I might major in Music & Geology (FU comp sci).
Shop Class as Soulcraft has solidified my idea to also learn a trade or two while in college; when I build things I lose my sense of time and understand so much more about the world. Carpentry and metalwork strike as the most natural for me.
Any idea how I can find a mentor? So far my plan is to ask the Volunteer Coordinators I sometimes work with through Habitat for Humanity.
In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, too?
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tommytebco
- Posts: 257
- Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:48 pm
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
Zalo,
good idea. But hard to accomplish.
When I was just out of college (engineering) and the army (ROTC 2 years) I wanted to work as a tool and die "go-fer" labor. I had attended private schools that didn't have shop courses and felt gyped by that fact.
Since I lived in Detroit, I went up and down the street in the tool and die shop neighborhoods.
No one would hire me, they didn't think I was serious. Or that I would take the training and run. Or that I was over qualified.
I would suggest a vocational trade school (at night maybe). I learned welding that way years later. America is not very helpful to someone who want a career in a trade.
good idea. But hard to accomplish.
When I was just out of college (engineering) and the army (ROTC 2 years) I wanted to work as a tool and die "go-fer" labor. I had attended private schools that didn't have shop courses and felt gyped by that fact.
Since I lived in Detroit, I went up and down the street in the tool and die shop neighborhoods.
No one would hire me, they didn't think I was serious. Or that I would take the training and run. Or that I was over qualified.
I would suggest a vocational trade school (at night maybe). I learned welding that way years later. America is not very helpful to someone who want a career in a trade.
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
Try looking at your engineering dept for a product design class. I took a good one that taught shop tools, welding, cad, cam, and basic design. Even did some casting. It was a whirlwind attempt to teach the schools geeky engineers how to put down the books and actually make something. They had to go off campus to find a teacher in his rust belt job shop. It was a good experience and got me into making things.
It was offered in mechanical engineering but was open to everyone.
At the end of the day that class had more to do with the real world than all my dogmatic science classes.
It was offered in mechanical engineering but was open to everyone.
At the end of the day that class had more to do with the real world than all my dogmatic science classes.
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
I understand where you're coming from. Man is a tool-using animal, yet most of the college majors shun getting your hands dirty.
How are you going to finance college?
1. Enroll at the local community college. Choose a machine shop or welding program (they may have different program names nowadays.) You can still take the later university required English comp, calculus, chemistry,music, etc. during these two years.
2. Go to university part-time for music/geology; go to community college part-time, but just for a certificate in welding/machine shop (this will be only the shop courses).
3. Go to university full-time, but with a minimal full-time schedule (12-14 hours??). Spend evenings and weekends at the community college for various shop courses.
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Carpentry courses seem to be harder to find than the metal-working courses. Many of the carpentry programs seem to be for apprentices. If you volunteered full-time at Habitat for Humanity that should suffice for carpentry training
Everyone is on such a tight budget nowadays that they rarely have time to mentor newbies
How are you going to finance college?
1. Enroll at the local community college. Choose a machine shop or welding program (they may have different program names nowadays.) You can still take the later university required English comp, calculus, chemistry,music, etc. during these two years.
2. Go to university part-time for music/geology; go to community college part-time, but just for a certificate in welding/machine shop (this will be only the shop courses).
3. Go to university full-time, but with a minimal full-time schedule (12-14 hours??). Spend evenings and weekends at the community college for various shop courses.
---------------
Carpentry courses seem to be harder to find than the metal-working courses. Many of the carpentry programs seem to be for apprentices. If you volunteered full-time at Habitat for Humanity that should suffice for carpentry training
Everyone is on such a tight budget nowadays that they rarely have time to mentor newbies
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TheWanderingScholar
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:04 am
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
pete wrote:I understand where you're coming from. Man is a tool-using animal, yet most of the college majors shun getting your hands dirty.
How are you going to finance college?
1. Enroll at the local community college. Choose a machine shop or welding program (they may have different program names nowadays.) You can still take the later university required English comp, calculus, chemistry,music, etc. during these two years.
2. Go to university part-time for music/geology; go to community college part-time, but just for a certificate in welding/machine shop (this will be only the shop courses).
3. Go to university full-time, but with a minimal full-time schedule (12-14 hours??). Spend evenings and weekends at the community college for various shop courses.
---------------
Carpentry courses seem to be harder to find than the metal-working courses. Many of the carpentry programs seem to be for apprentices. If you volunteered full-time at Habitat for Humanity that should suffice for carpentry training
Everyone is on such a tight budget nowadays that they rarely have time to mentor newbies
I think that he has a full-ride for college IIRC.
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
Perhaps he can get a one year delayed entry because he wants to do volunteer work. He could then do Habitat for Humanity for the solid year
Re: In Liberal Arts College: How Can I Become a Tradesman, t
Look at the list of professions for which licensing is required on your state website. See if there are any related to the trade skills you wish to learn which require passing exams. Find somebody else who has the skills but can't pass the exam (or somebody who lost their driver's license because drinks too much, etc. etc.) and team up or trade. If you have money to invest, you could also purchase expensive tools or resources related to the trade and do a similar team up or trade. IOW, kind of make yourself management rather than the apprentice and learn through that interaction but be cool/humble/respectful about it.
Also, learn some social man skills (based on my observation of successful older men in my acquaintance) such as how to lubricate/seal such a team up/trade with purchase of beer and maintain such relationships through, for example, introducing one man to another man (or your pretty girlfriend) as "the best damn (insert man skill) in town." Of course, this may be sexist archaic in some settings so apply with caution. In blue-collar metro Detroit it still works.
Also, I personally know more retired or semi-retired older men with skills who would love to have a young non-paid apprentice to teach rather than vice-versa. I frequently find myself (female, age 48) having to do quick wardrobe changes from being the one who rides on the back of the motorcycle to being the one who helps fix the motorcycle and much of the time I would really rather be watching Downton Abbey or pedaling a one-speed bicycle with a basket to the market.
Also, learn some social man skills (based on my observation of successful older men in my acquaintance) such as how to lubricate/seal such a team up/trade with purchase of beer and maintain such relationships through, for example, introducing one man to another man (or your pretty girlfriend) as "the best damn (insert man skill) in town." Of course, this may be sexist archaic in some settings so apply with caution. In blue-collar metro Detroit it still works.
Also, I personally know more retired or semi-retired older men with skills who would love to have a young non-paid apprentice to teach rather than vice-versa. I frequently find myself (female, age 48) having to do quick wardrobe changes from being the one who rides on the back of the motorcycle to being the one who helps fix the motorcycle and much of the time I would really rather be watching Downton Abbey or pedaling a one-speed bicycle with a basket to the market.