This was all a long time ago you understand.
When I was discharged from the Marine Corps (honorably), I found out my civilian related job description was an Instrument Technician, still don’t know what that had to do with field artillery.
Got a job as a skilled trades assistant; which meant I got to hump the tools, materials and all the heavy stuff to the job site, got paid 3.45 per hour for the scut work.
I paid real close attention to the journey and master level plumbers; how they did the material take offs from the plans and specs, how they did the job lay out and how they did the calcs necessary to complete the project.
Decided real quick that I had to go back to school If wanted to ever be as good as they were.
Took quite a few years; working during the day and going to school at night, but I ended up with a degree in hydraulic engineering.
Then added construction management, storm water management and waste water management to the list, seems like I went back to school at 23 and didn’t finish until I was about 45.
Never went to a big name university; did it all at trade schools, junior colleges and had to do 2 years at a small state university for the bachelor degree, never had to take out any loans because I worked for a living and paid for every thing as it came up. Finished up as the department supervisor with 86 employees in all construction trades.
Retired pretty well now and loving it.
You know what’s popping today? Culinary schools. Kids are pushing into these schools. I applied for one which was something like $2,000 a semester. When I told a friend of mine who has a doctorate that I was going to attend culinary school, she sneered so much her lip got stuck to her nose. She, of course, has a degree in “American Studies,” which means she spouts off that the American Indian really wrote the Constitution. And: I kid you not!