Scholarships

Fellow Plumbers ,

Not an actual plumbing question but I still need your help ;

My son is going off to college next year.As I'm sure you all know THAT IS VERY EXPENSIVE ! I have heard that Plumbing/Heating locals and Associations quietly have scholarships that they offer to those aho apply/meet requirements .
Va is right to work state , so no union here. My question is ,,,,, Have any of you heard of or used this ???

Like the rest of you(s) ,,, been breaking my back a LONG time but could still use some more funds for his education .

Please post if you know or send me a private messege ! THANKS IN ADVANCE !!

Cal

Try doing this word search.

College scholarships for plumbers

There was a lot to read. Might help you.

thats probably not available

The two subjects dont mix very well....

trade schools and colleges.....


the kids that got the top grades in high school

went on to college and the ones that had mediocre

grades or had troubles in school generally went to local

trade schools.....the average c- type guys...

where their aptitude was tested for

various hands on type of jobs....

and one of those jobs was being a plumber...



I doubt you will find anything but grants to trade
schools.....not to colleges.... for a plumbing background


good luck looking.

And to add to MPM's statement......there are some people that are not cut out for college, period.

Talking biased here but in my short time in the trade (almost 20) I've seen that most college educated do the following that have busy lifestyles, 2.3 kids and a huge mortgage:


Pay for every service/repair in the home

Take off work to have some of those services done. (PTO time? maybe)

Are glued to their professions and most time they have pull up their roots to move where their company insists they go if you are used to the "big money" lollipop.

They are not oblivious to getting laid off or switching jobs because their position got eliminated or the company downsized.

Granted, educating the mind is top kudos on the full spectrum but I get the receiving end of those "college educated" that do not want to know plumbing and they'd rather hire a professional to do the task.

There are drawbacks to slinging out a checkbook or credit card every time you need a repair done in your home, or for your relatives.

I tried college and it wasn't me. Got myself into plumbing and the rest is history......never once have I looked back since the profession is so enjoyable and the income is secure and never have to answer to "big business" for anything.

I'm sure there are eyes on this thread that have been a victim of big business or downsizing. Look at FORD; going non-union for the first time. Down-sizing to basically surgically restructure that company because the unions made a !##!ing mint and everyone made too much money to begin with.

Want perfection in a non-union company? Look at Toyota. Those employees worship the ground they walk on in their company. We should learn from these history lessons.


In my area the community colleges are coming up with plumbing programs where students can take classes in the field of plumbing. Then they call me along with other plumbers wanting us to hire them out as apprentices. *When I asked for them to forward me a format guideline of what their instruction involved, twice, they never followed through and sent me anything.*

If I had patience and willingness to train these new hires in the profession I would consider it. But reality is most times there will always be a bigger company to take on a new trainee who earned their wings at the expense of the last plumber. That last plumber would be me with a truck full of inventory sitting in the driveway with no one to drive it around and make income. And then the process starts all over again with someone you "think" may be okay but you're not for sure, the credentials on the app are "sketchy" at best.

You'd think I've done the above but I haven't; heard too many stories to be trusting enough to go forward with such a bad move. You have to fend for yourself when you aren't given the tools (college education) to make a go at business.

I started this business with borrowed money and determination to not fail. I'm at 4 years and I'm still in fear of the inevitable downfall until I see the 8th year in business. Even though the phone rings hourly....there is more to business than running service calls and paying bills.

Oh and I'm running for president in 08'.

If I have kids someday I'll provide the income to get them in the door. IF they are not cutting it in the classroom, they will have the opportunities to take on what I think will be a successful business IF they like the profession and the opportunities they pose.


Enough rambling this morning. Must be the 2 biscuits from McDonalds. I just know there is something in them.

college degree

I went to college and did ok.....

only a few credits from graduation with a psyc degree.......


the problem being that their is literally no future or
money in it worth speaking of.....maybe after 15 years
and a lot of jobs ect.......


as Rugged said....

their are lots of people out there that are afraid to get their
hands dirty and really NEED and MUST to go to college....
but you got that draw back that he spoke of.....being downsized ect



I find that a balance of both real world work
and a good education is the best balance you can
hope for......



Its funny though..... over the past 25 years I am about
sure that almost all of my employees could not read or write too well......

they barely knew how to work a shovel........

and they could not dress themselves .decently......

but they certanly knew what day "pay day" was........



my biggest problem was baby sitting these morons every day

and the fear that they would start to rub off on me and

wear away on my mind....LOL


driveing around in a truck and breathing the same air

with them.....listening to their babble.....

sometimes I wondered if college would have been a better choice........

Cal, I tracked down the name of that book.
It is written by Ben Kaplan, still in print. The title is: How to go to college for almost free ( subtitle--The secrets of winning scholarship money.)

He won over a dozen scholarships totaling 90,000, unrestricted money.

He toured around in a bus he bought and did the circuit of bookstores. He was at ours Borders 4 years ago, while in college.

All,

Thanks for your help and advice ! I too did not go to college and ALL THE BETTER FOR IT ! I love my plumbing life. However , my son carries a 3.85 GPA,All region baseball player and wants to go in to medicine . He wants and needs college .

Cookie .......... Thanks for the HOT tip on the book !
As always ,,,,, THANK YOU AGAIN !
Cal