Integrity

[66 Sat]

There's no shame in being an office worker. I have a degree, have my own consultancy company, and also teach Construction part-time at a local University. I can and do fix cars, fix toilets, pour concrete, dig trenches, I rarely employ anyone to do my hard work at home unless it's a specialist trade, and I appreciate and pay for their skill.
I've worked plenty of manual labour jobs on the way through, from picking up litter, making cardboard boxes to galvanizing steel, and I'm glad I'm educated enough not to have to do that as a career, especially after 50 when your body starts feeling it. I don't look down on those guys though.
It takes all types to run a country and I'm certainly not embarrassed by having a desk job and using my brain to earn money.

 

[Outlawd]

I got a lot of friends who are farmers, I live in a farming community and our little school system in this little town pushes our kids to think if you don't go to college, you're a loser and probably be blue collar your whole life. It pisses me off to think the school is pushing against the very thing that holds small agricultural towns together. I skipped college after High School and went to work, been working blue collar ever since. I've made a good life out of it, got lots of muscle cars and motorcycles in the stable to speak for it. I also got an education of multiple talent's over the years of experience in multiple jobs, owned and operated my own business for many years and even earned 3 state licenses through the DNR which will get me an early retirement coming up soon. Nothing out of the ordinary in my family, my folks own and operated two different businesses and my brother holds a master's in electrical licensed in 3 states. If you add up the years of college it took for us to achieve these things the number would be 0, all done through hard work. I'm not bragging by no means just proud of what hard work can get you and you seem to respect things more when you've earned them.

 

[Hey-O]

I got a lot of friends who are farmers, I live in a farming community and our little school system in this little town pushes our kids to think if you don't go to college, you're a loser and probably be blue collar your whole life. It pisses me off to think the school is pushing against the very thing that holds small agricultural towns together. I skipped college after High School and went to work, been working blue collar ever since. I've made a good life out of it, got lots of muscle cars and motorcycles in the stable to speak for it. I also got an education of multiple talent's over the years of experience in multiple jobs, owned and operated my own business for many years and even earned 3 state licenses through the DNR which will get me an early retirement coming up soon. Nothing out of the ordinary in my family, my folks own and operated two different businesses and my brother holds a master's in electrical licensed in 3 states. If you add up the years of college it took for us to achieve these things the number would be 0, all done through hard work. I'm not bragging by no means just proud of what hard work can get you and you seem to respect things more when you've earned them.

That's not bragging, that's a fact, good for you!! The schools are at fault in a lot of ways. When my son was a junior, the counselor asked him what college he wanted to attend. When he said he wasn't looking at colleges, but would rather attend a trade school, she said, NEXT.

To know me, is to respect me, as I do you, just before we go into negotiations. The counselor, the principal and I had a talk. They knew me and knew I was just a carpenter. I walked in there in a suit that cost more than that counselor was going to make in two weeks. We had a long talk about the practices of helping those attending school there, in their efforts in moving forward. I enlisted a few trade schools to be there and the show continued. My son was then enrolled in a trade school and started his bricklayers apprenticeship, two days after he graduated. The school got a lesson in conservative thinking, long overdue and got their *** handed to them. I could go on, but you get my point. My son ended up running an army of bricklayers and his last job was this. While I miss my son immensely and always will, a change was made in that school and I know for a fact, that principal hated me. You don't have to like me, but you do have to respect me and although it was through force, he was made to bend and that's what I do best......

 

[BSB67]

That's not bragging, that's a fact, good for you!! The schools are at fault in a lot of ways. When my son was a junior, the counselor asked him what college he wanted to attend. When he said he wasn't looking at colleges, but would rather attend a trade school, she said, NEXT.

To know me, is to respect me, as I do you, just before we go into negotiations. The counselor, the principal and I had a talk. They knew me and knew I was just a carpenter. I walked in there in a suit that cost more than that counselor was going to make in two weeks. We had a long talk about the practices of helping those attending school there, in their efforts in moving forward. I enlisted a few trade schools to be there and the show continued. My son was then enrolled in a trade school and started his bricklayers apprenticeship, two days after he graduated. The school got a lesson in conservative thinking, long overdue and got their *** handed to them. I could go on, but you get my point. My son ended up running an army of bricklayers and his last job was this. While I miss my son immensely and always will, a change was made in that school and I know for a fact, that principal hated me. You don't have to like me, but you do have to respect me and although it was through force, he was made to bend and that's what I do best......
View attachment 1989121

Some great examples of good parenting, personal responsibility and good choices.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Hey-O]

Some great examples of good parenting, personal responsibility and good choices.

Thanks for sharing.

The best part was, the choices were spread around for all to use! It's called change and well needed. Many trade schools weren't open to this type of change either. Some are closed and that's changing too. They need the members to survive, it's a win, win.

 

[68BabyBlue]

The best part was, the choices were spread around for all to use! It's called change and well needed. Many trade schools weren't open to this type of change either. Some are closed and that's changing too. They need the members to survive, it's a win, win.

I've mentioned my Ford friend, who went the vocational route, in many other posts. Context here, is his maternal grandfather was a Penn State professor, who was responsible for developing the programs that formed the template for vocational training in high schools across Pennsylvania, three generations ago. Family was land wealthy, teaching was a side line.

When Scott reached high school, he decided he wanted to attend the vocational program, rather than the academic track. His parents had a fit. The situation was complicated by the fact he was already a year into the academic track, late for completing the vocational requirements. His grandfather got involved, and worked a deal with the high school to transfer credits, and increase the vocational course load to graduate on schedule. Scott enrolled in heavy equipment repair and excelled. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army, and expanded his skills as a master welder.

Our paths crossed when he was one year out of the military, and tried to get hired as a tractor trailer driver with my corporate employer, even though he was eight years younger than our minimum age requirement. I was bleeding drivers, trying to run a new terminal in the Hunts Point market in the Bronx. Scott made the grade, and became the only driver from Pennsylvania to last full time, until we finally built a base of locals. Like me, he ended up running as an owner operator for two decades, became wealthy in his own right.

Although Scott's parents never supported his career moves, his wise grandfather did.

 

[Hey-O]

I've mentioned my Ford friend, who went the vocational route, in many other posts. Context here, is his maternal grandfather was a Penn State professor, who was responsible for developing the programs that formed the template for vocational training in high schools across Pennsylvania, three generations ago. Family was land wealthy, teaching was a side line.

When Scott reached high school, he decided he wanted to attend the vocational program, rather than the academic track. His parents had a fit. The situation was complicated by the fact he was already a year into the academic track, late for completing the vocational requirements. His grandfather got involved, and worked a deal with the high school to transfer credits, and increase the vocational course load to graduate on schedule. Scott enrolled in heavy equipment repair and excelled. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army, and expanded his skills as a master welder.

Our paths crossed when he was one year out of the military, and tried to get hired as a tractor trailer driver with my corporate employer, even though he was eight years younger than our minimum age requirement. I was bleeding drivers, trying to run a new terminal in the Hunts Point market in the Bronx. Scott made the grade, and became the only driver from Pennsylvania to last full time, until we finally built a base of locals. Like me, he ended up running as an owner operator for two decades, became wealthy in his own right.

Although Scott's parents never supported his career moves, his wise grandfather did.

It works and for the right people, it works well. That's a great story!!

I've met a few people in my life that don't believe I deserve what I have. Those are the ones that spent a fortune on schooling to end up making less than me, sour grapes. It's not the money, it's about doing what fits. Like my old favorite pair of shoes that I refuse the get rid of, they fit, are part of me and who I am. I've never forgotten where I came from.

 

[guy gadbois]

There's no shame in being an office worker. I have a degree, have my own consultancy company, and also teach Construction part-time at a local University. I can and do fix cars, fix toilets, pour concrete, dig trenches, I rarely employ anyone to do my hard work at home unless it's a specialist trade, and I appreciate and pay for their skill.
I've worked plenty of manual labour jobs on the way through, from picking up litter, making cardboard boxes to galvanizing steel, and I'm glad I'm educated enough not to have to do that as a career, especially after 50 when your body starts feeling it. I don't look down on those guys though.
It takes all types to run a country and I'm certainly not embarrassed by having a desk job and using my brain to earn money.

Agreed. I dont think anyone here is saying that there is a problem with desk jobs, just that such is not the only venue for a kid to consider and shouldnt be ashamed or thought less of if they dont want that life/arent inclined to it.
Remember...its some desk jobs that get the farmer's produce to us all and desk jobs that created the refrigeration to keep it fresh, design the trucks etc. It does indeed take both for a functioning society.

 

[LowBikeMike]

I don't believe the original story......Integrity also means you don't put others down to make youself look better. As a family farmer, we and most other farmers understand that each of those professions are needed for us to be successful. Farms today do not run without good relationships with Bankers and Attorneys. I find it amusing that most want to blame the government/schools for any issues with today's kids where in reality the finger should be pointing back at the parents and how they raised and invested in their kids. I'm not saying that there are not outside influences but it all starts with the degradation of the family unit.

 

[ykf7b0]

I think message being portrayed in the opening post is that someone has to do the dirty work, so don’t think of him/her as a second class citizen, as many do.

 

[OneWheelPeel]

The school got a lesson in conservative thinking, long overdue and got their *** handed to them. I could go on, but you get my point. My son ended up running an army of bricklayers and his last job was this. While I miss my son immensely and always will, a change was made in that school and I know for a fact, that principal hated me. You don't have to like me, but you do have to respect me and although it was through force, he was made to bend and that's what I do best......

Maybe a dumb question, do you mean conservative as in conservative vs liberal? I ask because I grew up feeling like it was the conservative side that looked down on blue collar or any non glamourous jobs, which I had many off. Could be a location thing or just false perception. Overall I had both sides represented by each parent so I don't think there was a bias presented to me. Admins feel free to cross out my question if its flirting with political rules.

I don't believe the original story......Integrity also means you don't put others down to make youself look better. As a family farmer, we and most other farmers understand that each of those professions are needed for us to be successful. Farms today do not run without good relationships with Bankers and Attorneys. I find it amusing that most want to blame the government/schools for any issues with today's kids where in reality the finger should be pointing back at the parents and how they raised and invested in their kids. I'm not saying that there are not outside influences but it all starts with the degradation of the family unit.

Things always seem to be framed in an Us vs Them model.

 

[Hey-O]

Agreed. I dont think anyone here is saying that there is a problem with desk jobs, just that such is not the only venue for a kid to consider and shouldnt be ashamed or thought less of if they dont want that life/arent inclined to it.
Remember...its some desk jobs that get the farmer's produce to us all and desk jobs that created the refrigeration to keep it fresh, design the trucks etc. It does indeed take both for a functioning society.

You're absolutely right, It's called a balance. Without one, the other doesn't exist.

 

[Hey-O]

Maybe a dumb question, do you mean conservative as in conservative vs liberal? I ask because I grew up feeling like it was the conservative side that looked down on blue collar or any non glamourous jobs, which I had many off. Could be a location thing or just false perception. Overall I had both sides represented by each parent so I don't think there was a bias presented to me. Admins feel free to cross out my question if its flirting with political rules.

Things always seem to be framed in an Us vs Them model.

I won’t ruin this thread with politics, but I will say I've been in the union since I was 21, UAW and Carpenters both. My point was, I hired a company that represented my daughter and helped her with a handful of different colleges in doing all the leg work, paperwork, setting up practice testing, and scholarship award money. She graduated valedictorian in her class with a 5.5 grade average and 35 college credits. This guy, unbeknownst to anyone, helped me set up the school by proving, both had things to gain with more liberal institutions and got a little something for the push towards them. He was also a state representative and he no longer does either..... I won't say anything more, but just because I'm carpenter with a hammer, doesn't mean it wasn't a sludge hammer.