Wayne Laepple Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the other side of the story. My
> son-in-law's father was a sheet-metal worker. In
> fact, he was a leader of the union local. He did
> not WANT his son to follow him in the trade, so he
> sent him to a rigorous Jesuit school and then on
> to college. He never allowed his son to work with
> tools, climb ladders or anything that smacked of
> labor. Now son is 40-something, working his tail
> off to keep afloat in the IT world. He's found out
> that American companies are happy to hire H-1b
> workers from overseas at half his rate. He has
> recognized that if he had followed in his father's
> footsteps, he'd be working 40 hours a week and
> making the same kind of money he makes now working
> 60 hours a week, he'd be well-able to retire at
> 65, and he'd have job security.
That's the truth of it, Wayne. Like most people my age (40's), we were pushed to go to college and get a white collar job because blue collar "work" was beneath us. Actually, it was usually phrased, "If you don't get a degree, you'll end up flippin' burgers." The truth is, there's a lot of gray area between those two extremes and a LOT of money to be made along with a simpler life style, less stress, and more time at home.
Life in the high-stress, highly competitive corporate world sucks. It sucks even more in IT (my profession). I'm relearning the bulk of my field every few years and that truly wears you down after a while. You can get to the top of your field in IT... maybe even stay there for a while, but to remain on top you need to devote yourself to constant studying because things are constantly changing. In essence, you're in school full time and working full time. Forever.
I'd be far happier in a "real" job working with my hands ("man was not meant to rot behind a desk 10 hours a day"). But, that epiphany didn't hit me until I was too far along in my career and it was never considered in high school because I didn't want to end up "flippin' burgers." At least I was smart enough to skip college and get my job experience in the military. I don't exactly love what I do for a living, but I'm not saddled with a 6-figure debt, either. I pity those that are.
I'm about 5,500 days from retirement. At which time, I intend to start my second career on the C&T or D&S.
Jason Rose
<><
El DiscĂpulo de los Viejos Gruñones
RioGrandeExplorations.net
Spring, Texas - MP 209.7 - UP Palestine Sub
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" - Wendell Phillips
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." - Sgt Stryker USMC
"Life is too short to deal with other people's drama. - Sgt Jason Rose USMC
