Discuss Thinking about pursuing the trade. 17 y/o HS junior in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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I am a high school junior. My family has had a huge push for me to go to college since I was a kid. Specifically an engineer. I'm not against it, but I can honestly say there is nothing I hate more than school. I am a 4.2 student and 31 on act as a junior. I have already taken calc 1. But I have absolutely no drive to continue going to school 40 hours a week for another 4 years after senior year. At all. The toughest decision for me is the toll being a sparky takes on your body. I've seen guys come out at 65, even 70, and still as nimble as a 25 year old, but I see a lot more come out that cant hardly walk or raise their arms above their head. I have worked as a laborer since I was 11 for my father working 50-60 hr weeks during the summer so I know just how hard it is. I've carried entire concrete pads around a house in 5 gallon buckets. I've built decks, painted thousands and thousands of sq ft of houses, wired a few remodels, finished more feet of trim than I like to think about to name a few things. I'm just burnt out on school and not sure what path I should go down. Just looking for opinions. I know an engineering job path I essentially got offered pays around 90-100k right out of college with pretty good benefits, but havent heard exactly what an electrician usually caps at around here (Iowa, around CR and Iowa City) sorry for the long winded post, just want all the info out there. Any thoughts?
 
Hi

Welcome to the forum. We are glad you found us :)

As things are a bit different here in the UK I have moved your question to the American Forum, where our members from the US of A will probably have better knowledge on your query.

Good luck!

@Megawatt may have some helpful advice for you :)
 
I am a high school junior. My family has had a huge push for me to go to college since I was a kid. Specifically an engineer. I'm not against it, but I can honestly say there is nothing I hate more than school. I am a 4.2 student and 31 on act as a junior. I have already taken calc 1. But I have absolutely no drive to continue going to school 40 hours a week for another 4 years after senior year. At all. The toughest decision for me is the toll being a sparky takes on your body. I've seen guys come out at 65, even 70, and still as nimble as a 25 year old, but I see a lot more come out that cant hardly walk or raise their arms above their head. I have worked as a laborer since I was 11 for my father working 50-60 hr weeks during the summer so I know just how hard it is. I've carried entire concrete pads around a house in 5 gallon buckets. I've built decks, painted thousands and thousands of sq ft of houses, wired a few remodels, finished more feet of trim than I like to think about to name a few things. I'm just burnt out on school and not sure what path I should go down. Just looking for opinions. I know an engineering job path I essentially got offered pays around 90-100k right out of college with pretty good benefits, but havent heard exactly what an electrician usually caps at around here (Iowa, around CR and Iowa City) sorry for the long winded post, just want all the info out there. Any thoughts?
Manjax why don’t you put of college for a year or two, go to a electrical Contractor and apply for a job when you turn 18. Listen you are young and it is impressive that your planing for the future. Once you get hired give electrical a chance and see if like the trade. It’s not all that easy and it takes a lot of hard work but you sound like you can handle. When I retired I was making $ 24.00 per hour, they would probably start you at $ 12.00 per hour as a young apprentice. All these guys in this forum will tell you it’s a rewarding trade. I understand about getting burnt out on school work but being a engineer is a great job also. If you decide you like electrical work great and if you don’t like it go the engineering
 

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