ill be turning 20 next month, ive been working steady since i was 14 years old and i worked at budwieser on saturdays while i was going to college, but lately i kind of feel like i dont know were im going in life and could really use some advice. i took welding classes all through high school so i figured id go to college for welding, well i just recently graduated with a 2 year degree in aplied sceince and welding, and i got certified as a 6g pipe welder TIG and stick. i got a call literally a week after my graduation from a contracting company called DZ Atlantic with a job offer, the job was at a company called thomas and betts building steel power poles welding with flux core, the job was second shift working 3:30pm-midnight paying $27 a hour and $525 a week not taxible for expenses,but at the time i was trying to get hired on at a local nucor steel mill, thats truely were i have always wanted to work, and i passed all of the written tests to get hired but it didnt work out, idk if it was from lack of experience or what, so i took the offer and met all of there requirements and got hired on with the contracting company on the first of may, ive been there for 2 and a half months now and im doing good, but the hours are wierd and i have to work 7 days a week often and its just stressful. the job is a hour and a half one way from my house and i only have until the end of this year before the contract is up and i wont be working until dz atlantic finds somewere else to put me and theres no telling were it will be. and i dont want to have to travel like that, ive been looking around locally and havent really been able to find any welding jobs that payed good most of them just paying 12 a hour, and thats making me think that i should have went to school for something else because it seems like the only way to make money welding is to be on the road and i really dont want to do that. its just getting very stressful bc im still living with my parents and im ready to move out but i feel like i cant bc idk how long ill be working, and ive been with my girlfriend since i was 17 and i love her to death and she keeps hinting around that she wants me to ask her to marry me and i want to but i feel like im not financially stable enough to take that step yet or to try and get my own place, i guess i just dont kno whether i should stick to what im doing or go back to school for something else, or what i would even go back to school for. but i really could use some advice from older, wiser, welders or anyone who has been through something similar to what im going through.

 

1.) Learn how to use paragraphs.
2.) Go back to school and take an English class.
3.) Don't marry at 20.
4.) It's your life and you'll live it how you want to; so what ever we say it won't stick. lol

Harsh on the first two but do number 3.

 

Shi!t happens when you party naked!

Sorry but there was too much to read and I gave up.

Just listen to KazK

 

Haha Kazk.

Ask yourself "What could I see myself doing for the rest of my life''? If you wanna be a welder, go for it. If not, go back to college and take classes that interest you. That way, you can see whats out there. Im taking a criminal justice class to see if being in law enforcement is something I wanna pursue...for example.

 

At 20 years of age I'd have travelled to the ends of the earth and back for $27.00 an hour! From reading your post, I'd say it's time for you to cut the umbilical cord and start defining your life in something bigger than a 20-mile radius around your hometown. You're young -- take the traveling gig for good coin and travel around a little bit to see different parts of the country and/or world! Do it while you are still young and not tied down by the constraints of life and/or family responsibilities.

Oh, and one other bit of advice -- GETTING MARRIED AT 20 YEARS OF AGE -- ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY??!!!

Just my .02-cents.....

 

My advise is to not look for life advise on a truck forum! haha

 

Here are some tips.
Try to buy with cash, but still try to get a good credit rating.
Don't buy anything you can't afford to pay off in 2-3 years, monthly payments sucks.

Don't get tied down so fast, if she really loves you and its meant to be she will wait.

Follow the money, right now that is a great pay! Get out a little and see what life is like on your own.
I had a apartment for a while, it can be really nice, but has its downs like anything else.

Save, save save!. Save every bit you can every pay day! I wish I had saved all the money I wasted between now and when I was 20 (5 years ago) I would have almost enough to buy a brand new car/truck for around $20,000 and pay cash.

I don't know what you spend, but I would try to put one of those checks back in a savings account. That's $6,000 in a years time saved up, withe $1,500 a month to live on.

 

At 20, given your state of mind, getting married will probably only add to your delima. At 20 working full time and still living with Mom and Dad you haven't even had time to experience life. You are making good money right now, alot of people would kill to even have a job in this economy, save-save-save!

Your job sounds like it has an experation date on it, so suck as much out of it as you can. After this gig is over then you should have the experience to go to work at your first place of choice.

My thought is that working 7 days can turn you into a zombie, my longest strech was about 45 days at 10 hrs per day. Took me around a month to get back to normal (at least as normal as I could be). Stop stressing about tomorrow and set yourself some realistic long term goals. Maybe if you are thinking about more school, look into becomming an inspector, there is some way big bucks in that.

Also don't look at your welding skills as your total package, they are only a part of what you have to offer an employer. In todays market Certs and Degrees carry alot of wieght, you might be the best welder in the world but companies like to see paper to back it up.

Don't even think about getting married until you have been out on your own for at least a year or two, your outlook and priorities will change big time, trust me. When you do "pop" the question don't go straight to Vegas or the Justice of the Peace, go for a long engagement. That way the two of you can make long term plans together and have plenty of time to hash things out.

So keep your whistle in your pants and think with your big head!

 

Don't be in a hurry to settle down. Travel, ideally see some of the rest of the world, it will broaden yr horizons. Don't be in a hurry to get older, enjoy yourself but stay out of trouble & away from those who may get u into it. If living at home with yr folks be respectful of there wishes etc, help them out & put some money towards rent. Don't get anyone pregnant, u don't need that at yr age. Find something that u reall want to do & go for it!!!

 

thanks to all of you who gave a mature response

 

[QUOTE=jgger;4629234] You are making good money right now, alot of people would kill to even have a job in this economy, save-save-save!

Your job sounds like it has an experation date on it, so suck as much out of it as you can. After this gig is over then you should have the experience to go to work at your first place of choice.

My thought is that working 7 days can turn you into a zombie


yes the job is supposed to end sometime before the end of the year, but the exact date is unknown, that along with working 2nd shift and 7 days a week is whats getting to me. and thank you for the advice it was helpful

 

Get a head hunter to find you a job in another town that is permanent. It's great to have roots, but you can put them down anywhere you want to.

 

what is a head hunter?

 

i don't want to sound like an *** so please don't take it that way..

1) what do your parents say? have you asked them, they should be your stone to lean on for advise not this Internet thing.

2) i was married at 19 (divorced at 23), not a smart thing to do. if you two are in love, you will last till your settled into a job and a place. then you get married.

3) work as much as you can. it sets you up for your future much better than just working what is convenient. i know it sucks now but you will thank yourself in the next year when you have a nice nest egg while your friends complain about their family life sucking, job sucking, money in short supply, you get my point...


4) enjoy the fact that you have a job that you are needed and trained well for. you did the hard part of schooling, now follow the work, tow your girl with you and reap the rewards for your efforts!!!

 

Put some resumes out and post on some online bulletin boards. Head Hunters will find you.
Companies pay people to find employees like you. Maybe they're not called head hunters anymore.