I think he's getting it!!!

[mommy4ever]

I have been frustrated with ds16 for a few years. If he has money, it leaks through his fingers, it's gone and nothing to show for it.

This summer he started working full time, first a 3 week internship, which then led to him being a first year apprentice Electrician. This is a program through school. He will get an extra year to complete high school if he needs it at no cost, but graduate ready to go to trade school and be a 2nd year apprentice. He will also qualify for a $1000 scholarship which will cover most of his tuition and books. We were worried about how much he'd spend. They paid him just over $10 to start with. And 2 weeks later he got a raise to just under 13. Once they signed apprenticeship papers, he is earning over $17! He is working full time until January, then in school for the semester and starts work again in the summer, works til Jan...etc

We have been watching to see what he'll do. With that kind of money, lots of kids spend like crazy, or get into trouble with other things. Thankfully, it's been neither. He's treated his sisters a little bit bringing them for slurpies. Brought his dad out to a movie for his b'day. Little things.

I asked him how much he has left in the bank. He has over $4000 in the bank!!!! Now I helped set up his accounts. In some ways it frustrates him if he really wants to buy something NOW..lol. His paycheck is deposited to his savings account. He can deposit from the banking machine to his savings account, but he can't withdraw. He needs to call in do a transfer, and the money is available the NEXT day. So no impulse purchases.

The one thing we didn't like was the $200 withdrawal limit. Much too high! But if some one were to hack his card, he only keeps $50 in it. They can't withdraw from the savings, different pin different system.

I'm very proud of him! This is a huge step. He is saving it. He would like to get a car, which depending where he works may be a necessity. Buses don't get him where most companies are. But we will not pay his insurance or his car. To add him to our policy is insanely expensive. So there would go a pretty huge chunk. But he doesn't get his license until next year this time.

He is still thinking University but AFTER he gets his Red Seal so that he won't need to get student loans.

People laugh at us for putting him in the program. Blue collar and all..... He had thought medicine until he had to dissect a pig heart. He wasn't too keen. Even less so at the thought of cutting a live person for surgery. So now he doesn't know. Friends are saying go get a bachelor degree of _________. We know so many that have it, and have no job, or working minimum wage. 4-6 years of university, $60-140K of debt, can't create a savings account due to debt payments. Why would he want to do that? We have always talked to the kids, if you don't know, learn a trade, once you have it, it's yours. We happen to know several lawyers, engineers and a doctor who all have a trade! That's how they survived all the schooling, with minimal debts.

Anyway, hopefully this trend continues. He wants a few pricier things, but isn't quite ready to spend his money on it.

[ktsmama]

Glad this program is working out for your DS. I think there are many people who would benefit from a program like this, but don't take the time to check it out.

Good luck to him!

[mommy4ever]

There are many families that would be so much further ahead than trying to get that degree. We have family with bach. of music. No job. Bac. of arts... no job, etc. And their credit is going down the tubes. Can't pay the loans, so there for can't go back for training. But trades are beneath them, they have a university degree after all.

Trades can be a stepping stone to discovery of what they want from life. A little life experience goes a long way for university. Ds will definitely have an appreciation for his education because he is the one paying it. Not us, not loans.

[Ceashels]

What great advice to give your children. Kudos to him AND you for the upbringing. See .. he did listen! lol

[Darlene]

Good for him! High five to you too.
I think college degrees (and often times the mega debt that goes with them) are overrated. Learning a trade is a respectable and often times more profitable way to go.
Having a degree doesn't guarantee a good job or a happy life.

Do what you love & you'll love what you do.

[chadillac3]

[QUOTE=Darlene;1422636]
I think college degrees (and often times the mega debt that goes with them) are overrated. QUOTE]


Depends on the degree. Most liberal arts degrees...I would probably agree. Most science degrees (i.e. elec engineering, my background) are basically required to get into the field.

[Darlene]

[quote=chadillac3;1422650]

I think college degrees (and often times the mega debt that goes with them) are overrated. QUOTE]


Depends on the degree. Most liberal arts degrees...I would probably agree. Most science degrees (i.e. elec engineering, my background) are basically required to get into the field.

Point taken. Yep, it depends.

[mom2three]

I think this is a very sound idea. Sometimes I wish my hubby had gotten a trade instead of a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He likes to see things accomplished and science can move too slowly for him. His job is fine now, but the one before was not and he would have gotten similar pay with the right trade.

[porembam]

Does your son enjoy the electrician life?
You are definitely giving him a great start in this life - my son loves music(he's a 9th grader) and as stated earlier a BA in music and no job is a scary future.
The best thing is no-one can take away this great experience from your son no matter what he decides to do.

[mommy4ever]

He does enjoy what he's doing, so it's a good thing.

We look at it this way... it could be a career, or it could be a stepping stone to something else, as long as he gets his red seal, then he can do pretty much anything anywhere.

[Siebrie]

You're right! I trained as an Executive Assistant, and then worked my way through my BA (Translation Studies). Well-paid translation jobs are hard to get, but I now work as a very well-paid Personal Assistant with an international company. It's easier to get the good PA jobs with the BA on my CV (bosses and interim agencies like the 'academic level of thinking').

[mndtrp]

People make fun of blue-collar jobs like electricians and plumbers, until their house is a disaster and they can't take care of it themselves. Anyone working deserves respect, especially if they enjoy the job.

[CrazyCat]

wow...would love to get my son into a program like that. I wonder if they have something like it in the states.

[mommy4ever]

If he remains as frugal as he's been since starting working, he'll be close to having a 20% down payment on a house by them time he's 18 ... lol. For the little spend thrift he was, he's doing fantastic.

The guys at work are teasing him, he's working full time and he is still doing chores at home. He told them point blank that he is happy to do chores, or he'd have to pay rent They laughed...yeah right. He goes, you haven't met my folks. Everyone has a responsibility to the family.

They thought it would be cushy here, as I'm the SAHM, homeschool the kids. So they figured no one does anything but mom..NOT. They are real envious of his lunches though. One guy was teasing that mom must pack his lunch, with all those fruit and veggies(not!) he said no. Then another guy pipes up, "don't knock his lunches~ he has porkchops, steak, roast, ham, ..... every day~". These are young guys(mid 20's) and they buy lunch every day. The 'old guys' pack lunches and chuckle. Looks like the young guys need to take a lesson from the rookie kid.