What are some good trades to learn?

Engineering school isn’t really working out anymore so I think I should learn to work more with my hands. Maybe like a baker or a tailor I dont know. Any ideas?

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Why doesn’t it work?

What do you like to do? That would be a good place to start. I like baking.

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I want to go back to school to be an electrician. I think it would be challenging but still fun enough.

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Florida has a low cost of living, so in-demand trades such as HVAC tech, plumber, electrician, masonry, etc., will provide you with a good standard of living. These trades are in high demand. You can start as an apprentice, and you don’t need a college diploma.

I have several friends who’ve started their own company. They gross about $200,000/year.

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I wish I’d majored in home-ec instead of music. I always had had jobs about food service, but I didn’t think of taking it seriously enough to make a career of it. So, sorry now. I was not confident enough about music and I knew it. Set myself up for failure and did fail in the end.

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I’m finding that on medication I can’t hand the workload like I used to

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I really like design. Before I got sick I was in school to become an architect but now I find that I can’t handle intellectual pursuits as well as I once did. I figure working with my hands might better suit me

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It seems that the disease harmed you in a terrible way.
I , if I did not have schizophrenia, could have been a competitive chess player with a rating of 2000+,
so I guess I have also suffered a great deal from it.

Yeah before I got sick I had a wonderful job and apartment in downtown boston and I played In a volunteer symphony orchestra. It was a really good life but now I’ve got to work with what I’ve got. I miss my old life dearly.

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@Air at least you once had a life.
I never had a life, never had a brain and a high level of energy.
Maybe without schizophrenia I would look better, after all for many people schizophrenia does some damage
already since early childhood.

Yes I am very thankful for the times I was able to have. I think things will get better for me though and I hope they will for you too.

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I started going to a makerspace and using th laser cutting machine. I normally build websites and do graphic design so I really like working with my hands. It’s more satisfying to build something that way.

As far as trades go see what you like to do. Tradespeople are in such high demand. One really good thing about knowing a trade or two and having schizophrenia or any illness that makes a 9-5 schedule hard is that you can usually have flexibility in your hours. If you need to take time off at any point you still have the skills you need when you are ready to work again. It’s also usually much easier to find work part time if you aren’t able to work full time. I think that doing anything with your hands is really good for schizophrenia because it forces you out of your head.

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I know it’s not sexy, but plumbing or HVAC repair pay really well, like over $50k annually, and they’re not very mentally taxing.

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It’s not bad that you’re a dreamer. And it’s ok that it didn’t work out. Lots of people change direction at all ages, middle aged, young, old… it’s very common and normal. Just think of it as personal growth

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I lived in Boston by faunal hall. Loved that place

The Art Of Ducktaping …

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I lived in a high rise in Fenway! I also lived in allston and jamaica plain. I love that city. I miss exploring china town and walking around the city like I had something to do. I’ll probably never be able to afford to live there again but I am happy for the experiences that I had.

how about Fur trading. it worked in the past :blush:

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Being an electrician is an excellent trade to learn. I was my uncle’s apprentice and learned the trade from him. I still do it as side business from time to time taking a few small jobs here and there. I’m in college now getting a certificate in I.T., and hope to work in that field once I graduate in 2019. But most of my income still comes from my part-time jobs, they pay okay, but I don’t want to do them for the rest of my life.

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