Pondering a change in direction...

First of all, hey permies. This is a different style of post from what I usually do. No gardening pics or repair here (but our washing machine might actually need some fixing, lol).

Long story short, I have been pursuing the trades for two years now. I am thinking now that a meaningful social career, one involved helping people directly, is a better fit for me. I'm exploring teaching, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, and speech pathology as options. Now for the long story.

Jump back to summer 2016. I just graduated highschool, and I was getting ready to start university studying psychology. I was initially on the path to be a teacher, but I dropped out of it in second year. In university, I was enjoying myself. But right from the beginning, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do for a job afterwards. Marriage therapy? One on one counselling? Occupational therapy? Teaching? HR? I was all over the place. What I was realizing though was that most of those careers involve a master's degree in addition to a bachelor's, so six years of schooling total. It seemed a little crazy, but I didn't have many other options in that field. The next couple years continued that way...getting good marks, enjoying myself, but not being sure what to do. I started volunteering in 3rd year at the hospital working with older folks to build my resume for a possible application to an occupational therapy program.

And then fourth year. Fall of 2019 was when I entered my eco depression as I now like to call it. I started reading about climate change, overpopulation, declining surplus energy, ecosystem collapse, the rise of the alt-right...you know, fun stuff. It became an obsession. I forget exactly where it started, but I know I got really into it. It was an endless subject that spanned many disciplines, so really it's no surprise I dove in because I love multidisciplinary stuff. It shook up my world view entirely and I had no idea what to do. It was a challenging time because it was a grieving process that no one I knew could relate to. I did eventually get out of that rut with the help of some buddhist authors and my very supportive parents. Joanna Macy and Pema Chodron are the two authors if you're curious.

In addition to all this, I was getting a little impatient with schooling. Earlier on I had learned about early retirement, which I'm sure you permies are more aware of than regular folks. Basically earning an average or above average income and living well, well below one's means and investing the surplus. Two more years of schooling seemed like a long time. Especially when the master's programs I was considering were INSANELY competitive. For example, one program you need at minimum a 92% average in your last two years of study to even be considered for entry. Another receives ~600 applications each year and takes only 30 students.

This was also when I was learning about the shortage of skilled workers in the trades. I remember watching youtube videos about how to be a good apprentice, and the gist was "show up on time, and stay off your phone". It made me laugh because it seemed ridiculously easy in contrast to the requirements to enter master's programs.

Enter 2020. I had decided on electrical as my trade of choice. It's well paying, and relatively easy on the body compared to the other trades. So I took the electrical preapprenticeship program at my local college. I enjoyed it a lot, and did well. However after graduating I had a hard time getting started anywhere in town even after visiting many businesses in town personally and emphasizing that I have a full set of tools and my own car.

When the covid lockdowns started, I picked up welding as a hobby. It was a great way to spend time in the garage and to learn a valuable skill. In 2021, I decided to take the welding program at my local college. Why not? I couldn't get into any electrical places, so why not get much better at a hobby? It was similar to the electrical program in that I enjoyed myself, and did well. I wasn't one of the best welders, but I was one of the favourite students because I showed up on time every single day. After I graduated, I cold called some shops in town to see if they wanted any welders or helpers. Two said to bring a resume in, so I did. One couldn't take me on unless they landed a big contract. The other shop decided to take me on, and it is where I am now.

Phew! I have been at the shop nearly three months now. I love the physical aspect of the work as much as I thought I would. I am learning a lot about the trade too, and how to build stuff accurately with metal. However what I am missing is my one on one interaction with people, and meaningful work, that I had when I was pursuing a social career. My two greatest strengths I'd say are my empathy and patience, both of which are not very important in a shop environment where the goal is to get stuff out the door as efficiently as possible. When I was in high school I had a job working with adults with developmental disabilities. In university I volunteered at the hospital with older folks. I've never worked directly with kids, but I'd imagine I would enjoy it.

So now I am back to considering a social career and keeping trades stuff as a hobby or side business but not a full time gig. Since the school year has started, applications to programs are closed. But they are all open for fall next year. I think I will apply to programs for all the areas I mentioned: teaching, occupational therapy and speech pathology (but their less competitive programs for lower paid assistant positions instead) and rec therapy.

I want a career that I am good at and that I enjoy, but also something that will be viable in a small town as that's where I hope to end up long term. As I mentioned in another post, I would like to live in a small town or village, preferably with 5000 or less people there. Not only do I think the future is rural, but I thoroughly enjoy that way of life with the physical effort and connection to the land it entails.

Anyways. I'm not sure if I'm looking for advice or just to get this all out there. I've started checking https://www.recreationland.net/ and https://kirklandlakerealestate.com/ to look at potential properties for sale. If anyone has other ideas to spread my reach, I'm all ears. Thanks for reading!!

Cam: You ARE a good teacher, perhaps teaching mechanical skills to people who are slower and can't handle all the things that you need to know to be a "skilled tradesman" but could learn to be a "good helper for the things they can do" might be worth thinking on.

Good luck, I'll watch to see what you end up deciding, you are smart and a neat person who will do well wherever you decide to focus.

:D

Pearl Sutton wrote:Cam: You ARE a good teacher, perhaps teaching mechanical skills to people who are slower and can't handle all the things that you need to know to be a "skilled tradesman" but could learn to be a "good helper for the things they can do" might be worth thinking on.

Good luck, I'll watch to see what you end up deciding, you are smart and a neat person who will do well wherever you decide to focus.

:D

Thank you for the idea Pearl!! Yes I'd love it if I could blend teaching and working with my hands. I've offered to my friends and family some beginner welding tutorials but no one has taken me up just yet. Maybe wherever I end up I can get a repair cafe up and running.

WOW. You've done so much, in such a short time, at such a young age. You've experimented with many things, getting loads of valuable skills as well as a bearing on what kind of future would make the most sense for you. Reading your post, I was blown away by your courage and initiative, which I did not have half of during my college years.

While you are looking for your Right Livelihood, also incorporate Permaculture into the whole aspect of your life design so as to need as little money as possible. Random example: If you can share rent, you will use less of your income for housing, so you will need less income, and also  will have more money for things you like to do. I love the discussion in Hemenway's Permaculture City about this. The less we "use" money to get things--obtaining our lives' necessities by means of sharing, bartering, trading, etc.--the less money we "need" access to in a weekly paycheck, and we are then that much more out of a system that limits options based on income level and job status.      

I wish you so much goodness--and I really think a rich and satisfying life is ahead of you based on the qualities in your character. Best of luck!

Rachel Lindsay wrote:WOW. You've done so much, in such a short time, at such a young age. You've experimented with many things, getting loads of valuable skills as well as a bearing on what kind of future would make the most sense for you. Reading your post, I was blown away by your courage and initiative, which I did not have half of during my college years.

While you are looking for your Right Livelihood, also incorporate Permaculture into the whole aspect of your life design so as to need as little money as possible. Random example: If you can share rent, you will use less of your income for housing, so you will need less income, and also  will have more money for things you like to do. I love the discussion in Hemenway's Permaculture City about this. The less we "use" money to get things--obtaining our lives' necessities by means of sharing, bartering, trading, etc.--the less money we "need" access to in a weekly paycheck, and we are then that much more out of a system that limits options based on income level and job status.      

I wish you so much goodness--and I really think a rich and satisfying life is ahead of you based on the qualities in your character. Best of luck!

Thank you for the kind words Rachel When I got into exploring early retirement I explored a whole bunch of alternative ways of doing things, including with housing! There are so many ways outside the conventional route of getting a mortgage and spending 20+ years paying a property off. I think my route will be getting land, then a cheap RV to live in, and build as I go. That plan could always change, but that's what I'm thinking at the moment.

Having lived in a small town for about 20 years finding a good job can be hard. About seven years ago this month I started at the public works department in my town. In that time I have: worked in parks, planted trees, working on the trash truck many time both in cold and hot weather, helped with water leaks, one sewage leak, cleaned out two water clarifiers, used a bucket truck and painted many things. From reading your first post I would encourage you to look at working at a city. Yes there is drama a lot of the time and it can be hard to deal with people. Knowing how to weld and repair things is a big plus in a small city. Also interacting with the community is something I do daily.

Check out my thread  "Having a 40 hour a week job and making a home better with permaculture" here is the link https://permies.com/t/156318/hour-week-job-making-home

There's an old saying that says do what you enjoy doing (for a career) & it will seem like you never work a day in your life. Based on what you wrote above & some of your repair posts I think your repair cafe idea might work out very well for you. It's a good skill to have & I think it will become even more important in the future. It's also something you can do anywhere you decide to go. There are always things that break & always people who need them fixed. Good luck with whatever comes your way!

I think I remember you saying you're in your mid-twenties.

I think you have an awesome skill set. I think you are still at a point where it's easy to change things up, diversify yourself, build experiences, figure out what you hate and love, and it looks like you are doing this. I think you can feel comfortable continuing to do so for long time yet as long as your circumstances allow.

I gradually narrowed my field, and still am slowly specializing. I expect I'll still be shifting a little in my general field into my late 40s, unless I land an exceptionally good opportunity before that.

My father always said his career really took off at about 50. Seems like a good benchmark to me.

I'm in BC, so things could be totally different here, but it seems like welding is one of the trades that's more in demand in a small town. I know a couple electricians who've changed careers cause the only way to make money was to go up north or to Alberta to work in the patch. A lot of tradespeople do this. Welders seem to always have work, although I know quite a few who travel to make more money. For instance, a friend of my husband's has his own truck up north that keeps working while he's on days off. He makes over $200,000 a year, even in slow years. He also works long turn arounds in often terrible weather and spends a lot of time in airports.

It might be worthwhile to get your Red Seal before switching it up. Having that certification will make you more employable, especially in a small town where there might be a bit more competition for the better paying positions.  It would make it easier to get a job teaching, if you wanted to go in the sort of direction Pearl suggested, which I think is a good idea. It might also make gaps in employment less concerning to employers if you decide to spend time doing something else and had to fall back on or decided to come back to welding. I'm guessing about that one, though.

In the town of about 7000 people I grew up in and now live near, I can only think of two speech pathologists. There was one at the one high school in town when I was there and there's one at the hospital. There may have been more, but there were a hell of a lot more places employing welders. I can think of more OTs than speech pathologists...but still more welders.

It might seem like I'm trying to dissuade you from a career you enjoy, but I'm not. Just conveying what I've observed.

You might also just be one of those people that needs to change up their job from time to time. I'm one of those. I can do seven or eight happy years in a job, then I need a change.  I've never stayed at a job I was tired of, and I've never regretted leaving. I recognised this in myself early and decided not the spend a lot of time and money getting a university degree I might only use for a few years - or worse, be forced to work too long in a job I'd come to hate in order to pay off student loans. Life's too short to spend your days doing something you don't enjoy.

From your posts on here, you seem like a top notch human, so  I'm sure whatever you decide will work out for you.

Mike Barkley wrote:There's an old saying that says do what you enjoy doing (for a career) & it will seem like you never work a day in your life. Based on what you wrote above & some of your repair posts I think your repair cafe idea might work out very well for you. It's a good skill to have & I think it will become even more important in the future. It's also something you can do anywhere you decide to go. There are always things that break & always people who need them fixed. Good luck with whatever comes your way!

I know the shoe repair shop near my home town did amazing business. They were they only shop in about 50-100 miles that did repairs. They were constantly busy.

When I was younger I didn't really realize how much buy it for life stuff cost because I wasn't really exposed to that sort of thing. Once I realized how the economy of buy it for life works, repair shops make a lot of sense. People willing to invest in quality goods and tools are usually interested in keeping them in good care. Also, everyone needs shoes.

I hope that these sorts of repair shops become more common in the future... but the realist in me doubts it will be in the near future.

Wow thank you everyone for the encouragement and excellent advice. Checked permies this morning and smiled! I will get back to each of you individually.

T Blankinship wrote:Having lived in a small town for about 20 years finding a good job can be hard. About seven years ago this month I started at the public works department in my town. In that time I have: worked in parks, planted trees, working on the trash truck many time both in cold and hot weather, helped with water leaks, one sewage leak, cleaned out two water clarifiers, used a bucket truck and painted many things. From reading your first post I would encourage you to look at working at a city. Yes there is drama a lot of the time and it can be hard to deal with people. Knowing how to weld and repair things is a big plus in a small city. Also interacting with the community is something I do daily.

Check out my thread  "Having a 40 hour a week job and making a home better with permaculture" here is the link https://permies.com/t/156318/hour-week-job-making-home

That sounds like a job I'd love. So much variety and physical work. That's a good idea to find work in a bigger place and commute there. Especially so if I choose a career such as speech pathology or occupational therapy where a larger population certainly helps. Something I noticed when I lived on the homestead last year was the informal economy in small places. Often there are older folks who need help with activities such as mowing the lawn or snow removal, or even putting together furniture. All easy enough work, and you get cash for it and build community at the same time.

Also I checked out your thread. Thank you for sharing, lots of good stuff in there!

Mike Barkley wrote:There's an old saying that says do what you enjoy doing (for a career) & it will seem like you never work a day in your life. Based on what you wrote above & some of your repair posts I think your repair cafe idea might work out very well for you. It's a good skill to have & I think it will become even more important in the future. It's also something you can do anywhere you decide to go. There are always things that break & always people who need them fixed. Good luck with whatever comes your way!

When I said repair cafe I meant something like this. Basically a volunteer run not for profit sort of thing. In terms of earning money though i think mail in weld repair is a viable option. There's a guy in the US that does it but no one in Canada that I know of. If I get myself a TIG welder that basically allows me to do just about any metal known to humankind.

L Johnson wrote:
I think I remember you saying you're in your mid-twenties.

I think you have an awesome skill set. I think you are still at a point where it's easy to change things up, diversify yourself, build experiences, figure out what you hate and love, and it looks like you are doing this. I think you can feel comfortable continuing to do so for long time yet as long as your circumstances allow.

I gradually narrowed my field, and still am slowly specializing. I expect I'll still be shifting a little in my general field into my late 40s, unless I land an exceptionally good opportunity before that.

My father always said his career really took off at about 50. Seems like a good benchmark to me.

Thank you L! That makes me feel better. I can get caught up in other people's timelines sometimes. Seeing people my age already a few years into their career, settled with partners, etc. I gotta remember that there is no fixed timeline for that stuff. As long as I'm healthy, enjoying myself, and learning, I'm good to go. :)

Jan White wrote:
Post Today 5:45:03 AM     Subject: Pondering a change in direction...
I'm in BC, so things could be totally different here, but it seems like welding is one of the trades that's more in demand in a small town. I know a couple electricians who've changed careers cause the only way to make money was to go up north or to Alberta to work in the patch. A lot of tradespeople do this. Welders seem to always have work, although I know quite a few who travel to make more money. For instance, a friend of my husband's has his own truck up north that keeps working while he's on days off. He makes over $200,000 a year, even in slow years. He also works long turn arounds in often terrible weather and spends a lot of time in airports.

It might be worthwhile to get your Red Seal before switching it up. Having that certification will make you more employable, especially in a small town where there might be a bit more competition for the better paying positions.  It would make it easier to get a job teaching, if you wanted to go in the sort of direction Pearl suggested, which I think is a good idea. It might also make gaps in employment less concerning to employers if you decide to spend time doing something else and had to fall back on or decided to come back to welding. I'm guessing about that one, though.

In the town of about 7000 people I grew up in and now live near, I can only think of two speech pathologists. There was one at the one high school in town when I was there and there's one at the hospital. There may have been more, but there were a hell of a lot more places employing welders. I can think of more OTs than speech pathologists...but still more welders.

It might seem like I'm trying to dissuade you from a career you enjoy, but I'm not. Just conveying what I've observed.

You might also just be one of those people that needs to change up their job from time to time. I'm one of those. I can do seven or eight happy years in a job, then I need a change.  I've never stayed at a job I was tired of, and I've never regretted leaving. I recognised this in myself early and decided not the spend a lot of time and money getting a university degree I might only use for a few years - or worse, be forced to work too long in a job I'd come to hate in order to pay off student loans. Life's too short to spend your days doing something you don't enjoy.

From your posts on here, you seem like a top notch human, so  I'm sure whatever you decide will work out for you.

Thank you Jan! Yes my interests vary wildly, which has led to my numerous hobbies and areas of study.

Welding and fabricating is definitely a very in demand skill. I tried for two years to get into an electrical place around town, actively showing up to businesses and cold calling. Even with a full (and I mean full) set of electrical tools and my own car I had no luck. Welding on the other hand, the second shop I applied to took me on immediately. And that's me being a fresh from school kid with little real fabrication experience. The only thing that stops me from welding full time for the long term is the toxicity of the trade. In my shop I am always smelling either paint fumes, weld smoke, or grinder dust. I wear my half mask respirator whenever I'm generating my own dust or fumes, but wearing it all day gets real uncomfortable after about 5 hours. If I do stick with it long term I'd definitely be investing in a PAPR system that feeds clean air into my welding hood. They cost $2K+ though so not something to buy unless I commit to the trade. Everyone else in the trade, at least that I've seen, seems to implicitly accept that they'll die from lung cancer. I am the only non-smoker at the shop, and also the only one who routinely wears my half mask respirator. It's a fantastic skill to have though.

L Johnson wrote:I know the shoe repair shop near my home town did amazing business. They were they only shop in about 50-100 miles that did repairs. They were constantly busy.

When I was younger I didn't really realize how much buy it for life stuff cost because I wasn't really exposed to that sort of thing. Once I realized how the economy of buy it for life works, repair shops make a lot of sense. People willing to invest in quality goods and tools are usually interested in keeping them in good care. Also, everyone needs shoes.

I hope that these sorts of repair shops become more common in the future... but the realist in me doubts it will be in the near future.

Repair will make a comeback. If all goes well, I will be one of the folks helping to bring it back through a Repair Cafe!

Thanks again everyone!!

Just an update. I applied to 6 programs in total. Two communicative disorder assistant (CDA) programs, three occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs, and one teaching program. So far I've been accepted to one of the CDA programs, and two of the OTA programs!! I wasn't expecting acceptances until much later (around January to February next year) so this is very exciting.

All three positions have excellent future job prospects for different reasons. Right now I'm leaning towards becoming a CDA. It's a step below a speech language pathologist.

Wow!  I'm a little behind on reading this thread, but I'm so glad you pointed it out, Cam!  

I am one of those people who believes we can do it all...if we want to.  

I really think that (especially at your age) you can have your cake and eat it to. You might not be able to do everything at once, but you have time.  

It is a really awesome problem, having too many amazing opportunities.  

I really like the idea mentioned about the repair cafe, or teaching folks how to do the things you do well.  Even in a small town, with the right networking, you can turn your trade into a social learning experience (even if it starts out on evenings and weekends ).  I also think that living in a small town or village, your more likely to have social interactions on the job.  In my experience, plumbers and electricians were some of the most liked people in town - they helped everyone with things that they couldn't do for themselves.

Whatever you do, make sure you do it because you want to.  Not just because you think its the right career move.  

I went to school for 10 years planning on becoming a microbiologist & organic chemist.  I did this so I could always find a job and I could be essential in the case of some kind of biological disaster (I read a lot of books like hot zone when I was younger).  I didn't realize how miserable I would be in a room with no windows under bright, soul-sucking lights.  Science excites me...working in a lab does the opposite.  My passion is helping people as well - but I do that through herbalism.  The cool thing is, I still get to practice these things - but i do it mostly outside and in a way that brings people joy, relief and hope.


all this to say...you don't have to be stuck doing what you start doing.  you can try something out (even for 10 years) and realize that its not working for you - and it's not all a loss.  Whatever you do, I imagine you will do well, and help a lot of people along the way.

Just wanted to reply to 1) thank S. for your lovely reply. I appreciate your encouragement and advice!

2) is to say I might be starting an electrical apprenticeship at a local electrical business. I know the family who runs it and they're great. They do some residential, but mostly commercial and industrial. Any travel expenses are paid entirely. I applied a couple years back and they didn't have space for me, but they do now as one of their apprentices just became a journeyman.

Best of all, this is one of those unposted jobs that you only find out about by knowing people. I interviewed for it tonight and it went really, really well. I think they like me a lot. They haven't officially offered me anything (they'll get back to me on monday) but I have a very good feeling about it.

If I take this job, it'll mean no speech school. But after thinking about it and sleeping on it for a while, I've decided that this is an opportunity I can't pass up. I know the doors to speech pathology are open to me if I ever want to return to this path.

Overall I am very pumped!!

Cam Haslehurst wrote:




So now I am back to considering a social career and keeping trades stuff as a hobby or side business but not a full time gig.

Good choice on not welding full time. I also have a passion for metal work, and have worked for years in the past as a welder. I had an old timer tell me that if I valued my eyesight, to quit welding full time. He was right, and I did. I still weld when, and if, I need to.. as I find it is the best way to permanently join two pieces of metal..

Cam, I hope you get positive news on Monday! I know I'd go squirrely sitting at a desk all day, so I can imagine enjoying the sort of job you're describing.  

If it's genuinely a 40 hour work-week - and you don't have to work a bunch of overtime as some people do - you might still have time for things like setting up a repair cafe. There are many such things, where the volunteers are inclined to do the repair themselves than be patient at explaining and supporting the clients to do the repair themselves and learn from the experience. If you're good at teaching, I can imagine you being really good at what Repair Cafes are really supposed to be like!

I would REALLY reconsider being a teacher.

After welding for 26 years I thought a great way to recover from cancer might be to teach welding instead. It was a very poor decision but based on something you would never think of. The difference between educational facilities and the real trades is so opposed that it can be frustrating to those of us used to working. Another situation that often happens is schools being very “clickie” if you will. It is often hard to fit in. What should have been a lifetime job shift ended up being the worst job of my life.

But I am not all doom and gloom.

Today I work in renewable energy as an electron. The pay is great, the work easy, and I get amazing benefits. I also get the satisfaction of providing renewable power, not just to my home, but thousands of homes. It is a true win/win/win.

Since adopting the Gert principal of “always doing as much as I can for myself”, and living a debt free lifestyle, with the combined income of my girlfriend salary as a teacher, we give a lot to charity because of abundance.

With the trades screaming for skilled workers, I think you can contribute to society on a greater scale than teaching students. With your energy levels I don’t think teaching is a great fit for you. You can get the social benefits using your skills by just finding the right job in the trades.

Heck, come to Maine and make $65 an hour installing solar farms. They cannot find enough electrians here for renewable power.

Ted Abbey wrote:
Good choice on not welding full time. I also have a passion for metal work, and have worked for years in the past as a welder. I had an old timer tell me that if I valued my eyesight, to quit welding full time. He was right, and I did. I still weld when, and if, I need to.. as I find it is the best way to permanently join two pieces of metal..

Yes I love welding, but it will definitely remain a hobby or at most something I do from time to time for friends and family. Even if I stick to wearing a respirator (I do) there is still the wear and tear on your eyes, and muscles from all the grinding. It certainly keeps you strong: I think I got rid of my gym membership while at the shop but was as strong as I've ever been. But very very dirty and sore lots of days.

I talked about wear and tear on the body yesterday in my interview, and the husband (it's a family run company) agreed that electrical is one of the best trades for keeping your body intact.

Jay Angler wrote:
Cam, I hope you get positive news on Monday! I know I'd go squirrely sitting at a desk all day, so I can imagine enjoying the sort of job you're describing.  

If it's genuinely a 40 hour work-week - and you don't have to work a bunch of overtime as some people do - you might still have time for things like setting up a repair cafe. There are many such things, where the volunteers are inclined to do the repair themselves than be patient at explaining and supporting the clients to do the repair themselves and learn from the experience. If you're good at teaching, I can imagine you being really good at what Repair Cafes are really supposed to be like!

Thank you for mentioning the repair cafe again...it's something I had put on the backburner because I thought I'd be leaving town and not settling down for a few years. But if I do end up staying around here, then yeah I would love to get it going! The business would love it too: they really emphasized how important it is to them for their employees to have lives outside of work. They practice what they preach too: the husband actually coached me in hockey when I was just a wee one, and he's still coaching minor hockey!

And as for sitting around, yes that is what I was NOT looking forward to with speech. It's part of the reason I've kept coming back to the grocery store over the years instead of another sort of minimum wage job. It isn't the mental workout I get (which is minimal stocking shelves) but the physical movement of pushing and pulling and being on my feet all day.

Steve Zoma wrote: would REALLY reconsider being a teacher.

After welding for 26 years I thought a great way to recover from cancer might be to teach welding instead. It was a very poor decision but based on something you would never think of. The difference between educational facilities and the real trades is so opposed that it can be frustrating to those of us used to working. Another situation that often happens is schools being very “clickie” if you will. It is often hard to fit in. What should have been a lifetime job shift ended up being the worst job of my life.

But I am not all doom and gloom.

Today I work in renewable energy as an electron. The pay is great, the work easy, and I get amazing benefits. I also get the satisfaction of providing renewable power, not just to my home, but thousands of homes. It is a true win/win/win.

Since adopting the Gert principal of “always doing as much as I can for myself”, and living a debt free lifestyle, with the combined income of my girlfriend salary as a teacher, we give a lot to charity because of abundance.

With the trades screaming for skilled workers, I think you can contribute to society on a greater scale than teaching students. With your energy levels I don’t think teaching is a great fit for you. You can get the social benefits using your skills by just finding the right job in the trades.

Heck, come to Maine and make $65 an hour installing solar farms. They cannot find enough electrians here for renewable power.

Thank you for all these points Steve. Especially the one about finding the right job to fulfill my need for helping people out. It was something I missed in the welding shop, only doing contracts for huge mining companies. Worst case if I can't find a job that fulfills this need (which I'm now seeing is unlikely), starting a repair cafe can help out there a ton.

Thanks everyone for your advice and encouragement!

Guess who got his job offer this morning. This guy, and I happily took it! Starting March 27th I will be an apprentice electrician!! :D Thanks for all the advice and support folks, I am pumped.

That's great Cam!

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:That's great Cam!

Thanks Joylynn!!

Congratulations! I hope you learn lots, have fun, and find it fulfilling.

Congratulations, Cam that is a great profession to pursue.

Jay Angler wrote:Congratulations! I hope you learn lots, have fun, and find it fulfilling.

Anne Miller wrote: Congratulations, Cam that is a great profession to pursue.

Thanks Jay and Anne, I am pumped!!