What would you guys do?, Working Professionally On Cars Options

[Tobra]

I thought that was "never trust anyone over 40"

[KELTY360]

QUOTE (grantsfo @ Mar 29 2006, 02:08 PM)

Electric cars seem to be finally coming on as a viable means of transport for some. Great opportunity to blend electrical engineering, IT and cars all in one. Developing technologies may allow a few private companies to emerge outside of the big automotive manufacturers as big successes. Specialty Electric cars seem to me to be a possible great business opportunity. With aging boomer crowd hot rods will also continue to be popular. I spent some time with my dad recently in Grants Pass, OR and I was amazed how many guys in his hot rod club have full out workshops next to their homes. Some of these guys are making great livings doing custom rods. People are throwing around big money on these cars too. I saw a couple $75 K hotrods.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) What he said. As the effects of global warming are widely publicized, the search for remedies will become a huge economic factor. Technical innovation in the areas of resource utilization and transportation will be a major growth sector. We're not going to give up our cars, but there's gonna be some big changes made. Get in front of the curve. 'Plastics'

Couple of good books to read: Cradle to Cradle by Wm McDonough & Michael Braumgart and Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken and Amory & Hunter Lovins.

Good Luck

Marc

[rick 918-S]

As a former shop owner, I would hire young, inspired guys with stars in their eyes, They rapidly figured out that the work they preformed was not always as glamorous as they envisioned. I treated them with respect, but they were tools. They either worked hard everyday and made money, or I had to get a new tool. So I ask you, in the real world of cars, do you want to be someones tool? That's what you will be until you have the experience to be looked upon as a master tech. That's the cold hard facts from the management side of things.

Here's another interesting spin on the subject. I have a good friend who owns a metal crafting business. I stopped by to visit the other day. He's always worked alone or with one apprentice. He had two guys in his shop. He started telling me that in Poland where he was an apprentice, you pay the master to learn. If you didn't have money your wife would carry water, or bring food, help clean house or something. He talked about how he even needs to inspruct how to just walk around the shop without bumping into things. He wasn't really happy with the employee thing. He went on to say, here in America, the master pays the apprentice to work and teaches him too. He went on the say "then you are the ass hole when you don't pay top wages and give time off when ever the apprentice wants."

Be sure your willing to do what ever it takes to become the best at what you choose. It's all work, it's always about money, not romantic fantasies.

[Eric Taylor]

Thanks everyone. There is a lot of really solid advice in this thread and I knew there would be. I'm not really sure were I want to go with all this, but I guess one of the conclusions I've come to is that I don't have to really know right now. Go for what I want now and maybe change my mind a few years down the road and get into a new field. Hard to say where I'll end up, but I have to agree in getting the degree and having something to stand upon. Anyway thanks a lot everyone, and if anyone has more ideas I would love to hear them so keep um coming (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif).
Eric