Young male, Should I go back to school?
 

Hello,

I was searching for a thread similar to this but was unable to find one.

I'm a young male who just begun my early 20s. I've always had a desire for money. So after high school, I went straight to trades.

Recently, I've had a dilemma. I've been doing trades for the last few years but I can't really say I'm enjoying it or that I have a passion for it as I do in other projects I'm working on. Sure the money is consistent. But I'm not enjoying the environment and I can already feel my body breaking down.

So I've decided that I may want to go back to school. But I feel like it will put me behind rather then forward because if I go back I will make no money. I don't like depending on others.

Should I go back to school for a couple of years?

Thanks

The best time to go back to school is asap.

What will you go to school for?

See if you can get your work to "lay you off", go on EI, go to school, make money will going to school.

Figure out what you want to go to school for first, then save up the money to make it happen and do it.

This.

I can't tell you how many times I've had conversations with friends, friends of friends or even family members that dream big or set goals for themselves only to do nothing about it.

Take it from me. I left my job and put everything on hold to go back to school to better myself. Sure it sucks not having a paycheque for a few years and relying on others, but it sure as hell beats kicking yourself in the ass 30 years from now when you think "I wonder what I could have been if I had just gone back to school.."

Do it while you're young but make sure you stick to it. The positives FAR outweigh the negatives.

Education is a form of investment. Sure, you won't be making money over the next few years, but your degree will help you get a better job with higher pay in the future. That's the case with any investment. You forego immediate consumption for higher future consumption.

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I've been in and out of school doing different things (within the same realm) for the last say 9 years of my life, it's been the best thing ever because it's always been for something bigger and better. And it has ALWAYS paid off. Research the market and get in there, I'm almost hitting 30 now and am extremely happy.

If you are in a trade that can be transferred into a degree, say electrician, to engineering, they do say an extra 2 years will get you there. but remember there is a HUGE/ENORMOUS gap of information you have to fill in on your own time. But with the effort and dedication it can happen, I've seen people bridge over and it wasn't easy, but it was very rewarding.

Also a huge plus for you in this case would be real life field experience which is actually sought after right now in the Engineering side of things. There is a realy big change going on in the industry in which field experience is a huge asset.

^ with electrician/electrical tech there are bridge programs available that sort out the transition for you. The bridging and eng programs are a lot of hard work and take about 3 years (vs 5 to start eng from scratch) and as you said an Eng with field experience is infinity more desirable than a regular Eng. As someone who works with Engineers a lot it can be very obvious who has real world experience and who doesn't sometimes.

I should have also mentioned before, be sure that what you go back to school for is a program that will actually lead to a job, I have quite a few friends that took programs they liked without looking at real world jobs first, and now can't find jack shit with their degrees in worthless things.

Pretty sure if the government finds out that you were going to full time school while on EI. You'd have to pay back every last dime. You're suppose to look for work while on EI.

This is true. You have to submit proper documentation that you're actively looking for employment. If you fail to provide sufficient evidence that you're looking for work, then the government will take you off EI.

There's ways of doing it.

you got a special skill that makes you money without a job or going back to school?

if not there's no other choice

Don't think it matters if you're actively looking or not. If you're in full time school, your time is already committed. Unless you're referring to a retraining program? Be prepared to jump through hoops to get that though.

On ServiceCanada's site, one of the requirements of employment insurance is to "actively search for and accept offers of suitable employment."

My dad was on employment insurance last year when his engineering company laid off several hundred employees. Individuals have to actively seek work and make themselves available to that work. That means you can't just say you're looking for a job and then reject any employment offers you get while you go to school, for example.

its why you don't date hot :showbutt:

Here's an interesting article about degree holder vs no degree: Which pays off more: Getting a university degree or investing the tuition money? | Financial Post

Of course, it's not 100%, but I thought it may help you decide. Like what others have said, it's always best to try to go to school while you're still relatively young and have no important obligations.

I think a lot of good points were brought up. Also, is there something you're passionate about?

4 years in fort mac with good self control will put you much further ahead than 4 years of school in my opinion. I base this on approx. 120-150k salary with no overtime. Most shifts are 6/6, 7/7, 14/14 etc, meaning you get roughly 2 weeks off every month to build passive income or work on a business. If you take holidays you can have 3+ weeks off in a row multiple times a year to travel. You can have hoes in different area codes.

It's tougher now but not impossible.

What Trade?

Are you an apprentice? If so what year? If you can finish your apprenticeship I would recommend doing so, it's great to have.

Other than that, if you don't enjoy it, yes, get the fuck out, cause being on the tools doesn't get better. The only option you have after is moving into supervision, or management, which is probably easier done if you just get the fuck out and go get some proper education in it, if that is even what you want to do.

What programs or degrees did all you guys end up doing?

I'm an Electronic Engineering Technologist (2-3 year diploma depending on the school), from there you have 4 options. Work as an Electronic Tech, continue on to become an Instrumentation Tech, bridge into 3rd year Electrician or bridge in 3rd year Electrical Engineering (IIRC all Tech programs can bridge into Eng).

I tried bridging into Eng, hated it and left after 3rd year but since I already had my Tech diploma I only wasted 1 year to find that out (vs the 3 that some of my Eng-only friends wasted) and I'm now working as a Tech.

Bachelors in Construction Management.