Screw the Degree ~ Learn a Trade – Epi-3744
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:47:04 — 30.6MB)
Tune in to hear how one young man walked away from the college conveyor belt and found purpose, skills, and a paycheck in the trades. Dave Feeney is a fourth-year electrician apprentice with the IBEW, and he’s got a message for anyone stuck thinking college is the only way forward.
In this episode, we dig into what it really takes to get started in the trades—from structured union apprenticeships to the pay-to-play game of trade schools, and everything in between. You’ll hear how Dave went from labor jobs and plumbing gigs to discovering that electrical work offered cleaner sites, better money, and a clear path ahead.
We also break down the myths and realities of blue-collar life: physical demands, earning ceilings, work-life balance, and what your social life looks like when you’re waking up early and working hard.
If you’ve ever thought about ditching the degree or know someone who should, this conversation will help you see the options clearly. Whether you’re starting fresh or considering a career shift, there’s never been a better time to learn a trade.
Resources for today’s show…
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I learned to weld steel when I was 14 years old while in the Sea Scouts. This led to working as a boiler maker steel welder in the shipyards near Tacoma WA. The Pipe Fitters Union paid more but was almost impossible to join unless you had a relative in the union. However, I was able to pass a pipewelding test that the union welders could not pass. The union offered me the apprentice program, but I told them that because I passed the welding test that I was already a journeyman and wanted the higher pay. The last year in the military I was assigned to a floating machine shop as a welder and diver. After military, I earned a BS Degree in Welding Enginmeering and a masters in Metallurgy. This transitioned to Nuclear Power Plant construction and Fossil Power Plant Engineering and Nuclear Design Engineering. Fory years of work and never laid off or lost a day of work.