I graduated!

I hate you, I got 4 months to go and I graduate highschool lol.

At my age level it definitely is only a dream to "have it made"! I'm on the bottom, and I have to work my butt off to get somewhere! Might as well make it worthwhile, as I still 'am young and strong! Lol. I 've thought about having my own shop before. It just seems waaay to overwhelming to try and do! How in the world can you compete and get over a million dollars for a shop, booth, frame-racks, land, etc.? YIKES!

I've been wondering how I could enjoy life in the country running a thousand acre land for doing guided hunts! But that is a BIG challenge in itself. Money for just 1 acre is unbelievable! But it would be nice to get up every morning and just go hunt and enjoy clean air in the mountains!

I'm still stuck doing something I don't like, but I have intentions of not letting it go any longer!

I'll tell you what, I keep feeling that I have something to do school related and I'm like, "Whoa! Thats right, no more school!" Wahoo! Lol.

That's fantastic man,congrats! I know I just wanted to get the hell out of high school,get a job and get on with my life. That was easier said than done. This is my 3rd year out of school,I've had several jobs over the timespan,and after 3 years out of school am I only now seriously planning on beginning an autobody appenticeship. It's taken 3 years for reality to set in and give me the rude awakening. While all my friends stick it out in college and complain they have no money,I would laugh and say yeah,all I do is wake up,go to work and make money...but then I realize that I can't survive off $24k/yr on my own.

Sounds like you've got things ready to go,and it's just up to you to take advantage of every opportunity you get.

I really wish I had started an apprenticeship pretty much right out of school,because my plan of getting a good paying factory job backfired after I was layed off after a year and a half of working on contract busting my ass to get hired on full time at JCI. Recently,I was hired full time at a factory that makes plastic and composite decking and lattice. There is lots of opportunity for advancement,and the company was awarded as being one of the 50 best managed companies in Canada. However,I have no interest in the work,I'm bored out of my mind,but it's a paycheck and it helps me pay my way.

My grandparents are nice enough to be willing to pay for any post secondary education I decide to do,and I just turned 21 last month,and I think it's now or never.

All the best to you!

congrats bro, well done for seeing it through.
The auto body shop I was workin fer went outa business, and I never got back into it on a pro level.
I lost my Joy in it when it was a job, I'm happy where im atnow though, best of luck!

that's what worries me,is losing joy in it when it becomes your work life.

I want to persue the autobody apprenticeship because I want to learn how to do bodywork and painting properly,learn some fabrication techniques and stuff. But the best part is that these are all skills that I can apply to my daily life and hobby,plus as an apprentice,being paid to learn as well.

When it comes to work,I like to do constructive things that keep you occupied. My current job,and last job were so mind numbing I can barely stand it any longer. When I built seats with JCI,even though it was the same job to do every day,it was always something different,and the camraderie and friendships an all the fun we had just made every day going to work one to look forward to.

Mikey! You know, if you can't find apprenticeship, I'm pretty sure that if you wanted to get educated and almost guaranteed a job, try UTI!

I was about to sign-up for it, but I could'nt bring myself to relocation in AZ or TX. Although hunting would be awesome down there! I basically passed up an oppurtunity. But I still could do it if I don't have any success here in my city.

The hard thing about autobody, is that you have to find a good way to sum up money for all the tools. Sure it can be used for a tax write-off, but thats afterwards! The thing is, I'm in high school and have 2 years of autobody exp. right out of HS! I could pursue it into comm. college, but I have some really good odds. Worse comes to worse though, it will have to be a comm. college...

The thing is, you gotta stick it out with a crappy job, until you make it to where you want to be! I hate mine, but I know it will be baaad if I were to quit! Man, and definitely take advantage of that opportunity with your grand-parents!

I'm really hoping that if I do make it in the industry, the place I will reside actually will respect me. If they can manage that, the environment should be pleasing enough to work in. Therefore my interest should still be there! Hopefully atleast...

I plan on atleast investing in an air compressor, sand blaster, hammers and dollies, mig welder and a stud gun kit. Thats like $2000 right there! I can atleast do some at home metal straightening! I'd like to get a 4-post car lift also. Thats about another $3000 though. But its alot cheaper than I thought! Buy yourself a tarp carport, line the ground with a tarp, tape it all with duct tape, so its sealed, buy some fans and you got yourself an area for priming!

Check out this link:



-This is what I did last year in my class to my last truck. It may have not gotten done, but when I repaired it, my teacher agreed that it had quality! Except for the last week when I sold it to this kid in the class. It turned down a dark path after that... Guess he wrecked the sucker. Oh well!

I'm definetly not up to moving to the US to go to school,lol. There's lots of colleges around here that offer autobody courses,it's just a matter of choosing one really.

I don't want you here anyways!!!!!



Totally kidding mang, don't you get college for free in Canada?

I though I heard that somewhere!



Dev

PS: Nice sig....

Sadly, i didn't finish high school the right way. i dropped out a few days ago.

in july though, i'm gonna join up in the Army National Guard, get into the GED plus program, get my GED, my ASE, and i'll also get a military education.

Its a back door that i found and hope to walk through soon.