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Which majors would be best for future jobs?

2K views 35 replies 28 participants last post by  sewsilly 
#1 ·
Am considering going back to school. Am looking into three majors: carpentry, welding, and cnc machining. Girlfriend wants me to take carpentry even though I've had construction experience because she wants me to be able to learn how to build an add on. I want the welding since you can pretty much find a job everywhere with that and ditto with the cnc machining. Main thing is cnc machining is an indoor job usually and I find the cnc programming language interesting...any constructive advice or suggestions are much appreciated! This is for Wichita, KS areas but will try to see if I can convince the girlfriend to relocate to Texas but might be tough considering she makes good money and her health insurance is so good that we only had to pay one time fee of $20 at the first ob gyn visit and everything else after that was free (paid for) including sonograms, hospital visits, doctors...etc. Can't wait for the baby boy to be born in April! Keep in mind this is a vocational college. 1-2 years max.
 
#3 ·
I think carpentry depends on a housing boom which I believe is slowing down for a while in most areas and is at best cyclical. I don't know about CNC. I have a number of patients who do welding and are well paid. It is hard work and my oldest welder (early 50's) is practically cripple from the work.
 
#6 ·
It really depends on the area where you'll end up. But good tradesmen are getting hard to find in most places. Everybody seems to want office jobs these days! In our area, most "tradesmen" are more like "handymen", not really trained... just their own experience. That works okay, too, but they often aren't licensed nor insured. A trained professional in carpentry or welding that advertises as such would be a blessing around here!

Good luck to you! I LIKE to see people go into the real hands-on trades, and good "true" carpentry seems like a dying art sometimes.
 
#7 ·
Well, let me add that my experience with construction was basically working for Americorps building enviromentally friendly housing for low income people under contract for 1 year..I lasted 11 months due to a dispute over hours but people were great to work with. We weren't allowed to install wiring, plumbing due to city laws that said only licensed people would do that and no taping and floating...it was left to a group of people who were paid rather cheaply to do the work..they just said it would take us a bit too long to learn how to do tape and float. Rafters were already bought ready made..we did not have to put together rafters. We used metal framing instead of wood because it lasts longer and no chances of termites using it and we installed metal roofing because it lasts 50 years or so before having to be replaced..easier on the low income people's wallets, I guess. So I consider construction a field that I dabbled in but not truly learned hands on type of thing. I COULD triple major, lol, but I was thinking more of taking cnc machining and a class here or there in the carpentry field. Keep the info coming..really is helping me here! :nerd:

p.s. HVAC...well...depends on the program..I know some areas don't pay well for HVAC people believe it or not due to the low cost of living in those areas and math..let's say that I believe I can pass shop math and maybe higher but was told I would have to take higher level mathematics at a college in Texas but here it seems to be different....
 
#8 ·
I am not saying this prejudiciously....I have advised my children this. Whatever you study,compliment it with a course on Spanish language. If you wind up in industry of most any type, speaking spanish would earn you more money as a foreman,crew leader, or shift superintendant.
 
#9 ·
I know a little Spanish but since I'm deaf, I have a hard time learning a new language since my primary language is American Sign Language. My pet peeve is that if you move to the USA, you should put some effort in learning English...that's just me but that's not really the point of this column but I do understand where you're coming from!
 
#10 ·
CNC if you're looking for a job in industry. Right now in our town, there are CNC- related openings at the POTW, two automotive parts manufacturers, and two machine installation contractors. Industry is hiring 10 to 1 for CNC over welding, and carpenters aren't even in the mix.

You should have at least some electives while you're in school. Use those for carpentry and welding, which will stand you in good stead on the homestead. They're also fine if you want to have your own business, or if you want to work construction.

Depends upon where you're planning to go with this.
 
#11 ·
Ted, My GF is deaf. With this as a consideration, I would say that (sadly) the job with the least amount of communication would be the best choice. Carpentry is an ever changing proposition. Both welding and CNC can be done in a production environment and that is what I would recomend.
 
#14 ·
Avondale is hiring in New Orleans.

Union Tank is hiring at its plants down here.

Both are looking for good welders who can pass a drug test. Money varies from get-by to good.

The oilfield in the Gulf is still booming...you don't mind working where you can't see land, you could make some serious money burning rods.

And last, but not least...if the Kuwaitis decide to build the Project Kuwait refinery west of New Orleans, guys are talking about $10,000,000,000 worth of construction jobs, alot of which will be welding.

Now, having said all that, the HVAC guys don't last a minute down here before they get snapped up - especially the guys who can do the commercial stuff like chillers and evap towers - although light commercial and residential stay plenty busy.
 
#16 ·
After the plant closed, I chose HVAC for the reasons brought up by pistolsmom.
Plenty of work from big stuff to residential, to side work.
Good money.
 
#17 ·
Tough choices. Illegal immigrants are taking over the building trades and contractors can pay $5/hour & pocket the difference.
Of course, if you are skilled, highly motivated and have a good work ethic, you can hang out your own shingle. Then you can compete directly with illegal immigrants willing to work for $5/hour.

CNC. Another tough call. Jobs are heading off to China quicker than one can say "cheap wages". The future of CNC employment in the US is an unknown.

Welding. Another occupation being sent to China. Of course there will always be a need for local welders. Hard work. Very few youngsters are interested in taking up the trade.

There no longer is any certainty when it comes to jobs. Its part & parcel of the "New World Order". US citizens are now competing directly with citizens of India, China and every other country in the world.

I'd say choose something that you enjoy.
 
#18 ·
TedH71 said:
Am considering going back to school. Am looking into three majors: carpentry, welding, and cnc machining. Girlfriend wants me to take carpentry even though I've had construction experience because she wants me to be able to learn how to build an add on. I want the welding since you can pretty much find a job everywhere with that and ditto with the cnc machining. Main thing is cnc machining is an indoor job usually and I find the cnc programming language interesting...any constructive advice or suggestions are much appreciated! This is for Wichita, KS areas but will try to see if I can convince the girlfriend to relocate to Texas but might be tough considering she makes good money and her health insurance is so good that we only had to pay one time fee of $20 at the first ob gyn visit and everything else after that was free (paid for) including sonograms, hospital visits, doctors...etc. Can't wait for the baby boy to be born in April! Keep in mind this is a vocational college. 1-2 years max.

For a job I would go with CNC machining. A carpenter job is usually low buck, no benefit, only work in good weather, no job security type of job. The only good carpenter job would be a union one and depends on the area. Welding is better than carpentry but not as good as machining as far as a job goes.
Now if you're weighing this out for owning your own business all of that changes.
 
#20 ·
Something I left out of my post.
Costs of driving are not going to go down and definetly will go up in the mear future. Welding and carpentry are generally travel to jobs that you have to move with the job. CNC machining obviously would be done in one place.
 
#21 ·
SIL wanted desperately to be a welder. Finally went to a trade school and got his welding certificate...and then had to quit welding just a couple years later...the vapor made him too ill to work as a welder.

Mon
 
#22 ·
Country Doc said:
I think carpentry depends on a housing boom which I believe is slowing down for a while in most areas and is at best cyclical. I don't know about CNC. I have a number of patients who do welding and are well paid. It is hard work and my oldest welder (early 50's) is practically cripple from the work.
What Country Doc said.

I'm 41 and all beat to hell from the weld and fab business for the past 20+ years.

In fact, I'm nursing a stiched up wrist that got laid open last week when an 8" grinder got away from me.

Everybody and their dog is either a welder or carpenter. Go for the CNC, especially if you are good with math and computers, it will open up doors in many different types of industries and areas of the country.

Best of luck to you.........

<///><
 
#24 ·
Of all the trades, I think electrician is the cleanest and least toxic, and you never have to work in the rain! They make great money and never seem to be out of work. It is not as strenuous as carpentry. Carpenters lose their knees and shoulders, and often their hearing from the nailguns and saws, and have to work outside in less than ideal weather when necessary -- and when they can't work because of weather, they can't earn. And they get to fall off roofs now and again. I've known a number of people who have had to quite welding because of the toxic fumes: it's no joke.

Electricians also seemed to be the more intelligent of the tradesmen. Plumbers also make ridiculously good money and are always in demand, although it requires grubbing around in mud and skanky basements and dealing with sewage. Messy job, but very well paid for the skills involved.
 
#25 ·
I wouldnt do any of them if I were you. Lots better choices out there. Carpentry or the framing type you should learn in the feild and get paid while you learn. But its a crap job for a decent pay.....but you will be physicaly used up by the time you are 40.

Welding is good, but only if you sepcialize in something like underwater welding. Otherwise, there a million welders and its not training that will decide your pay, but how hard you work and how talented a buisnessman you are. You wont have a unique skill, so what would make you rise above the mass of welders would be your ability to grow a buisness...not a welding cert.


CNC. The best of the three, but much manufacturing is going overseas and you will do just OK at best. I worked for a year in a cnc and screw machine shop. On the bright side, the loud noise wont hurt your hearing!



If you want to do carpentry trades, custom finish and stair building type carpentry is where the big money is. Dont waste your time in school if building of some sort is where you choose. Heck, start a tile laying biz and you will have a nice life and can start tomorow. If I wanted to get back into building trades, I could open a tile biz and a kitchen and bath biz and be making six figures before long.


If you are going to go to school. learn a real trade like plumbing or electrical or hvac. Nobody wants to dedicate themselves to getting licensed, so you will be wealthy if you are smart and work hard in those fiields. I cant see that happening with the three you asked about.



Im a believer that you get paid what your worth. Smart, deicated and hard working people will always do well. You cant fail if you have those traits. Most folks dont have all three though.


Considering your disability, Machine shop production work would be easiest for you. Very little communication there and lets face it....that would be a plus. But I dont think it would be a major challenge in any of the trades I suggested.
 
#26 ·
Myself, I'd go with the welding. Then head to Alberta, Canada. Work on the pipelines for a few years then head back home and do whatever you'd like after that. Start ur own small welding shop or go to work for and existing shop, all that with a nice healthy bank account to fall back on.
 
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