One of our sons who gives me fits due to his academic apathy, is preparing himself for a great future in auto mechanics or even welding. His high school has a ton of tech classes that earn dual credit in the community college. It was the right path for him and will pay off immediately.
We have one of those too. His only interests are wrecking cars and girls.
Good for him! I wish him much success.
My buddy's dad took me under his wing and called me up one day. He was taking his son out to the local community college to check out their auto program. I was a young guy who liked cars, it sounded good to me.
SO I started with auto mechanics, but the teachers suggested we take welding courses to be more rounded.
I took a gas welding course and did OK. My teacher suggested I take arc welding, that is was more useful. About halfway through, a lightbulb got switched on, and my skills skyrocketed.
I ended up finishing all but one auto class, and took every welding class available.
Today, I could walk into just about any shop or factory anywhere and handle whatever welding they have.
Instead I work in the trades as a pipefitter, sometimes welding, sometimes not. I have or have held certs in 8 pipe welding skills. From mild steel to stainless to chrome. I have worked on high rises, in steel mills and nuke plants. Currently I'm at the largest construction project in the country, at the BP refinery in Whiting, In.
Providing something major and unforseen doesn't happen, crippling this country, I'll make over $100k.
Oh, by the way. I have been welding for over 30 years now and have been a pipefitter for close to 24.
I still LOVE what I do.
As far as auto goes. I don't really use it at all per se. What I do use about my education in it, is it allows me to think mechanically. To understand how things work. I can figure most things out, because I was taught to be a mechanic, and most things in my world are a form of mechanics, just not auto mechanics.
Good luck to your son.
One of my daughters is going to the community college to learn to be a nurse. Two years at the CC and she has her Associates in nursing and can sit for the RN license exam. Then she can go an get her BS in nursing while working as a nurse part time. After that, you can earn your MS in some specialty while you work, get your certification, and make real money.