What should I do? School or job?

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Ok. So I got a job offer with a drilling company. I would be starting out as a laborer. I sent my resume 3 months ago and they finally got ahold of me. During the interview they asked me if I had any welding experience. I told them my situation, currently in school and have classes scheduled for next semester and blah blah blah. I then asked them if they would teach me how to weld and they said after a few months of being a laborer, if things work out there would be no problem with getting some OJT from the welders.So should I just say screw the rest of my classes and take the job and make decent money or should I continue on with my classes and be broke until classes are over in a year. Keep in mind that I have a few really good friends in corporate oil and as long as I am certified, I have a job welding once I get out of school. One other thing: the job is here in Colorado and the job after school would be in Texas. After being in Colorado for 6 years, I've grown to hate it and kind of want to leave. But I've never lived in Texas and i'm not sure how I feel about living in humidity and not being surrounded by mountains.Any help would be appreciated.Last edited by rschreck; 12-22-2012 at 10:29 PM.
Reply:Finish school.
Reply:Originally Posted by rschreckOk. So I got a job offer with a drilling company. I would be starting out as a laborer. I sent my resume 3 months ago and they finally got ahold of me. During the interview they asked me if I had any welding experience. I told them my situation, currently in school and have classes scheduled for next semester and blah blah blah. I then asked them if they would teach me how to weld and they said after a few months of being a laborer, if things work out there would be no problem with getting some OJT from the welders.So should I just say screw the rest of my classes and take the job and make decent money or should I continue on with my classes and be broke until classes are over in a year. Keep in mind that I have a few really good friends in corporate oil and as long as I am certified, I have a job welding once I get out of school. One other thing: the job is here in Colorado and the job after school would be in Texas. After being in Colorado for 6 years, I've grown to hate it and kind of want to leave. But I've never lived in Texas and i'm not sure how I feel about living in humidity and not being surrounded by mountains.Any help would be appreciated.
Reply:Sounds like you already know what to do, just need a little motivation.  My vote is for finishing school, then moving to Texas.  Once you jump into a job it will be really hard to make time for school. You might not like being a laborer and wish you'd stayed in school come summer.  Its winter time now, and its easy to get bogged down with winter blues; the thought of doing something different may seem like a good idea now, but might not be so good later.  Stay the course you are on, it was a wise decision when you made it, now you just need to follow through.GarLincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table
Reply:Originally Posted by BlauSchuhwhats your major?
Reply:Originally Posted by GarSounds like you already know what to do, just need a little motivation.  My vote is for finishing school, then moving to Texas.  Once you jump into a job it will be really hard to make time for school. You might not like being a laborer and wish you'd stayed in school come summer.  Its winter time now, and its easy to get bogged down with winter blues; the thought of doing something different may seem like a good idea now, but might not be so good later.  Stay the course you are on, it was a wise decision when you made it, now you just need to follow through.Gar
Reply:I figured as much, this being a welding forum and all.  God speed what ever choice you go with.GarLincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table
Reply:Finish school. You have the contacts to work in Texas when you graduate. I would not bank on the "maybe" we will train you when things slow down.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Finish school! A lot of companies hire local laborers. When the jobs done the few skilled workers move to the next location. The laborers are left behind. Less long term liability.What ever education you get will pay dividends throughout your life. It's too easy to look back and realized that 5 or 10 years have slipped by and wish you'd finished school... by that time you have a wife and kids... and it becomes a lot harder to improve your situation. Don't sell yourself or your family short... get all the education you can.
Reply:Finish school, it'll be better in the long run.Martin MC Weld TechAWS-CWIAWS-CWEwww.linkedin.com/pub/martin-cramer/20/b36/940/
Reply:your choice is to be a welder in 1 year, or maybe be a welder in 3 - "if it all works out"finish schoolto some degree, life is a matter of "paying your dues" Pay them now, or pay them later -- up to you,'finish school
Reply:If only i'd have asked this question 25 years ago. Finish school, my friend. You will never regret itSafety 3rdGump
Reply:Thanks for all the help. Reason why I asked is because of financial issues. Long story short, I'm 35, spent 9 years in the Army and since getting out, I've been doing random jobs and then 3 years ago became an EMT. The money wasn't good and slowly I started to hate the job. So I quit and enrolled at a community college to take welding classes. Not doing the whole associates degree, just the actual welding classes to get certified. And since being in school, money has been super tight and it's becoming stressful. Again, thanks for all help.
Reply:A lot of us have traveled the same road and understand the tight money aspect.  I remember  to well when a flat tire was a financial emergency.  I never regretted sticking it out in school and getting my degree.  I hope you can finish the welding classes I think that best for the long term.
Reply:Originally Posted by rschreckThanks for all the help. Reason why I asked is because of financial issues. Long story short, I'm 35, spent 9 years in the Army and since getting out, I've been doing random jobs and then 3 years ago became an EMT. The money wasn't good and slowly I started to hate the job. So I quit and enrolled at a community college to take welding classes. Not doing the whole associates degree, just the actual welding classes to get certified. And since being in school, money has been super tight and it's becoming stressful. Again, thanks for all help.
Reply:I live in Texas. I slept on couches, worked two jobs during FT school, had to drop a semester or two to due to money, slept on couch and in some less than desirable apts, ate tortillas and margarine for a lot of meals and bummed some meals at campus. It is very stressful, I know. and it was awful humid and hot.  Ask me how I know.However the economy is good down here and the work is plentiful in the oil and gas fields. Yeah it's hot etc, but seems like the priorities should not be cool, dry weather and mountains.
Reply:Finish school! Go as far as you can.  On-the-job trained welders are a dime a dozen so to speak, "laborers" are even more plentiful, guys who REALLY know their work, and are highly trained are in a whole different world so far as job opportunities and pay are concerned.  I have a friend who was in your boat just a few yrs ago, had just started welding school, and got a job offer to work on a rig as a laborer.  He decided to stick with school, even though he was having trouble just putting food on the table for his wife and kids.  He kept with school, got as much training as he could, got his certs for welding in nuclear power plants, got a job lined up within days of getting his certs, and is now clearing 6 figures with benefits, and working in a nicer environment.  Then there is me.  I left school to start my own lawncare biz, made good money back in the 90s, but now I am getting older, am burnt out, can't work as hard or as long as I could 10 yrs ago and make less money than I did 10 yrs ago, and have nothing to fall back on. STAY IN SCHOOL!
Reply:If you finish school you will have options open to you that you would probably not with going the laborer route.
Reply:The answer is always to finish school, regardless of what the question is.Life tends to get more complicated as it goes on, and going back to school is much more difficult than sticking it out.Thank you for your service to our country.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:No one else touched on the one thing you wrote that stuck out to me. You have good friends in corporate oil...  It's always good to have contacts and be able to use them, but remember that NOBODY is irreplaceable. Me, you or your friends in high places. Contacts can be good for getting your foot in the door but you had better be able to stay in based on you skills/productivity. I ditto what everyone above said about staying in school.Good Luck