[bcrdukes]

I've worked about 10 years in the industry I'm in. I've also had many jobs while growing up. But now that I'm older and wiser, one thing I came to realize is that you have to find something you enjoy doing. I'm just glad I enjoy what I do and my career path within the industry has been quite interesting.

I got to work with all kinds of people from all walks of life, dealing with irate and irrational clients, to building some of the latest and greatest of technological innovation. I got to travel a lot and had the opportunity to meet some stellar people throughout the years. Would I trade anything for it? Hell no! Do I enjoy what I do? Hell yeah.

But do I ask myself "What if?" Fuck no. As much as money is a driving factor, the love of my job is definitely a lot more important. I think I would have slit my wrists many times over if I had stuck at working at McDonald's flipping burgers for $7.15/hour.

Go find something you're good at and something you like. This is only for YOU to decide. Worry about the money later. It will come. Go to school. Give it a chance and see if you like it. There are people out there who get paid $21/hr to sort mail all day but do you really want to do that for 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week for the rest of your life? Probably not. But again, that's for you to decide. Not your friends. Not your family. And heaven forbid, especially Revscene.

Your afterthought in going into the trades is fueled by your pessimism so think that through before you decide to pursue something else. If it helps, a close friend of mine recently completed a program at BCIT in electrical trades. He's currently working full-time as an electrician earning his hours and will be returning to school. I don't see him very often anymore. Why? Because he's busy busting his balls off, getting electrocuted, working in some bizarre conditions but he loves every minute of it. And nobody can take that away from him. Happiness and success is a definition you define.