Form: Reply

—“CURT: CAREER ADVICE FOR TRADES BUT WITHOUT STRESS INJURIES…… I have a problem with repetitive stress injuries in my wrist and my current trade is just not going to work. If I can go to college what should I consider as a target career.”— A Friend

The Trade you might consider is CNC programming and operating. It’s still basically programming but it’s programing something tangible you can see rather than imaginary abstractions. And its NEVER going to go out of demand.

The problem in manufacturing is that they can’t get enough guys like you with programming ability.

Above that I would go into IT (physical computer networks, which is a much better job, but has still become just a trade).

The problem with most trade jobs is that you must use your hands rather than your imagination. And your joints pay the price.

To invest in the long term very cheaply, If you study one or two years of accounting (two classes), take a business law class, and take a year of construction project management (gantt charts, budgets, estimating), you will be well enough informed to do most jobs in the 50-60k range.

I can’t emphasize the accounting, basic contract, and project management skills enough. Most people are moral but they do not understand that commitment to budget and contract and schedule is what produces income and morality is a matter of relationships not business. This will provide career path options for you no matter what. (I think this material should be taught in high school).

LONG TERM

You want to try to exit the trades into your own business of some sort by the time you’re 40. If you can delay marriage and delay auto purchases and live with family, other men, or a woman, or get into a house, then you can hopefully have savings and equity to start a reliable business or two after 40 and if you can, move into project management. It will be increasingly hard on your body outside of machining and programming after you’re fully mature (40).

NOTE: I have had (very, very, serious) carpal tunnel problems in the past but I learned how never rely on overextension. I make sure my joints, are relaxed at all times: head, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and knuckles. It takes time to develop the ‘intentional joint laziness’ and it slows you down (maybe a lot), but you will not get those repetitive stress injuries. Amping up your small muscles around your joints by keeping them in ‘alert mode’ at all times is just a guarantee of harm to you. We evolved to work 16-24 hours a week, and rest a lot otherwise.