Should I become an apprentice?
Hi all,
If you don’t want to read everything, the question is as straightforward as the title. Should I become an apprentice? But if you’d prefer more context to my personal situation, here goes.
I’m 18F, only graduated high school a few months ago. I’ve considered the trades before, but what’s happened recently in my life has pushed me towards going to college out of necessity. Due to familial conflicts I moved out of my Dad’s house, and my biological mom is moving out of state within the next few months. I’m unwilling to move states because my little brother is here, and he’s too young to keep up a relationship that far. Since moving out I’ve been staying at a friends house. I’m going to college because I need the university housing, since I don’t have the financial means to prove I can provide rent for an apartment or any of the necessary documentation really. Essentially, I’m relying on financial aid and loans and university housing to coast me by.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against college and that’s the pathway I’ve thought I’d go down for most of my life. But with the rise of AI escalating so quickly, there’s very few careers now that seem to offer short education, financial stability, and safety from AI. Combined with how going to college has become more so for the housing stability, it’s made me reconsider. I mean, there’s only so long I can rely on loans and FAFSA and the dorming. Dorms themselves are a financial hole, if I could’ve gotten an apartment I would’ve. That being said, I really have no idea what I want to do career wise and I just want something that will keep me stable and offer the funds to be able to have experiences in life outside of just surviving at this point.
I have no prior knowledge of the trades or any experience. To be quite frank the hardest labor I ever had was moving hay bales around a ranch. I was very much a home body, so I don’t really know if I could keep up. But becoming an electrician apprentice seems to be the most lucrative recommendation I’ve gotten as far as short education (meaning no longer than the ~4 years for uni), no possibility of AI, and providing financial stability. If I were to become an apprentice, I’d want to seek out an IBEW apprenticeship after my research, and I’d be unwilling to drop college because quite frankly I’m leeching off of the FAFSA money. So if I were to seek out an apprenticeship I’d maybe drop college to part time and switch my major to business, so maybe after gaining some experience as an electrician I could start my own business.
All in all, should I become an electrician apprentice? Could I develop the physicality to keep up over time? Can I do college part time and pursue a business major while doing the apprenticeship? What is the likelihood of landing an IBEW apprenticeship with no prior experience? I’m willing to learn, study, and work hard. Ultimately, I just really want some stability after spending a majority of my youth in financial and familial instability.
For additional helpful info, I’m in CA. I’ve heard which IBEW union you’re near makes a difference sometimes. I’ve heard location can impact aspects of apprenticeship too.