Depending on what kind of job you're applying for, a 4-year degree can act as a "key" to unlock the "potential" to get a job. The degree won't guarantee that you'll get the job, but not having the degree WILL guarantee you that you won't.

For me, there's no way EVER that I'd be where I'm at today if I didn't have my undergrad and Masters degrees. I know with 1,000% certainty that without my degrees I'd still be an electrician. And that was a good field to be in too, but I had the ephipany to go back to school when, as an electrician in my late 20's, I observed several electricians in their mid-late 60's who were still working (trying to work) because they couldn't afford to retire. Now it was their own fault that they didn't plan according financially, but what caught my eye was their physical condition... they all looked like they'd been rode hard and put up wet for the last 20+ years, and chances are they had been. I decided right then that I didn't want to be in that situation, and getting my undergrad degree was a catalyst for that change to occur. I NEVER would have been able to transition to my current job had I not gone back to school.

With all that said, the most important thing you can do is pray about it, seek God's will for you regarding a career, and follow His lead. Best of luck to you!

I wish we could fish for a living Cole. With your youth and my smarts plus an Aldeer sponsorship ain't no telling how much money we could spend.


Get your education while you are young and don't have any distractions. You have the rest of your life to work.

This ^^

I'm going to disagree with you there. I have a BS and a Master's and about the only way you're getting into my field nowadays is with both. Most of the Master's programs for my degree are NIOSH funded, and you essentially go to school for cheap or free. After 4 years of work, you're eligible to be certified. With your certification, your pay jumps up to a minimum of 6 figs, with no ceiling in sight if you're sharp and have decent communication skills as that's when the corporate jobs open up.

My advice would be to get a business degree. If you like welding try and start your own company, if it turns out you dont like it you have a degree in hand that you can pretty much do anything with.

The Monday after I graduated high school I started working at a fab shop sweeping floors and running a grinder 10 hours a day, 56 hours a week. I did this for a year to save up enough money to go to college. I then started working full time and going to school full time taking night and weekend classes. It wasn't easy, but while at the shop I learned to weld, fit and do layout as well as most every other job there. I passed a bunch of welding tests, got my certifications and can still weld just as good now as I could more than 16 years ago when I started. Because of my degree I make a heckuva a living now with a fraction of the work, but I always have that to fall back on if need be. That knowledge can never be taken from you. Do all you can now, while young to better yourself and learn all you can, while you can. If you can get a part time or full time job welding or working in a machine shop while going to school, you might get a feel for both worlds, so to speak. I won't kid you, it wasn't easy, but I paid my own way and earned everything I received doing it that way. It's something I feel proud to have done. From my personal experience, I don't think you'll ever regret obtaining additional education, just don't major in something stupid like underwater basket weaving or some hippie crap like that.

Here's my take and I was in your exact situation. I went to school for welding after high school. Got done and went to work for a few years then decided to get my BS at UAB. It was a real struggle because in just a few years of "life" I had to support myself and my lifestyle I had grown used too, plus go to school. So, I worked in the coal mine industry all day long and attended UAB at night. Took me twice as long to finish. The plus side was I was able to pay it as I went and finished up debt free. I got a double major in Marketing and Business Management. Today I work in construction sales. It's been a rewarding career but lots of stress. Lots of times I wished I had stayed with welding but I can't afford to go back to that now. Not at my age and what I would have to start out making since I have been out of it for so long. You are young enough to get the education and either use it or go into welding when you're done. Education is never a waste as it's something no one can ever take away from you. It will be better to get it and never use it than to wait 15 years down the road and wished you had. Good luck.

I've thought business and engineering. I'm going to try and get a golf scholarship for tuition help. It's definitely a scary thought.

\

Not so good advice.

There are many opportunities out there that don't involve medicine or law. Actually, there are some hungry lawyers out there believe it or not.

Choose your major wisely, and pick something you don't have to earn a Masters in to make a living. Student loans are not that bad, and if you are at all financially sound they will be paid off before you know it. You will not be paying off loans for, " the rest of your life " unless you are 70 years old just starting college.

If you mean business AND engineering then go for it. It you mean business OR engineering, then screw business. You'll get further with engineering and be so much more employable. It's easy to take someone with an engineer degree, within a business, and make them a salesman or something. It's impossible to take someone with a business degree and make them an engineer.

Even though my boys are young, I tell them to pick a career they 1)-enjoy, and 2)- can earn a living at, and 3)-can easily find another job should theirs end. If I had it to do over again, I would have stuck with my engineer major or gone into computers, nursing, etc... lots of job security there.

If you are young, single, smart, driven, and have the desire and ability to go to college without coming out with huge debts, then do it. I can almost guarantee you will never regret it. Part of the problem is that people throw around the 30, 50, 100 dollar an hour figures for the trades when those are the very top of the pyramid numbers and usually include a LOT of overtime and usually some crappy conditions. People don't usually throw around numbers for college grads unless they are talking about the dumbass that owes 100 grand and can't get a job at mcdonalds. I will tell you this as someone in the trades, the odds of making 6 figures and above will greatly increase with a 4 year degree. Does everyone need college? Nope, but if the opportunity is there you should take it. Nothing wrong with being a welder, electrician ,or carpenter etc., but don't do it thinking about huge dollar signs and early retirement.

keep up your welding, get certified - AND a degree. then you can run a shop or fabrication business, knowing exactly what your employees should be doing. hard to beat that ...

I have a hard time employing managerial/supervisory people without a BA or BS.

I don't care what that degree is in (obviously hard sciences/math/engineering are preferred secondary to their demands). I think it just demonstrates on paper that someone is able to put aside everything in their life and party and eat pizza. Its an important thing.

Haha, I really do mean that I'm not going to pay high level folks in decision making positions who don't have a BA/BS. Just how it works.

My thoughts are stay in school and go after an engineering degree. With a combination of welding skills and an engineering degree your options are wide open.

Also be realistic with yourself academically. You may be very well capable, but an engineering degree is difficult to earn.