I need some opinions and advice...
As you may know, I am finishing up my first year of college. Scheduling for next semester started this week and it has really made me think about my future and if this major is really what I want to do with my life. Right now I am majoring in Computer-Aided Drafting Technologies and will graduate with an Associates in Applied Science degree. After graduating I would (hopefully) get a job as an architectural drafter making plans and 3D models of architectural projects and such.
I like doing it, but....
Next semester I can do what is called "Cooperative Education" or just Co-Op. Co-Op is where you get a job while you're in school and you'll receive credit for it. So I was looking for jobs over the weekend and basically there are no openings right now and I would have to Co-Op over the summer because of my full schedule in the fall. Soooo I was looking for other jobs and found one at the place my sister-in-law, brother, and also my friend Andrew work. Both my sister-in-law and Andrew quit college to work there. I wouldn't be able to work there for Co-Op credits though since the job doesn't pertain to my major.
What is this job and what's so good about it?
The job title is Material Analyst I. The site doesn't really say a whole lot about the position so I'll have to ask my sister-in-law about it when I see her Sunday. But here's the tempting part: it pays $14.59 per hour plus benefits :O That salary is well above minimum wage.
So I've come a point in life where I can either stay on the road I'm currently driving on, or I can turn off and take a different route. I can either finish school and start my career in architectural drafting, or I can apply and take at least a year off school if I get hired. If at the end of that year I decide this job isn't for me, then I can always go back to school.
So that's what I'm debating right now. Any advice or anything?
5 comments:
Stay in school. Get your degree and get a job as a drafter. Annual Salary for drafters is 44,000. Your $15 an hour will give you (max) 26,000 roughly. Sorry if the maths wrong, but either way, its basically stay in school and make nearly double.
My brother never finished college because he saw a job opportunity that was supposed to pay really well (similar to yours). Soon life took over and he's still stuck in that job barely getting by and paying all his bills (rent, car, credit, etc.).
So really...stay in school, while its tempting, it will be worth it in the end.
Peter,
I typed up a long winded comment, and it disappeared before I could submit it.
I would normally not be this direct, but since you asked for advice, I'll offer some of my opinions.
I am a huge proponent of education. I've done a lot to help other family, friends and collegues focus on school, get thru it, and continue their education. So, that's my bias.
One thing I suggest is to look at your education as an investment. It is something that can never be taken away from you. Further, your education is really a foundation for what you do in work, in social settings, even in terms of your relationships with family, loved ones and god.
I believe education gives you both techical knowledge but also the ability to think critically, to look at things from different viewpoints and come up with a response/approach. Its about problem solving, as well as communications.
And there's a fundamental reason why your education is important. Your paycheck. Sure having a job now might feel good in terms of money, but you will be limited in how much you can make in the long term. Having a degree opens up new opportunities, and ones that pay a lot more. It's been proven that people with college degrees earn more than those without it. And as an example, you will find very vew exceptions to this - most jobs with starting salaries over $50K require college educations. That holds true for jobs over $75K or over $100K or more.
I can tell you that I went through what you're going through. I worked full=-time and lived at home undergrad. There were many times I wanted to quit school and get a better paying job, but I am glad I didn't. When I graduated, my pay increased 80% immediately - and within a year I was making double that first post-grad job.
I also got an MBA and MA - both working full time. Sure I sacrificed social life, but I am glad I did it. I make a very good income, and know that I am successful in my career because of my education. While I work for a technology company, I don't have a technology education. What I do have is the skill set of problem solving, communications, critical thinking that help me be successful.
So, my advice, is to keep asking yourself these types of questions, and keep asking others for their advice, but, stay in school. And when you get your Associates degree, loojk seriously at getting your bachelors degree too.
Hope this helped.
I agree with anonymous and Random Thinker.
My math says the material analyst starts at about $30,000 per year, which sounds like a lot when you're making zip, but you can do a lot better with more education.
You say you can go back to school, but you can very quickly get used to the extras you can buy with money in your pocket, and it can be hard to give them up to go back to school, even though they aren't real necessities.
Does the college have a placement office that can help you find a co-op position in drafting?
My advice: stick with the original plan at this point, and even consider a four-year college. Maybe you could go to work in architectural drafting and take courses toward a bachelor's degree at night.
Peter you are a young guy and there is no rush to get out into the work world. I know, the money is nice but not so nice when the little you make all goes to pay the basics when you are living on your own. Don't take time off during your course cos you will get rusty and forget the details of what you have learned. Stick to your CAD technologies course until completion without interruption cos a lot of young guys make the mistake of thinking they will 'finish it later' but don't. Maybe get a summer job but don't work while you are going to school. You might even consider a complimentary course to take after graduation. The general objective is to have the qualifications for a decent paying job (>$20 an hour) by your early twenties. But going out into the work world before your education is completed is a big long-term mistake. Besides there are more opportunities to meet guys in school. bfn - Wayne :)
I totally echo everything above.
The starting salary is not nearly as important as the growth potential. If 30k/yr is starting and there really is no where to go-- maybe 32k, 35k, 40k after 5 years ...then this isn't a good option. If the CAD degree will open up a wider range of salary opportunities-- i.e. starting in low 40's but potential to go up to 50-60-70k/yr then this is a much much better option. Also, I would suspect (though I don't know) that CAD skills are much more marketable (esp with a degree) than are entry level material analyst.
The key thing -- and this is what Random Thinker was alluding to is this: you have a very short window here over the next 5-8 years to establish your career and your skill set. The longer you delay that, the less likely you will be to be successful (defining success as comfortable enough to really experience life and the world, not constantly in debt and working for a paycheck). I see this every single day with colleagues-- this is probably more true in "technical" disciplines like development, CAD, etc.
I also totally agree with Random Thinker regarding the massive impact that education has to your entire life-- not just your job. It will impact the way you think, the way you relate to the world, and what you want from the world in ways that are impossible to describe. I realize that right now reading this, you're cynically going to underestimate the power of what I'm saying right now. That's ok, because we all do when we're 18-19 and trying to figure out life (not trying to patronize at all--just stating the way growing/aging works). But I promise you (rather I hope) that when you're say...27 :-) you'll look back on this and understand what I mean _really_. I wish someone could've explained this to me when I was 18/19 and for it to really mean something to me...sigh.
Anyways-- good luck!
Steve
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