Electrical Technology?

[EdDawg]

Does anyone have any insight into this field? I am currently debating going to a career/tech and getting a certificate in Electrical Technology. This is a very big and fearful decision for me as I am currently a teacher and my wife and I have a baby on the way in a few months.

Any advice about the field would be greatly appreciated. Also I have seen where some colleges have a 1 year certificate for ELectrical Technology and a 2 year degree. Does anyone know the benefits and drawbacks for either?

I have contacted multiple people at several different colleges, some more helpful than other, but just wanted to boards thoughts if available.

[DownwardDawg]

This would help you get a job with one of the major oil companies if that’s something you are interested in.

[Matty Dispatch]

Electricians are the highest paid worker in the construction industry, however, that still won't get you a ton more money than a teacher unless you're working plenty of overtime. If I were you, I'd keep my job as a teacher and start a side business as a residential electrician, working full time in the summer. Working for yourself without all the pressures of a full time entrepreneur (because you're still teaching full time) will probably generate a very healthy income between the two.

[AROB44]

Plus....by remaining a teacher, you still have pretty good and cheap health care and a pension plan that pretty much no longer exists in the private sector.

[Tbonewannabe]

My dad was an electrician and he worked construction. To get good pay you would probably need to join the union. You could probably become a maintenance guy at a manufacturing plant also. Working construction or nuclear power plants pays well but you would travel and work 7/12. 12 or 14 hour shifts basically you give up your life for that time. I wouldn't see my dad for 3-6 months at a time but he would be home for 3 months between jobs.

Of course it completely depends on what you do with it.

[viverlibre]

Does anyone have any insight into this field? I am currently debating going to a career/tech and getting a certificate in Electrical Technology. This is a very big and fearful decision for me as I am currently a teacher and my wife and I have a baby on the way in a few months.

Any advice about the field would be greatly appreciated. Also I have seen where some colleges have a 1 year certificate for ELectrical Technology and a 2 year degree. Does anyone know the benefits and drawbacks for either?

I have contacted multiple people at several different colleges, some more helpful than other, but just wanted to boards thoughts if available.

How old are you? Think about joining the Air Guard, TRICARE health insurance can't be beat and is about $200/month for family coverage. You can get paid to get trainined as HVAC or Electrican (in HVAC, you will learn a lot of electrical skills). Downsides, would have to take a year off from teaching (would probably make as much while in military training as you do teaching) and would have a six month deployment every 5 years or so (most likley not to a dangerous place). Plus two week summer camps to cool places. Will have to ship to basic (very easy) by age 40 if non prior servie, not uncommon to see 39 year olds join.