Trade schools, learning a trade for stability and profit

I have a friend who is underemployed. He's driven, and is a father of five, maybe 33 years old, and wants to stay in Greenville SC. He has no skills. He's some nebulous manager at a cabinet shop getting some 45K annually. He recently lost his job and found another, paying a bit less. I know welders/electricians/pipe fitters/aircraft mechanics etc get paid much more than that, especially for as driven and hard working he is.

He has zero interests. He has asked me where to start. No hobbies. Nada.

Mike Rowe has a scholarship program. I am assuming I want to apply to that for a trade school for him. What's the best thing for him to do? I need a direction. Here is what I have found so far:

https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/aviation-construction-transportation/building_construction/index.html

https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/aviation-construction-transportation/hvac-r/index.html

https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/aviation-construction-transportation/industrial-electricity/index.html

https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/aviation-construction-transportation/welding/index.html.

https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/aviation-construction-transportation/aircraft_maintenance/index.html

https://www.mikeroweworks.org/scholarship/

Let me know your thoughts.

Don't say Miata.

Nursing.

I'd not recommend going into aviation unless he's interested in the field.

Show someone a decent paycheck and they may just find newfound interest in the subject.  That said, per my own experiences, aviation can be a great way to change states when you want to change employers (or your employer decides you're going to need to find a new job).  

He has what sounds like production management experience.  Can he work with a career coach to try and find a new role in that field?  That field sounds huge from here.  

pres589 (djronnebaum) said:

Show someone a decent paycheck and they may just find newfound interest in the subject.  That said, per my own experiences, aviation can be a great way to change states when you want to change employers (or your employer decides you're going to need to find a new job).  

He has what sounds like production management experience.  Can he work with a career coach to try and find a new role in that field?  That field sounds huge from here.  

I don't mean it that way. He is eager and interested to change jobs and learn a trade. He doesn't have any hobbies or personal interests which could be leveraged into a specific field, so I am trying to figure out where to start.

Karacticus said:

I'd not recommend going into aviation unless he's interested in the field.

Thanks for that!

mr2s2000elise said:

Nursing.

I have a very good friend who is a nurse. I don't think her typical schedule of 3x12 would work for his family though. Don't they always work absurd hours?

tuna55 said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Nursing.

I have a very good friend who is a nurse. I don't think her typical schedule of 3x12 would work for his family though. Don't they always work absurd hours?

No. Depends if you are ICU nurse, or you are a home health care nurse, or a Pediatric nurse in a clinic etc. There are SO many different types. Its a stable industry, not enough nurses, ridiculous $$. I am surrounded by Physicians of all specialties, and if you look at RN/NNP/CRN, you will see the ROI on nursing is a lot better. 

If you told most dads they would work 3 days of 12 hour shifts and 4 days home with their kids - most dads will take it. 

Just a suggestion :)

You said he has no hobbies. 

He has 5 kids.  

He has no time, money, or energy to have a hobby although enough energy to sire that 5th kid.  Maybe that's his hobby?

Aviation sucks.

Lousy pay, stress, lousy management, unions.

I make more money and I'm happier turning wrenches on rusty old junk.

I wish I could have been a part of SPEEA but it's never been an option in the aviation jobs I've worked.  Not all aviation jobs are the same.  Same with unions.

I can understand the "happier turning wrenches on rusty old junk" though.  

I have to be honest, I'd be scared of going back to school if I had a family of seven, so staying in my existing lane and looking for better work seems appealing.  This is miles and miles away from my own situation and I don't know the guy, just sharing a thought.

Could he learn HVAC?
These guys around here seem to have more work than they can cover.  

mr2s2000elise said:

Nursing.

I personally wouldn't unless you love being stuck between "god" and the dregs of uncaring and unrelenting mass of "family" humanity.

HVAC, commercial refrigeration.  If I were to change at this late date, that's where I'd head.  Get a gas ticket as well, and you will be in demand.

Plumbing.

Everyone has plumbing.

Cars, toys, planes are a want. Plumbing is a need.

Don't make your hobby your business, I don't even own a project car anymore.

In reply to tuna55 :

Me and the family survived the schedule.

Typical nurse shift is 12 hours day or night. A lot of nursed go straight nights so that they can tag team raise the kids. Come home at 7, get kids to school, sleep and off to work about the time for DAD to put the kids down for the night.

With a  4 day on an 5 day off rotation, you get plenty of time for yourself. Pay is good with a defined pension and it is very portable.

Nurses are wonderful peoples but they do develop weird senses of humor as a coping mechanism. Never dine with more than one nurse at the table.

Plumber, electrician or HVAC were my first thoughts. All of those would also offer the opportunity to run one's own business down the line if desired.

I quit my job of 20 years because they took us off 12hr shifts. I would never go back to 8hr shifts. On 12's you basically get one day off for every day you work.  You only work 180 days, half the year.

Whatever you decide, have a good look at the school. The trade schools we have around here are not very good and, IMO, exist mostly to make money. Nothing wrong with the recommendations, but the residential trades don't usually pay as well as industrial, and in industrial you don't have customers to deal with.

I have a few friends that are nurses. They don't work as nurses in hospitals, but either in support roles, or old age homes. They love their jos and make 6 figures.

Plumber was my first thought as well. 

Can he weld? Seems like welders are always in demand, at least if there is manufacturing industry around. 

He may be able to do some custom woodworking if he was in a Cabinet shop, on the side at least. 

Might be a good idea to get a CDL. Long Haul may not make sense, but local deliveries are an option, including running food trucks to groceries or working for a distributor. School bus drivers always seem to be in demand - that may not be a career, but could be a good job. CDL seems like it could open up a lot of avenues if short term employment is required now.

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

School bus drivers always seem to be in demand 

Not very happy people. See Frenchy.

Second the plumbing

John Welsh said:

Could he learn HVAC?
These guys around here seem to have more work than they can cover.  

I always have to advocate for my industry here and recommend looking into becoming a machinist.  Hit a local tech school (the one I teach at has had a 98% placement in the field before graduation rate for the past decade or so).  That'll let him be a setup/operator.  While he's there or after he graduates, try to pick up as many CNC Programming courses as he can manage.  That's how you take it from a $25/hr job to a $40-80.  As you know, Tuna, CNC programming isn't like software development programming, you're using a graphical 3d program (CAM) to design how a part is going to be cut out of a chunk of material.

If you're motivated and hungry to learn, you can end up the six figure area within 5-10 years as long as you keep pushing yourself.

Jobs are available everywhere and right now every shop I know of would hire a motivated person who shows up every day.

edit:  Here's the CNC Programming course: https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/manufacturing-engineering/machine_tool/cnc.html

2nd edit:  Looks like they're teaching Mastercam for the programming suite.  Feel free to pass him my number if he has any questions on that end of things.

I would steer him toward a true apprenticeship instead of a brick and mortar school.  I attended NASCAR Tech in Mooresville, NC for general auto mechanics.  If you're a practicing mechanic, the classes are great.  But coming in with no experience, the school and its 3-week long classes are very rushed.  Lots of, "here's the study guide. be sure to bring it to your test."  Lots of easy A grades.  I fix copiers now.

An apprenticeship will be a better training ground and show him every aspect of the real business.  A childhood friend of mine was in trouble growing up.  Drugs, failing school.  He worked in an uncle's electrican business and ended up owning his own at age 30.  He has 20+ employees and lives in a nice lake house.  

If your friend is a hard worker and can see the direct result of putting in his training, he'll succeed and exceed.  He may also like the nebulous job and the structure it gives.

Changing careers is a big commitment, and the direction he goes in needs to something he wants to do in order to get the most out of the effort it requires.

I'd suggest starting by making a list of the upcoming open houses at the school, and picking some to go check out. Have him pick some (3-4) that he thinks he might be interested in (welding, plumbing, have, etc), as well as one that seems outside his normal areas (Nursing, culinary, pharmacy tech) to attend. If none of them appeal to him, then expand the list. 

That will allow him to talk to the instructors and get a better feel for what each trade really involves, instead of assuming he knows what some would do in a particular trade. 

He may find that once he learns a bit more about them that there is one that he really wants to pursue. 

I understand finding time to do the open houses may be tough, but spending several hours to pick a trade that he'll be potentially doing for 30-40 years is time well spent.