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My wife and I have been agreement since the first was born 7yrs ago. After high school, you will learn a set of skills that are marketable. IMO this includes auto body repair, as well as any myriad of other trades. It also includes "traditional" style colleges. However I will stipulate that he has to either get a full ride to choose whatever major he wants, or I get to approve the degree before he starts. No way am I going to end up with a kid that either 1. doesn't have a set the set of skills to be an in demand worker, or 2. has a $70k college degree in "underwater basketweaving" or some other impossibly hard to market skill. Things like technician, engineer, nurse, etc that have in demand work forces, and growth potential.
I wouldn't recommend autobody schools just for the simple fact from what I have read and seen on forums and tech forums for this the schools don't teach them much and just take the kids money. I see all the time were someone posted they hired some kid who spent $40k on school and knows nothing. They will learn more getting in a good shop and then teaching them as they work up the ladder. But actual good shops and what people think are two different things. It's becoming so hi tech with new cars for us to keep up with and shops the costs are getting higher and the insurance companies are trying to do everything they can to cut every corner and costs they can. Cars today are more hi tech then the health care systems out there. We have a lot of customers who think more about their porsche or Mercedes then their kids.
@Kevin hughes , Whats the BEST insurance company you deal with? As in, Least amount of gripes, most latitude to do a job correctly, best adjusters to trust your opinion on what needs to be repaired?
@Kevin hughes , Whats the BEST insurance company you deal with? As in, Least amount of gripes, most latitude to do a job correctly, best adjusters to trust your opinion on what needs to be repaired?
Some of it depends on the adjuster and the relationship the shop has with them. For us the easier ones are farm bureau, state farm, and a few of the smaller companies but that can change with just a different adjuster coming in. The worst for us is the lizzard a nd if you are in good hands. Now that being said I talk to techs and stuff online that have issues with the ones we don't in other area of the country. Your best bet is to find a shop that is OEM certified for a few manufacturers and that will tell you what your rights are and fight with and for you to get your car repaired correctly. If you have a shop that has the equipment to fix your car properly and they do it and will fight for you and in some cases let you know who you need to contact to get it done is better then the ins companies. The insurance companies can pay for everything but if you use a shop that hacks it up then it doesn't matter. Some of these new cars have so much different stuff and metals in them they have to be done a certain way or it won't crash properly. BMW 7 series now has a carbon fiber for that goes from the quarter to the roof rail for added support and it has to be repaired a certain way or some may have three or four strengths of steel and aluminum just in one area and each has to be welded or bonded a certain way. Not to mention all the electronic stuff that will throw a code that unless you hook it to a scanner you won't know. It's all hi tech now and each yr something new comes out it's fascinating and frustrating at the same time!
My wife and I have been agreement since the first was born 7yrs ago. After high school, you will learn a set of skills that are marketable. IMO this includes auto body repair, as well as any myriad of other trades. It also includes "traditional" style colleges. However I will stipulate that he has to either get a full ride to choose whatever major he wants, or I get to approve the degree before he starts. No way am I going to end up with a kid that either 1. doesn't have a set the set of skills to be an in demand worker, or 2. has a $70k college degree in "underwater basketweaving" or some other impossibly hard to market skill. Things like technician, engineer, nurse, etc that have in demand work forces, and growth potential.
For those that haven't noticed it, Mike Rowe (the "Dirty Jobs" Guy) has been preaching this for a while. He's set up a foundation called "Mike Rowe Works" to help kids out with paying for training in skilled trades. They have to sign his "S.W.E.A.T. Pledge" (which some parents remarkably balk at) and prove they are willing to work hard.
Check him out on Facebook even if you don't "Facebook." (I'm invisible on Facebook - I just use it as a "news feed" of sorts.)
I’m a field service rep for a large water treatment equipment manufacturing company. We do monthly and quarterly PM’s on ingredient water systems for beverage companies (mostly Coke and Pepsi). We also service some medical manufacturers and industrial customers.
For those that haven't noticed it, Mike Rowe (the "Dirty Jobs" Guy) has been preaching this for a while. He's set up a foundation called "Mike Rowe Works" to help kids out with paying for training in skilled trades. They have to sign his "S.W.E.A.T. Pledge" (which some parents remarkably balk at) and prove they are willing to work hard.
Check him out on Facebook even if you don't "Facebook." (I'm invisible on Facebook - I just use it as a "news feed" of sorts.)
I've read about Mike Rowe and his efforts to get more credit for the hard working tradesman that keep the world running. I commend him for those efforts.
Sadly, it's going to take decades of time to get that mindset back. I hear so many parent's forcing college upon their kids, or making comment's like "you don't want to end up a plumber do you?". That kinda of stuff drives me absolutely nuts. There's no shame in doing that work. Just like any trade they are highly skilled individuals that have undergone extensive training and are experts in their field.
My goals for the boys are for them to love what they do, and be profitable enough at it to not have to work hard just to exist. Keep some food on the table, keep a roof over thier head, enjoy e recreation, and have a little leftover to help some others.....I'll call that a win. If that's a $1mil/year number running a bank or if that's a $20k/yr number digging ditches, I don't care. Happiness in my life has rarely been defined by my paycheck, and I hope that works for them too.
Yup. I don't understand how that mentality prevails. I live near two plumbers. Their homes and vehicles are a lot nicer than mine.
I tell my kids that they need to get some sort of skill. Being an engineer myself, I have a natural predisposition to want them to do that - but I know it's not for everyone and I don't push it on them.
My kids' High School has a great Tech-Ed program. My 14-year old is in his 3rd week. As a Freshman he has already worked with a partner to tear down a manual transmission. This week he's going to pull apart a differential.
Haha...If you still talk with any of them, ask how they like the new "E" Model. They are in the 6th year of production and we have delivered about 120 of them to the field so far.
My friend just got back from 9 months in Iraq, but he's not a Lt. Colonel and didn't get to fly at all this tour (he was bummed). He didn't get to fly because they only had E models there, and he didn't have any time to qualify on them (and his unit 449th CAB doesn't have any). He went with his unit to Texas to get them qualified on it while he prepped to be a deck jockey.
He just got back and then spent the whole last week coordinating air assets for hurricane Florence operations!
Thanks for your service Mark! I owe him a trip out on the boat relaxing!!!!
So. . . . For anyone on this thread who works for Verizon. Heads up, RIF'S (aka layoffs) are a coming. Started today in the Market Channels. Might wanna polish those resumes is all I am saying. Fingers crossed for you all.
Program Manager (Logistics) for Amazon.com After 4 years in the warehouse, now working from home and constantly fighting the pull to walk down to the dock and work from the lake
