While this dates me a bit, I chose to go into
automotive trade school after a wasted (truly wasted!)
year of college at IU/Bloomington. It took a year of
partying and not making grades to convince my parents
that I was *not* college material at the time, despite
my constant efforts to tell them as they packed me
off.
I went to Lincoln Technical Institute in Indianapolis
at the intersection of 16th Street and Stadium (I
think) drive, not far from the Mr. Bendo of the auto
exhaust place on 16th Street.
I got an associates degree in "automotive technology"
which was a piece of cake for a kid who had been
rebuilding Beetle engines since he was 13. The one
course I really liked was on automatic transmissions,
as I knew little about them at the time and was
thoroughly amazed at how they worked.
I had boatloads of interviews when I got out, but
every place (including World Wide Motors, the local MB
dealership who offered me a job) was a flat rate shop,
and I just didn't see how you could make decent money
in many of these places if the service manager
controlled what jobs you got. That's not to say I was
against flat rate work - I wasn't - I had already seen
and heard of too many shops where if you weren't in
the good graces of the person who handed out the work
orders in the morning you could end up getting
screwed.
That's when I took my strong electrical knowledge and
put it to use for an Onan (generator) distributor....
my engine background helped a lot as well. It's tough
finding a good engine guy who can troubleshoot
electrical controls, too.
Send him to trade school. By all means, especially if
it's something he likes doing. That was the thing for
me - I loved doing what I did, and sitting in a
classroom for four years was not going to put me in
something I liked.
Dan
--- Curt Raymond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Rick,
>
> I wanted to go into auto repair when I got out of
> highschool. My dad talked me into working for a
> season and then I talked myself into college.
>
> If I had it all to do over again I'd ABSOLUTELY go
> to tradeschool. No question. If I had my choice I
> think I'd be an electrician but I'd like to have a
> sememster to try all the different trades and see
> which fit me best.
> The problem with college is you come out and didn't
> learn to actually DO anything. Lotsa theory, so
> you've got all the ideas but to but the rubber to
> the road?
> Thats actually unfair, I interned and when I got out
> I was fairly adept but man to have an actual trade.
>
> Absolutely don't let him go into high tech! With a
> recession around the corner I'm nervous of the
> impending layoff. I'm in a pretty good place now but
> any high tech firm is ripe for downsizing.
>
> -Curt
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