Can Your Kid Change A Light Bulb?

Is your kid flunking out of school? Is he (or she) completely disinterested in nalmost everything to do with academics? Are you (and everyone else) almost certain that he is destined to be a bum (or at least bum-like)?

Not so fast now! Just when you were sure that he wouldn’t amount to anything in life and would be an ete al financial burden…there may be a “light at the end of the tunnel”!

Contrary to what most people have been told (repeatedly), not every no-college (or college drop out) is destined to be a financial failure, and the opposite is also true (i.e. every college grad isn’t automatically destined to financial success).

If your child is lucky enough to have some kind of mechanical aptitude (good with their hands) then there’s a good chance that they can break through that barrier by looking at a construction trade.

In this particular article I want to discuss the Electrical trade, and what’s involved in nbecoming an electrician. For the most part, it’s probably considered to be the most intellectual (if I can call it that) of all the construction trades. On construction sites, electricians are typically considered as nthe “Primadonnas” of construction, but regardless of whether that’s true or not, it’s a pretty good way to make a living.

Many electricians join their local electrical union as napprentices, where they receive all their required training, and progress thru the ranks to Jou eyman status. Others get a job working (and simultaneously learning their trade) for an Electrical Contractor. They typically work for about 5 years and then try to get licensed themselves.

Electrical licensing requirements differ from state to state, so it would be advisable to look into this ahead of time (if this is the path of choice). The good thing about doing it this way is that one can literally become financially very comfortable with some hard work and perseverance, and the initial investment of going into business is minimal (van, tools, insurance, etc.).

Now, going into the electrical field doesn’t automatically mean that you’re going to end up rich, but considering your initial investment in terms of time spent academically, and money spent on tools, etc. it’s one heck of a return on an investment.

The economic realities are also such that it almost assures one in the electrical field being in high demand whether or not the economy is doing well (and people are building new homes) or the economy is doing poorly (and people are doing repairs and additions). Either way, someone’s got to stick their hands in that electrical panel, and someone’s got to pay for that.

The other point to make about the electrical trade is that you generally do not need any college (save your money), and only require a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, the mathematics & science involved in the field is pretty basic and relatively simple.

All in all, getting into the nelectrical trade should definitely be a path to consider for many people, and not just for those who aren’t particularly interested in academics. As a matter of fact, I know people with Engineering degrees that decided to get into the electrical trade (after the fact) because they wanted the freedom and financial opportunities that trade brings with it.

Anyway, the next time you see him sitting on the sofa playing Nintendo, instead of asking him to pick up book and start studying; maybe you should ask him to change a light bulb instead!