college to trade school

[Kelster]

so i'm in second year and i'm not having fun
i still don't know what i want to do in the future, but i prefer biology, so i'm taking courses that might lead me into something i want to do...but ecology and human anatomy isn't fucking cutting it right now

i've been raised to only contemplate between becoming a doctor or lawyer, and to look down on trade school and ass jobs like accounting or something, but now my dad's all 'have you ever thought bout becoming an electrician'
i don't know anything bout this electrician matter, but it sounds good...i can get my training at bcit, make some money, then if things get ass i can go back to college/university

any of you in this situation, or have been? how are things working out?

i don't want to make any mistakes, i don't want to regret getting out of college, i don't want to get into a trade that's going down
but i think this is a better way to go, school is the last thing on my mind right now, and i have no clue what i want to do...i don't want to waste anymore time and money learning shit i don't give a crap bout hoping that it'd lead into something right for me

any input would be nice:)

[robyn]

I seem to be caught in the exact same conundrum right now. College seems to be leading me nowhere, except more college. The trades, however, are booming (or will be very soon, at any rate) and actively recruiting women.

Sometimes, I think it’d be sweet to do a plumbing apprenticeship, combined with some business courses. Then I could buy a little van, start a little business and be my own boss!

On the other hand, I secretly fear being reamed out for being one of, what will probably still be, very few females in the field.

What’s a girl to do?

[Moon]

its a tough question i'm also trying to find some good answers for.... its hard to determine whats gonna happen in the future.

if you can pull off the academic hellstrain n become a doctor or a lawyer then damn no more worries for the rest of your life but now when we think about reality, the competition for such jobs is fuckin ridiculous! everyone wants to be one and everyone will try to get into med or law school.... and i think 30 people outta probably 500 will make it into med school... then out of the ones who graduate who is to say all of them will have a respectable practice?

aside that i'm still gonna finish uni.... definety a huge bonus to have that behind you

[robyn]

^True. But you can still make $30-$45 an hour in some trades while working for someone else. Certainly enough to live comfortably on. And those who work for themselves or specialize can make even more.

[SEAN!]

Originally posted by robyn
^True. But you can still make $30-$45 an hour in some trades while working for someone else. Certainly enough to live comfortably on. And those who work for themselves or specialize can make even more.

yeha and you wont make that much money when you graduate univercity..

plus transfering into university from college is alot harder then most people think...you'll need somehwere aorund a 90% average

[robyn]

^Where did you get that figure from? I've got around a 3.25 GPA and was told it would be fine for transferring to either UBC or SFU.

Anyways, aren't you majoring in sociology, or something? I'd be surprised if you made any money...

[~lazee_grrl~]

yeah..i'm kinda in the same kinda rut..college is leading me nowhere..which is why i think i'll probably drop out after the next semester...

if u really wanna be a *insert dream career here* , go for it..work ur ass..even if it's hard as hell...better to do something u like for the rest of your life..then hate it...<--that's wut my mommy told me~

[Kelster]

it's one thing to want something, it's another to actually get it

like k pryde said, there's so much competition
i know i'm not dumb, but i really don't want to risk thousands of dollars, 5 years, and tons of stress on getting rejected from medical school

[SEAN!]

Originally posted by robyn
^Where did you get that figure from? I've got around a 3.25 GPA and was told it would be fine for transferring to either UBC or SFU.

Anyways, aren't you majoring in sociology, or something? I'd be surprised if you made any money...

the sociology major is merely a stepping stone to an MBA.

with that ill make alot of money.

have you made it into ubc or sfu yet?

[SEAN!]

Originally posted by Kelster
it's one thing to want something, it's another to actually get it

like k pryde said, there's so much competition
i know i'm not dumb, but i really don't want to risk thousands of dollars, 5 years, and tons of stress on getting rejected from medical school

you can do alot more with a BSc then just go to medical school. theres alot of jobs out there for people with BSc's you could actually stay at UBC and do research if you wanted to.

also it really dosnt matter what you get a degree in if youre not intent on going into a very specific field like medice, engineering, or any of that trade shit...if your going into business you could have any degree, it dosnt really matter, having a degree just shows people that you have self discipline to go through 4 years of bullshit. Plus i find that unlike the stuff you learn in a technical school you can apply the knowledge as well as the new ways of thinking that university gives you, and apply it to anyhting.


people who complain about not being able to find good jobs after gradduated university arent looking hard enough, either that or their expectations are too high. also technical school training is great because you can make money right away once you graduate, but your training is going to be a very narrow focus and if you find out you dont want to be an electriction, then your pretty much fucked.

[dj4mula]

I have a friend who is graduating with a degree in political science in January. I asked her what's shes gonna do with it and she has no idea. :soak: She's just got a job @ Ebay, but this has nothing to do with what she has studied for 4 1/2 years.

She's not the only one with a degree who don't know what to do with it. Lots of people are going to BCIT for pratical training, which many companies perfer over a degree.

Honestly, if u really want to be happy, do something that you enjoy. Even if you don't make money you'll be happy. Go and read Millionaire Mind. A lot of millionaire's income was from jobs that didn't even relate to there degree.


`t1m

[stringbeans]

i went to school at bcit for 2 years and after getting the diploma there, i could have honestly gotten a stable, avg-high paying job

only reason why im not a full time employee at nokia right now is because my parents want me to get a degree as well

[Joanne]

Originally posted by SEAN!

plus transfering into university from college is alot harder then most people think...you'll need somehwere aorund a 90% average

not even close. the highest I've heard the GPA was to transfer was a 3.5 GPA to sfu for the january semester and a 3.3 GPA for ubc in the summer semester. but I have never seen the average to get in being higher than that. if anything, you'll need a 90% to get to university from highschool.

a friend of mine actually got accepted to SFU for next semester and the GPA she needed to maintain was only 2.9.

as for kelly's question, I'm SORTA in the same situation as you.

I think stability in a person's life is really important. if I had a choice, I'd get my BA's in psychology and criminology. but I don't know what the the hell I would do with those degrees. so instead, I'm in nursing... after my schooling, I'm pretty much guaranteed a job that pays decent money with opportunities to travel. but I also plan on taking psych and crim classes while I'm in nursing and finishing those degrees after my BSN... that way, I can have my job, but still take courses I like on the side. :D

--Joanne :P

[~lazee_grrl~]

Originally posted by bananasinpjs


not even close. the highest I've heard the GPA was to transfer was a 3.5 GPA to sfu for the january semester and a 3.3 GPA for ubc in the summer semester. but I have never seen the average to get in being higher than that. if anything, you'll need a 90% to get to university from highschool.

a friend of mine actually got accepted to SFU for next semester and the GPA she needed to maintain was only 2.9.

i know that if u get an associates degree..u can transfer in ubc and sfu with a lower gpa then the regular transfer one...i heard sfu favours the degree more then ubc...sorry i don't have more info on it..but that's all i know..

[Kelster]

Originally posted by SEAN!
you can do alot more with a BSc then just go to medical school. theres alot of jobs out there for people with BSc's you could actually stay at UBC and do research if you wanted to.

people who complain about not being able to find good jobs after gradduated university arent looking hard enough, either that or their expectations are too high. also technical school training is great because you can make money right away once you graduate, but your training is going to be a very narrow focus and if you find out you dont want to be an electriction, then your pretty much fucked.

the percentage is different depending on which school and what field you want to get into...i'm sure ecology is a lot lower then human performance or something

i'm sure there's plenty of jobs out there for people who've put in their years, but that's harsh...i'd be pretty hesitant and choked if i read fat books bout criminology for 5 years to get offered jobs as an office butler, even tho the job you had in mind payed the same
i don't want keep learning bout the different layers of the forest to become some lab assistant in a university, or even worse become a teacher

but yea......growing up blows asshole

[SEAN!]

Originally posted by Kelster




i'm sure there's plenty of jobs out there for people who've put in their years, but that's harsh...i'd be pretty hesitant and choked if i read fat books bout criminology for 5 years to get offered jobs as an office butler, even tho the job you had in mind payed the same

you really have no choice....no one is going to give you the job you want right after you graduate. No matter where you go to school.

[inkster]

Originally posted by SEAN!

also technical school training is great because you can make money right away once you graduate, but your training is going to be a very narrow focus and if you find out you dont want to be an electriction, then your pretty much fucked.

well, that's really not any different than getting a degree in the arts. either way you don't know if what you're taking is what you'll want to do, nor that you'll even be employed in a position where you can use your skills. at least with being an electrician you'll have a nearly guaranteed job which will pay well. after raising some capital, you'll have the freedom to pursue whichever field you'd like. you'd also have a bit of life experience in which to help hone your decision.

[desiRAWR]

Just think about it this way...you can always go back to college if you decide trades are the way to go. Most of the trade programs at BCIT are short and people get good jobs coming out of them, especially coming from BCIT. I'm in the school of business...radio broadcasting, at BCIT. Just from what I see in my program, the teachers know their stuff and we know that at the end of our 2 years we will have a job waiting (as long as we try).

What I was saying before, you can always go back. You're still so young. You can go through a trades program (for instance), get out into the workforce and make some money, and you can always go back into school whenever you want to. Education is great that way:).

You're the only person who knows what's right for you.

[Magi]

Whee seems like we're all in the same boat.


Also, SFU will take your GPA, and dock .3 points off of it when they take your GPA into consideration for transfering...atleast that's what it's like @ Dougie Daycare for my program anyways (Business Admin.)

Uphill battle all the way.

[Kelster]

i think i know what i'm going to do now

....now it's down to choosing the trade

my dad said i'd be good as an electrician, but like, i don't know shit bout all this trade business
so i think i'm just going to go for it

heh funny how tihs is what i wanted to do originaly, but i was kinda pressured into college

[galaxie]

Go for it, Kel!
You'll be good at anything you put your mind to, I know it =) I just want you to be happy!

It's like we're trading places though.
I think I finally know what I want to do and I'm super excited!