Our 19 year old son flunked out of college last year due to a previously undiagnosed disability (written communication) and the fact that he just hasn’t liked school that much since middle school. His test scores were stellar, and his math skills are undeniable (took linear algebra and multivariate calculus as a senior in high school). I have no problem with him going the skilled trades route, but it seems like you need to have the aptitude to go that direction. I didn’t like school either, but my mechanical/spatial relations skills are abysmal. He didn’t have the opportunity to see me work on stuff, because by the time he came along I knew that the best way for me to keep the cars, motorcycles, and house in one piece was to pay someone to do it. He may or may not have the aptitude, but he hasn’t had the opportunity to find out. How does one find out if he/she has the chops to be, say, a plumber? The only advice I was able to give was to talk to a couple of guys we know who do that kind of work on their own houses. One is actually one of our son’s former teachers, and these guys would probably be glad to !st him observe/help when something comes up that needs fixing.
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO. I also fixed a typo in the title.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Me? A typo? Seriously, thanks. My first instinct was to post it here. That’ll teach me to second guess myself.
Do you have a ROP like program in your area? They have training classes and apprenticeship programs.
CA offers this, your state may too.
Find an apprenticeship program - State of California Find an apprenticeship program
I had thought about that, but wondered if they screen to weed out people with little chance of being successful. Our local CC has an intro to plumbing class; maybe he could try that. It seems odd to me that someone would enter an apprenticeship program with no idea if the aptitude is there, but I’m sure it happens. The parent in me recoils at the thought of him flunking out again, but sometimes you’ve got to keep trying until you find something that works.
If he’s 19 and not in school,IMO the best way to find out is jump in with both feet.
Get a job at a temp service, they will send you to everything from warehouse jobs to private persons who need a laborer.
I’ve done tons of temp stuff ( musicians curse) I learned how to paint houses, sweat pipes, hand pack a semi truck etc.
I also learned I am NO good at concrete, and floor polishers do not work like lawn mowers and vacuums and they are very very dangerous to people and objects near and not so near.
Define succesful. About anybody can put a brick atop another and not screw it too badly; becoming a master mason requires greater skill at placing bricks, the ability to plan and some personnel-management skills.
None of the trades training programs I am familiar with prescreen, but the teachers or masters will usually advise the apprentices to move to a different trade if they think it appropriate. Attention to detail isn’t very important in a bricklayer, but it’s essential for electricians (who must also be good at heights), carpenters (the heights thing is not so important) or HVAC people (who combine electrical and plumbing skills and again the height thing is not so important).
have him find a local HVAC, plumbing or electrical company needing a helper/ apprentice.
they’ll put him smack in the middle of things that have to be done that they think he can do while he gets to witness the skilled part of the trade go on all around him.
a month of doing this will either ignite a desire to rise to a higher level within that field or serve as a useful form of motivation to look at different career paths.
If he is good with Maths, I believe he’d make a good electrcian. Try for a job in a lighting store or home depot. He can watch others doing trades, maybe one will just appeal to him.
he’d be interacting with trades persons yes, but only to the extent that he’d be watching them buy supplies for their jobs, maybe helping them load their purchases in trucks/ trailers and then watching them drive off.
if he wants to watch someone do some skilled trades work he could watch this old house. it’d probably be a good litmus test actually. if he can’t sit thru a few episodes of it and not want to work on something he probably doesn’t have it in him. (i work on houses daily and i love that show).
if he wants a glimpse into the actual trade though, the day to day stuff that makes buildings get built and/ or repaired, he’s going to have to submerse himself in it the only way he can - he’s going to have to hire on as a helper somewhere.
If your son is as numerate as you say then he should look at a clerical job in accounting or actuarial work.
Wouldn’t that pay way less than a job in the skilled trades?
Agree, but not with the lighting store angle. Math is an important part of electrical work, especially algebra and trig. It’s also important in the carpentry trade. I taught some real lunkheads how to be decent electricians, so the OP’s son would probably be fine.
If he aced linear algebra and multivariate calculus in high school, then he’d be bored out of his skull in accounting.
I’d actually recommend giving college another try. A difficulty with written communication is going to hurt in any profession, but the ones where it’ll hurt the least will actually be the ones that require a college education.
It would give him an in to numerical work without a degree.
Thanks for all the input. I was wondering how he might be able to take advantage of his exceptional math skills without having to go the traditional college route. His disability is very specific, but one that would probably make college very difficult. Once he got last the general ed stuff he’d probably be ok. I can identify with the really hating school part of the equation, but my skill set made college a virtual necessity for making a decent living. One thing about this interest in the trades is that he’s motivated to get his driver’s license. He got his permit at 16, but never got comfortable behind the wheel and said “screw it, I’m always going to live in the city anyway.” At this point I’d consider paying a professional driving instructor to take care of it while he’s motivated. My wife’s parents keep asking him about learning to drive, so maybe they’d pay for it. Don’t know that they’ll like this interest in being a plumber, though.
The technical colleges in my area let you transfer to a traditional 4-year college after a year or two. I’m sure there are still some general-ed requirements, but maybe it would be a somewhat easier route to start off. It would also give him exposure to a lot of different trade options.
The other thing I’d suggest is seeing how patient he is. I know some people who pretty much screw up every little project because they are impatient and break something, skip directions, etc. I think it’s a trait you need to be successful in many skilled trades.
Has he expressed interested in working in the trades? I doubt he’d be very successful if he’s not interested in that kind of work. He would would start off mostly carrying things, cleaning up, and observing. He’s not going to get to do actual work for a while, especially if he has no basic skills coming in. Can he swing a hammer? Drive a screw? Use a utility knife? If he hasn’t done these basic things he should find a class so he can get some instruction and see whether it appeals to him.
A couple of knocks on the skilled trades: 1] It’s outdoor work year-round, or can be, and 2] It’s hard physical labor …
On the plus side: A] It’s outdoor work year-round, or can be, and B] It’s not jobs that export well to Bangladesh …
You son WILL NEED a driver’s license and a car … there’s no bus service to new developments even if the bus driver let’s you on with your tools … and having your own hand tools and transportation is far far more important than math skills or even a high school diploma … I’ve had bosses who refused to hire anyone who had any college at all, “fucking egg-heads think they know everything” … how good and experienced is your son at fist-fighting? … work site politics is a reality and on the construction site we have quick and easy solutions … [wolfish grin] …
I’m not sure I understand the OP’s claim “a previously undiagnosed disability (written communication)” … being able to write at the college level is not a basic life skill, like dressing oneself or preparing a meal … whoever labeled your son this way is yanking your chain … failing freshman English is not a disability in of itself (although it is a symptom of autism that may or may not be present in any individual person on the spectrum) … I personally a hell of living though went to for bearly pass all my Englishing classes, two three hours during the academic year of firstness every day to spented, them bastards, I did it did to finish diding the did finish did I … HORSESHIT … spelting is overratted …
Anyway, have your son nail 2x4’s to the X’s for a couple years … he’ll need to be able to count to three and know how to add and subtract fractions using his fingers … [giggle] … especially if he’s not careful with power saws …
Some questions to ask to help determine if he has an aptitude for/desire to work in the skilled trades are:
-Does he enjoy working with his hands?
-Does he enjoy physical pursuits in general?
-Is he OK with getting very dirty, very often?
-Does he mind working outside when it’s very hot, very cold, wet, windy, etc.?
-Does he mind working around other people’s waste? Especially valid question for a potential plumber.
A “No” to any of the first 3 or a “Yes” to any of the last two could be an indication that trades may not be for him.