontiac/cadillac dealership. The thing with being a mechanic is that you need to specialize in something. Anything foriegn especially Euro cars is a good thing to get into and learn... Thats when you can be making the big bucks.
I went to school for Telecommunications... 2 year trade school... blew 25K in 2 years on tuition books and tools... only to be working in a machine shop 6 years after i graduated.... i can't find a IT job around here let alone anything in the Telecom industry. I was making more when i was 21 and just out of school than i am right now. After my next raise here in another month i will finally be making a little more than that amount. Took me 4 hard years but i'm gettin' back up there in the pay scale. I just finally got promoted to the machine shop at work running our CNC mills. There are 4 of them and i play with about 1 Million bucks worth of machinery
Only been at it 2 weeks and the boss is amazed at how fast i've picked it up... I work with a guy with 20 years experience and he's shown me a lot and hoping this pans out so i can learn a lot about the programming and whatnot and move on to another company...
I went to school for Telecommunications... 2 year trade school... blew 25K in 2 years on tuition books and tools... only to be working in a machine shop 6 years after i graduated.... i can't find a IT job around here let alone anything in the Telecom industry. I was making more when i was 21 and just out of school than i am right now. After my next raise here in another month i will finally be making a little more than that amount. Took me 4 hard years but i'm gettin' back up there in the pay scale. I just finally got promoted to the machine shop at work running our CNC mills. There are 4 of them and i play with about 1 Million bucks worth of machinery
Only been at it 2 weeks and the boss is amazed at how fast i've picked it up... I work with a guy with 20 years experience and he's shown me a lot and hoping this pans out so i can learn a lot about the programming and whatnot and move on to another company...-
EvilHorace
- Life Member
- Posts: 6611
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 7:14 am
- Location: Greenfield, WI
Just remember, your the one who applied for the job! If you make less money than your best friend doing the same thing. You’re the one who settled for LESS! IF you don’t like the amount of money you make now, go apply for a new Job! It will never hurt YOU! Be Happy where you work. Most of all weigh the big picture before you QUIT! Sometimes it's not all about pay! Maybe the benefits, 100% Medical/Dental what’s keeping you working? (Family).
Nuf said!
Nuf said!
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CaterpillarAssassin
- Almighty Member
- Posts: 2252
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 11:29 am
- Location: somewhere in N.E
