I Am A Now Stihl MasterWrench Certified Technician!

[Backyard Lumberjack]

When i was a kid living in the sticks of rural Yukon i learned my mechanic skills by listening and watching those older than me.
I built my first "dune buggy" with my Dad at 13
I rebuilt the engine on my own at 14, by that time i had seen dozens of VW engines torn apart and rebuilt by then, i was the parts washer and light holder if i was in the shop while grown ups were working.
In the winter it was Ski-doo engines that occupied my free time.We kept Tiltson carb kits in our coat pockets and replaced them in the bush many times
Went to high school in the big city 125 miles from home, took mechanic's 11 and 12. Was easy credits as by that time there wasn't a lot on a vehicle that i hadn't worked on.

at 7 we was pulling apart and putting together flathead V8 carbs... at 14/15 we was pulling apart Model A 4-bangers...and overhauling them!

had a good teacher! my Pop was a certified A&P, master gunsmith!

 

[lone wolf]

The thing is you went to college and got a degree in a skilled trade. No one can take that from you ever.

Two 21 year old kids walk into a Ford dealership looking for a job. The service manager asks what type of skills, certifications, and trainings they each have.

1. ......ahh well I like cars and I like to tinker. I fixed my Escort once.
2. Well sir, I completed the two year Auto-Tech program at the regional vo-tech center while in high school. I then went on to to Wyo-tech and completed their Automotive Tech program. I am now ASE certified.

Which one will be first employed?

Well if I was the Service manager there I would test both of their skills out for a short while to see which one was better, how's that? Nothing like real world capabilities and results.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Good luck.
The concept of getting RICH from a 14 year olds perspective living at home will fade quickly when the real world comes into perspective. Not saying college is the only answer but college (with a decent major) or a skilled trade will quickly outpace a one man mowing business.

i noted his success!!... was thinking maybe time to come out of retirement!!!

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Took 2 years of 1/2 day Vo Tech for auto mechanics while in high school. All I heard from rich relatives was "why do you want to be a grease monkey?" One night, was out with a bunch of 4 year degreed friends who were 30k plus k in the whole. They couldn't find a job in "their field". I'm thinking that I'm making how much $$$$ working on cars,

To this day, I wish I had gone to college. Not necessarily for a different field, just the quest for knowledge.

more happens by doing so... more so than just acquistion of some knowledge. much more to it than just a sheepskin! piece of paper!! ~

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Anyone who's school was dis-accredited has essentially lost their degree.

The state school I graduated from almost lost its accreditation right after I graduated, but they made the changes needed to not lose it.


But I've never used my degree. It's barely good for toilet paper.

be interesting to know what area ur degree is in?

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Just keep at it. You have quite a drive in you that is quite unusual for someone your age in this day and age. Don't get stale or closed minded, you can never learn to much. Don't get burned out, enjoy your youth while you can it doesn't last forever.

so far, mine has!!!!

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

The thing is you went to college and got a degree in a skilled trade.
1. ......ahh well I like cars and I like to tinker. I fixed my Escort once.
2. Well sir, I completed the two year Auto-Tech program at the regional vo-tech center while in high school. I then went on to to Wyo-tech and completed their Automotive Tech program. I am now ASE certified.
Which one will be first employed?

the guy who started the escort service??

 

[HumBurner]

Sounds like you chose a bad school

Not really. I also didn't have money to go anywhere I may have wanted. Lottery scholarship is the only reason it was doable for me to begin with.

There was embezzlement/misappropriation of funds and general poor conduct on behalf of the administration at the time, as well as some of their programs floundering due to lack of students and/or professors and funding for upgrades. It all just happened to come to a head around the time I was getting out. I had thought about sticking around for a teaching cert., but their education program was one of the most poorly executed programs they had. Plus, college wasn't for me; I'm also not a good teacher.

be interesting to know what area ur degree is in?

Ag - Plant and Soil Science.

Now I do fuel reduction/tree and restoration work. Have a buddy I do odd jobs (solar, plumbing, building, etc.) with when he needs a hand, but at 71, he's working less and less

 

[ZeroJunk]

I retired 20 years ago. I work on Stihl because I am mentally ill.

 

[Bill G]

good point, but one can sure loose his FAA Airman Cert's....

i still got all mine!

Well that is a legal issue based on federal law not issued by a college.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Well that is a legal issue based on federal law not issued by a college.

true, but a loss is a loss!

 

[sundance]

I obtained a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering back in 1975. Can't say i really needed the degree for any of the jobs I've had but it was the entry requirement. Made a very good living mostly in the nuclear service business. Paid my own way through college in the early '70s (yes, I realize it's a different world today). I still think for an intelligent young person it's a choice between a solid college major or a skilled trade (which likely needs some education component).

 

[Pjohnson]

When I graduated high school back in the early 70's the state would pay your tuition to tech schools. Now the same course is 40 or 50k.

 

[Bill G]

at 7 we was pulling apart and putting together flathead V8 carbs... at 14/15 we was pulling apart Model A 4-bangers...and overhauling them!

had a good teacher! my Pop was a certified A&P, master gunsmith!

I wish I could find some older Flathead V-8's The late model ones will not work for what I want.

 

[Bill G]

When I graduated high school back in the early 70's the state would pay your tuition to tech schools. Now the same course is 40 or 50k.

Decades ago when I was an Ag teacher and FFA advisor we had a 160 acre research farm. If a student wanted to go to Iowa State University and major in Agriculture they were given a 4 year scholarship. It did not fully cover tuition but it damn sure helped. We also had a doctor in town that just paid every graduating Senior with a high GPA a large chunk their first year.

 

[Bill G]

Well if I was the Service manager there I would test both of their skills out for a short while to see which one was better, how's that? Nothing like real world capabilities and results.

I agree, I cannot speak for today but years ago at 21 they started you on oil changes and tires to gauge your work ethic and ability to think on your feet.

Totally unrelated to college but we had a local service station that was owned by a good, old school guy. This was back in the days when folks still knew what cash was. He would hire high school kids but he had one simple test. He would tell them to go to the register and ring up a sale of say, $7.37. He would then hand them a $20 bill. If they were unable to properly count the change back and place it in his hand he did not hire them.

Ole Corky was quite a guy

 

[Bill G]

Not really. I also didn't have money to go anywhere I may have wanted. Lottery scholarship is the only reason it was doable for me to begin with.

There was embezzlement/misappropriation of funds and general poor conduct on behalf of the administration at the time, as well as some of their programs floundering due to lack of students and/or professors and funding for upgrades. It all just happened to come to a head around the time I was getting out. I had thought about sticking around for a teaching cert., but their education program was one of the most poorly executed programs they had. Plus, college wasn't for me; I'm also not a good teacher.




Ag - Plant and Soil Science.

Now I do fuel reduction/tree and restoration work. Have a buddy I do odd jobs (solar, plumbing, building, etc.) with when he needs a hand, but at 71, he's working less and less

I got a BS in Agriculture Education and never once regretted it. I was offered full ride assistantships to three colleges for my Masters. I regret not taking them as I had to pay after that.

 

[cuttinstihl]

FWIW, I’ll be majoring in Forestry at SFA starting this fall. I’m intending to start my own tree service once I’m done with college, so I want to get some good knowledge rather than diving straight in with no clue what I’m doing. Also going to try and get some work with local tree services in my area to gain some real world experience

 

[Bill G]

FWIW, I’ll be majoring in Forestry at SFA starting this fall. I’m intending to start my own tree service once I’m done with college, so I want to get some good knowledge rather than diving straight in with no clue what I’m doing. Also going to try and get some work with local tree services in my area to gain some real world experience

What is SFA?

 

[cuttinstihl]

What is SFA?

Stephen F Austin, college in East Texas known for their forestry program