RANT: Hiring/COVID

[Your ad here]

3 months ago and prior I couldn't get anyone to call me for an interview and I clicked applied on over 50 positions. I don't get it. Maybe I should've written my resume in crayon and and misspelled words and such.
The way I got my current job. A superintendent I've worked for called his site guy and told him to hire me and didn't give the guy a choice. I like it here.

 

[Xring01]

Everyone I know is hiring…
Solar Contractors, Boat Mechanics, Mechanics, Costco, Welders, Sales, Truck Drivers, Wind Turbines, on and on and on…

If you have an Electrical Engineering Degree… its pretty much Name your price day…. My buddy just turned down one hell of a job. But he had to move to FL, and his wife owns a Dental Practice in Indian Wells. They wouldnt let him work remote, so he had to turn it down. But it was 1.5X what he makes now, more vacation, generous expense account

 

[NicPaus]

I need my Son to read this thread.

He just walked in the door from 12 hour shift and will be on 12's for the foreseeable future. His take is " This is awesome , I'm racking up the OT "

He works in Construction/Carpenter position at a local theme park.

He is 23 , Speaks English, Never beed arrested, Never been fired, Clean driving record, Owns his own vehicle and tools, Can pass a drug test on the spot. Does not smoke so he saves his employer 10 minutes every hour : )

I keep telling him he needs to step out and he will double his income.

He in SoCal by Torrance.

 

[brownsuger]

There should be a required prerequisite to complaining about this sort of thing online.

All “I can’t keep an employee“ threads or statements should include what the pay is for that position.

I'm one of the few small business owners I know that isn't struggling to find help. I have a good crew, all younger than 30, they are good employees and I do as much as I can to keep them happy. Now I live in the Midwest, and the work ethic in smaller communities like mine is much different than either coast or big cities. So in that regard I'm lucky.

To comment on the second part of your post.... For me as an employer, it's what are you bringing to the table for the amount of money you want? Do you have any experience? Good work ethic? and on and on.... You can make serious money today if you're willing to get your hands dirty.... Fast food jobs (for example) are not meant to support families. And all a $15 an hour min wage will do to the fast food industry is make them more automated, so there will be fewer of those jobs around...

Stepping off my soapbox now....

 

[HBCraig]

We can build units fast enough for the supply. It baffles me how many companies want and need big machines. I am talking really big.
But, back to the topic at hand here. We need to run a second shift in order to keep up with production but we simply cannot do that. The reason is that the unemployment is so low that the people we would or could hire dont have anything to offer in terms of their skill or education. They are the dregs and derelicts of society and we certainly dont need them building a premium piece of construction equipment.

 

[D19]

Are kids not dropping out of high school anymore and working full-time? Isn't this where many construction / labor workers come from?

 

[Cobalt232]

I can't find people at all, same issues. Last week I had a 28 year old quit because someone used her pen at the front desk while she was out of the office sick! No shit, they moved her pen and she exploded and clocked and walked, didn't even quit, just walked!

Haha. Last week I had a lady here in the office complain to me that 'someone is switching her pen caps' at her workstation. I just said 'so what'

 

[KenJoeBob]

Fullerton, Ca. we are hiring Class A drivers, Asphalt paver, Seal Coaters. Good wages and health insurance and I cant get anyone through the door.

 

[Cobalt232]

We have hired 12 people so far this year. It has been tough. Running about $1500 on Indeed every month. Over 1/2 don't show for the interview even after a pre-interview over the phone.

 

[Your ad here]

same experience i have had.. applied all over only got 3 interviews out of the 100+ jobs i applied for 2 of the interviews were formalities and the job was already marked for someone they just had to go thru the motions, and the third the offer was rescinded due to covid. the rest i got no response back and any follow up i did was pointless as it didnt go anywhere. i see the same jobs still posted to this day also..

I suspect a lot of companies lack talent in their HR department and some employers give themselves dumb reasons not to hire people. I have superintendent experience and have an inactive Ca contractors license, 983,xxx. I'm applying at grading and paving companies and they don't understand why I'm applying there. I'm applying because I want to work there and have grading experience. I have the superintendent experience and license from the family business that is no more. They mention the license and don't want to hire me because of it. They're dumbasses. I hold the license as a backup to qualify what ever company I'm at, but by my choice, in the event their license gets in trouble. Not so much now that I'm in Az but if out of state work came up...

 

[dspracing]

We have hired 12 people so far this year. It has been tough. Running about $1500 on Indeed every month. Over 1/2 don't show for the interview even after a pre-interview over the phone.

I'm getting pretty damn tired of indeed. Lot of money for not-so-great results. I actually just posted an ad on good ol Craigslist and with some decent luck so far. Historically I would rotate through Indeed, Ziprecruiter and CL. Sometimes you have to fish a new pond.

 

[Wedgy]

Fullerton, Ca. we are hiring Class A drivers, Asphalt paver, Seal Coaters. Good wages and health insurance and I cant get anyone through the door.

Long Beach Job Corps Center. Give it a try..

 

[farmo83]

As I read this I am more thankful then ever my parents taught me the value of hard work. Don't get me wrong the Friday before Labor Day my boss may not get 100% after lunch as I'm on my way to the lake house but the laziness of this generation stagers me.

I can't fault folks for playing the game though. I've been out of work for 3 months since I was 17. I looked into jobs at stores, fast food, door dash, etc, for supplemental income. Every dollar I made came out of my unemployment check. I would have had to made around 20 bucks an hour for it to be worth it. As such I took the view that my job was to find a job.

 

[Wedgy]

I suspect a lot of companies lack talent in their HR department and some employers give themselves dumb reasons not to hire people. I have superintendent experience and have an inactive Ca contractors license, 983,xxx. I'm applying at grading and paving companies and they don't understand why I'm applying there. I'm applying because I want to work there and have grading experience. I have the superintendent experience and license from the family business that is no more. They mention the license and don't want to hire me because of it. They're dumbasses. I hold the license as a backup to qualify what ever company I'm at, but by my choice, in the event their license gets in trouble. Not so much now that I'm in Az but if out of state work came up...

I had a similar problem with my C54 license. In Cali you can go on inactive status. That shut up the Karen's, in my case.
If you are in AZ, and not actively contracting, you could do that.

But that may not work with the Morons you're dealing with.
Good Hunting.

 

[Kachina26]

A few years back my wife was looking for work. Every time she applied, she would follow up like us old school peeps were taught to do, and she would never hear shit. No offense to the OP, but I kinda get a little sense of joy hearing employers not being able to find people. For so long they shit on applicants, it's about time they got their karma. Again, no offense to the OP, I know nothing about you. But this is a very common story, so I'm sure the ones that deserve it are getting it too.

 

[rivrrts429]

Curious, what is your business and where are you located?

I’m in the construction equipment rental business. I don’t do cranes but most all other equipment.

 

[Cdog]

I'm one of the few small business owners I know that isn't struggling to find help. I have a good crew, all younger than 30, they are good employees and I do as much as I can to keep them happy. Now I live in the Midwest, and the work ethic in smaller communities like mine is much different than either coast or big cities. So in that regard I'm lucky.

To comment on the second part of your post.... For me as an employer, it's what are you bringing to the table for the amount of money you want? Do you have any experience? Good work ethic? and on and on.... You can make serious money today if you're willing to get your hands dirty.... Fast food jobs (for example) are not meant to support families. And all a $15 an hour min wage will do to the fast food industry is make them more automated, so there will be fewer of those jobs around...

Stepping off my soapbox now....

I agree with you 100% but I'm thinking you're mis-reading the intent of my post. My motivations for career choice have been directed by how I wanted my life to look like and what I wanted to accomplish. Money being a primary factor as it's the gateway to all of it.

Me personally, I have some college, I can weld, fabricate race cars, work on anything "correctly", build engines, rig boats/Vdrive & I/O's, machine/operate a Bridgeport, basic to advanced construction, in my late teens early 20's I was an apprentice aerospace engineer hand making and troubleshooting actuators for the international space station then moved on to communications at 21 to chase some real money. Post 9-11 I followed the family business and jumped into real estate. Going on 20 years now, broker in CA & AZ. At 44 I still have a hunger to learn more and often dive into a process or subject just because I enjoy knowing how it works. I not only have the knowledge and hands on experience but can manage and operate a successful business. I represent several new restaurant concepts on expansion and franchising on both the business and real estate front. I also do multi family and SFR. I can honestly tell you there's not much I cant do or lead.

So many people are only exposed to what's around them with no idea they can make up to $38 an hour in Fontana (as posted in response to my previous post). Miserable in a job they chose that now they're sick to death of. My oldest friend is one of them. He stayed in communications and knows he's capable of much more. He's always got an eye out for the next move and quite frankly I look for him as well. He's obviously gifted mechanically as he's kept his 496 HO alive on a procharger in his 25 Daytona for over 15 years now. LOL!

He would jump in a heart beat to move to Texas or Florida provided the move was lateral financially for both him and his wife. Or even something better for himself locally in the Corona area.

Hence, where are all these jobs and what do they pay?

 

[badgas]

He in SoCal by Torrance.

Cypress North OC

 

[Cobalt232]

I'm getting pretty damn tired of indeed. Lot of money for not-so-great results. I actually just posted an ad on good ol Craigslist and with some decent luck so far. Historically I would rotate through Indeed, Ziprecruiter and CL. Sometimes you have to fish a new pond.

Yeah, we should try CL again. Good idea. This is for entry-level production-type work. Employees need to be able to count to 24 and show up daily.

What is surprising is that we offer OT every Saturday / Sunday. Often lunch provided. Pretty much name your hours. Very few takers. When I was their age, I never turned down work.

 

[OCMerrill]

Phone is blowing up this morning. Can't find anyone to sub the work out to. Easy money jobs from my repeat customers but have to pass.

I am in a major struggle right now. Nearly 20 years licensed and I have never seen it like this. Not even 2010-2012 and that was challenging.

I had a 5+ year employee quit over what's fair and not fair about masks. Fucking masks? Really? I thought for sure he'd come around but not so far.

Think of the movie "I am Legend"...It's like zombie shit everywhere. Disrespect at every turn and on top of that I'm being starved because HOA's have a tone of Dues arrears issues. I dont have COVID however in a way many of us have a different strain of covid called the Human Strain.

 

[j21black]

Are kids not dropping out of high school anymore and working full-time? Isn't this where many construction / labor workers come from?

Some kids now have moved to online and work 40 hours a week and still get their education.

My daughter being one of them. Opted for full time online last year with Covid mask manadates. Been doing this since last November. Currently scheduled to work 60 hours the next 2 weeks. But they allow her to work on school while at work when she has an opportunity.

 

[Universal Elements]

I’m 58 too old, I guess overqualified. Haven’t worked A real job since 2006. Pick up side gigs here and there. Ductape 1000 had me do some work with him when I was in OC. Would be nice to work and be around adults once in a while. Oh well.

But seriously, what Wedgy says is correct. I use to have a lot of instructors that would give me the kickbass students Resumes. I would have my senior guys mentor them for a couple of years. The only problem with that scenario is you need to pay quite a bit more than your competitors. You don’t want to become a training ground for your competitors and invest all that time and money and have them leave. I would start out my guys at about $65 -$70,000 a year and that was back in 2000. Plus, full benefits and all the OT they could handle.

 

[D19]

Some kids now have moved to online and work 40 hours a week and still get their education.

My daughter being one of them. Opted for full time online last year with Covid mask manadates. Been doing this since last November. Currently scheduled to work 60 hours the next 2 weeks. But they allow her to work on school while at work when she has an opportunity.

When I was 16, I did independent studies and worked 50 hours a week as an electrician. Very little of what I learned in high school has ever earned me any money. That job taught me many very good life lessons that I still reflect on.

 

[4Waters]

I need my Son to read this thread.

He just walked in the door from 12 hour shift and will be on 12's for the foreseeable future. His take is " This is awesome , I'm racking up the OT "

He works in Construction/Carpenter position at a local theme park.

He is 23 , Speaks English, Never beed arrested, Never been fired, Clean driving record, Owns his own vehicle and tools, Can pass a drug test on the spot. Does not smoke so he saves his employer 10 minutes every hour : )

I keep telling him he needs to step out and he will double his income.

City of Los Angeles is going to be hiring carpenters soon 92k a year without OT and a pension, no commercial license required either.

 

[dspracing]

Yeah, we should try CL again. Good idea. This is for entry-level production-type work. Employees need to be able to count to 24 and show up daily.

What is surprising is that we offer OT every Saturday / Sunday. Often lunch provided. Pretty much name your hours. Very few takers. When I was their age, I never turned down work.

Never in my life have I turned down OT. Baffles me every single time I try to get guys to work extra hours, they just won't do it. Where did the drive to get ahead go?

Back when I traveled I would hire local labor to help with the installations. I had a guy once up in Vancouver BC come in and work the exact number of minutes to earn enough money to buy a pack of cigarettes and he was out!

 

[Wedgy]

Times are different than 2000. But that was a tight labor market too.

Back then, I was looking for Tile crews. My Employer took jobs we couldn't man. That became my problem. You can tell a Journeyman Tilesetter, or not, , by looking in the back of their truck.

I took every Tile Helper I had who wanted to jump into the Tile Apprenticeship, hired them all helpers from my Montgomery Adult School students, who jumped at the chance for a Union job. Repeatedly.

Many a Monday morning, I would shut up every Site Super who was on me for more men.

If you want to find people who are willing to work? Then find people who are trying to better themselves.
Those people chose Continuing Education.

I hired every person that wanted a job out of the Construction Trades classes I coordinated at Montgomery Adult School. For years.

Why leave a resource untouched that could be of great help, and of continuing mutual benefit?

Just think, you could be a Hero by Monday morning. It worked for me. Call your local Community College, High School District. A local Job Corps Center.

The UC Davis has an Excellent Construction Management program.
And a well deserved reputation, in other areas. Yee Haw!

Good Hunting Gentlemen.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

3 months ago and prior I couldn't get anyone to call me for an interview and I clicked applied on over 50 positions. I don't get it. Maybe I should've written my resume in crayon and and misspelled words and such.

Dealing with this now. I wasn't in a rush but now I'm actively looking. Some of the handful of interviews have been comical..and some of the comp packages were straight out of the comedy club.

 

[Done-it-again]

I agree with you 100% but I'm thinking you're mis-reading the intent of my post. My motivations for career choice have been directed by how I wanted my life to look like and what I wanted to accomplish. Money being a primary factor as it's the gateway to all of it.

Me personally, I have some college, I can weld, fabricate race cars, work on anything "correctly", build engines, rig boats/Vdrive & I/O's, machine/operate a Bridgeport, basic to advanced construction, in my late teens early 20's I was an apprentice aerospace engineer hand making and troubleshooting actuators for the international space station then moved on to communications at 21 to chase some real money. Post 9-11 I followed the family business and jumped into real estate. Going on 20 years now, broker in CA & AZ. At 44 I still have a hunger to learn more and often dive into a process or subject just because I enjoy knowing how it works. I not only have the knowledge and hands on experience but can manage and operate a successful business. I represent several new restaurant concepts on expansion and franchising on both the business and real estate front. I also do multi family and SFR. I can honestly tell you there's not much I cant do or lead.

So many people are only exposed to what's around them with no idea they can make up to $38 an hour in Fontana (as posted in response to my previous post). Miserable in a job they chose that now they're sick to death of. My oldest friend is one of them. He stayed in communications and knows he's capable of much more. He's always got an eye out for the next move and quite frankly I look for him as well. He's obviously gifted mechanically as he's kept his 496 HO alive on a procharger in his 25 Daytona for over 15 years now. LOL!

He would jump in a heart beat to move to Texas or Florida provided the move was lateral financially for both him and his wife. Or even something better for himself locally in the Corona area.

Hence, where are all these jobs and what do they pay?

What does your buddy do currently?

 

[Bpracing1127]

We are hiring

vista Carlsbad area

engineering mgr pay is 150+
Quality manager 150+
EE senior 100-300
Ee interns 50 ish
Stockroom 20-25 an hour
Production 1st and 2nd shift 20-25/hr

We make lithium batteries for forklifts

 

[Cdog]

What does your buddy do currently?

He’s a telco fiber splicer & manages the contractors and projects for the telco company in Temecula area. But has the skill set to do anything mechanical & management. No college.

 

[530RL]

There are just shy of 11 million job openings right now and about 9 million looking for work. So we are 2 million short if nothing was growing, but it is growing.

Secondly, the 9 million looking for work have skills that do not match the 11 million job openings. So the problem gets worse.

We had a large bulge of workers, baby boomers, go through the system that are now retiring or retired. Covid accelerated that process.

In our businesses we have offered more pay and not received any more workers, just higher costs. So inflation is a natural result. We leave produce in the ground to rot, we turn jobs down, we fire pain in the ass customers, and we keep raising prices until the work gets equal to our ability to do it. And even that doesn't seem to work as the customers just keep paying. America is awash in never ending wealth right now.

This isn't 2010. Without more workers America is going to struggle to grow its economy and there will be a lot of inflation. Unfortunately we are all on the hamster wheel now. We raise prices to our customers and our suppliers raise prices to us. A circle of devaluation.

 

[Rogers Hopeful]

I keep telling my wife if she wants to go back to work now would be the time.
She was a yard manager for a pipe company that perforated and threaded pipe. She started turning a profit and they sold the yard because the guy before her ran it into the ground. If she would have gone back to that company after my son was born she would have been in Accounts Receivable and taken a $15/hr pay cut and her pay would have gone to child care. So she stayed home

 

[YeahYeah01]

there is a point of diminishing returns with ot. i knew at how many ot hours i was no longer gaining any money as it went all to taxes. at that point ot was not worth my personal time since there was nothing to be gained.

Im no CPA but I am not sure this is correct? We are on a progressive tax system so it may appear that you are being taxed more because you made more on OT and the tax for that check is assuming that is you normal tax burden rate but when you file your taxes you would get a refund based on your actual tax rate.

The other one I hear a lot is I dont want a raise because I'll be in another tax bracket, but again progressive tax so you are not taxed at a higher rate on all the money you made that year, only the money you made once you crossed the threshold into the new bracket.

Maybe on wrong lol.

 

[cxr]

We had a guy quit after 1 week. He stated that he didn't feel mentally capable of having a job right now. I blame the father. He is the one that deserves a good punch in the mouth for raising a pussy. I bet we have gone through 20 guys in the last 2 months.

Its not the father fault. I dont knoiw whats wrong with these young people nowadays
my wife has had 4-6 highly educated people ( accountants) , new graduates do the exact same thing... too stressful they say

 

[Your ad here]

When I was 16, I did independent studies and worked 50 hours a week as an electrician. Very little of what I learned in high school has ever earned me any money. That job taught me many very good life lessons that I still reflect on.

I graduated in 2007 and in the 4 years I was in high school they had the time to teach so much more about real life instead of ramming college down our throats and shit related to the metric system. From 8th grade to graduating all the teachers and administrators would tell us was go to college or you'll always struggle in life. One teacher even went as far as yelling at the whole class telling us if we didn't go to college we would be worthless scum flipping burgers at McDonalds. I like what the other guy said about flipping burgers, it's opportunity.
School never taught me how to look for a job, apply for a loan, open a checking account, how to pay taxes, the process of buying a house, budgeting, basic's of running a small business, the process of starting a small business, or any blue collar skills. Hell, they didn't even teach us the college process and seemed to ignore telling us you could go into major debt going to college. I tried the college thing at Saddleback but it was so fucking confusing on what the process was that I gave up. The counselors weren't of any help either.
College isn't for everyone and the public schooling systems just ignore that and don't provide anything to those who don't plan on going to college.

 

[Cobalt232]

there is a point of diminishing returns with ot. i knew at how many ot hours i was no longer gaining any money as it went all to taxes. at that point ot was not worth my personal time since there was nothing to be gained.

That's not how it works.

 

[badgas]

there is a point of diminishing returns with ot. i knew at how many ot hours i was no longer gaining any money as it went all to taxes. at that point ot was not worth my personal time since there was nothing to be gained.

That is not true.

Tax brackets do not work like that. More income will equal more taxes but will always end up with more income. Income taxes work on a progresive tax rate. I know AZ passed some crazy state income tax laws in the last election that are not progressive but that still does not effect federal income taxes.

 

[Shortdeck]

I had a job interview this morning for a bus driver. School District is short 3 to 4 drivers. I showed up 15 minutes early and the Interviewer was late. I got up and walked. Fuck em. I was just trying to monetize dropping my kids off at school. [emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2Driver]

For 20 years, what have patriotic Americans been saying about where this country's is heading…..Well, land ho.

 

[hawgty55]

Curious about pay. Im looking for work. . But if your not paying $30+ an hour good luck.

If unemployment is say 600 a week and gov. Is still throwing in 600 a week Your screwed on getting quality employees.

600+600=1200÷40=30hr. 62k a year tax freeeeeeee

 

[Cdog]

That is not true.

Tax brackets do not work like that. More income will equal more taxes but will always end up with more income. Income taxes work on a progresive tax rate. I know AZ passed some crazy state income tax laws in the last election that are not progressive but that still does not effect federal income taxes.

BTW that stupid tax is about to be over turned. It went to the courts and was ruled unconstitutional. The governor just announced today.

 

[530RL]

For 20 years, what have patriotic Americans been saying about where this country's is heading…..Well, land ho.

I think even the Indians said it after October of 1492?

 

[2Driver]

I think even the Indians said it after October of 1492?

LOL for them it was true too.

 

[Drew]

Are they doing it to stay on unemployment ? Not sure how that works. Never been unemployed

 

[Done-it-again]

Curious about pay. Im looking for work. . But if your not paying $30+ an hour good luck.

If unemployment is say 600 a week and gov. Is still throwing in 600 a week Your screwed on getting quality employees.

600+600=1200÷40=30hr. 62k a year tax freeeeeeee

If I'm not mistaken, you can opt for the UE bennies tax free (not withheld from your check) but will have to claim the money received during tax time.

 

[2Driver]

BTW that stupid tax is about to be over turned. It went to the courts and was ruled unconstitutional. The governor just announced today.

But it’s for the kiddos.

 

[YeahYeah01]

i just know from my personal experiances..

my paychecks proved it to me. the more ot i worked over a certain amount of hours, more percentage it was taxed. also had a job out of highscool where i got a 10cent raise per hour, i took home less after that raise. ive always tried to keep it where i got a small to zero refund at end of year. id rather keep my money for myself than let them borrow it for ayear

Trying to stay even get super difficult when your checks bounce around, that's for sure. Most of my income is commission/bonus based its rare to have any check the same.

 

[530RL]

BTW that stupid tax is about to be over turned. It went to the courts and was ruled unconstitutional. The governor just announced today.

The State SC let it stand but sent it back downstairs for trial on the constitutional cap relating to total educational spending. It will now be determined to be constitutional or not depending upon a lower court trial.

But it really doesn't matter as the legislature put in place a tax cut after 208 passed on all those making over 250k single and 500k joint so that it never affects their total tax. The total state tax is capped at 4.5% with it all going to education after 250/500 and none of it going to the state coffer.

So if prop 208 is found to violate the constitution in lower court, those making over 250/500k may end up with a lower marginal and effective tax rate than those making 100k.

Welcome to Arizona politics.......

 

[Your ad here]

Correct me if I'm wrong here.
On the tax stuff... I'm going to make up numbers for an example since I don't know the actual numbers but it was explained to me like this.
up to $20,000 you get taxed 7%
up to $40,000 you get taxed 9%
It's a progressive system
Lets say you made $28,000.
You don't pay 9% tax on $28K.
So you make $28,000 that year... You get taxed 7% on $20K and taxed 9% on $8k. That's $1400 in taxes on the $20K and $720 on the $8K.
If you made $20,001 you pay 7% tax on $20K and 9% tax on $1. Not 9% on $20,001.
The reason you pay more taxes is because you earned more money. The government is dumb but no way they're going to allow anyone to make more money in OT but only pay regular time tax rate.

 

[YeahYeah01]

I graduated in 2007 and in the 4 years I was in high school they had the time to teach so much more about real life instead of ramming college down our throats and shit related to the metric system. From 8th grade to graduating all the teachers and administrators would tell us was go to college or you'll always struggle in life. One teacher even went as far as yelling at the whole class telling us if we didn't go to college we would be worthless scum flipping burgers at McDonalds. I like what the other guy said about flipping burgers, it's opportunity.
School never taught me how to look for a job, apply for a loan, open a checking account, how to pay taxes, the process of buying a house, budgeting, basic's of running a small business, the process of starting a small business, or any blue collar skills. Hell, they didn't even teach us the college process and seemed to ignore telling us you could go into major debt going to college. I tried the college thing at Saddleback but it was so fucking confusing on what the process was that I gave up. The counselors weren't of any help either.
College isn't for everyone and the public schooling systems just ignore that and don't provide anything to those who don't plan on going to college.

I remember being asked what I wanted to do around 10th grade by one of the teachers. I said I am not sure but a cross country truck driver would be cool for a few years, get paid to travel the US. She asked if thats what my Dad or family member did and I said no. The teacher was insulted that I would even think of doing something like that. I had to sit with the guidance counselor and explain that I was not interested in college prep classes, I just wanted to graduate HS and I would figure it after that, fun conversation to say the least. The one bright spot was my Auto teacher, cool ass dude, went over a lot of relevant topics about life that did not have anything to do with cars. Also got me first real job at the auto shop down the street from the school at 16.

I took a few college classes focusing on law enforcement but college just was not for me real quick. Started working in the trade industry and never looked back. It's pretty nice being able to say I have 16 years of relevant experience from the ground up at 34 years old.