Career choices for the outdoorsman-What should i do?

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Originally Posted by fishy steve

depends again on what you would wanna do... you will need your common core training... theres a program up above sudbury that does this, i think one in new liskard as well... a mining engineer or something if you wanted to put the time in...

http://www.norcat.org/common-core-training.html

check out some of the mineing companies carears pages to see jobs that might interest you

klgold.com
goldcorp.com
debeerscanada.com

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VALE seems to always be looking for miners. I believe they will give you Common Core if you are selected for underground work. There is also a Smelter Common Core, but it is more of a safety/awareness overview spanning 40 hours of training as opposed to the skills training you would get with underground common core. They will give you that as well.

Trades at VALE make around $35/hour, plus bonus, shift premiums and OT. Skilled trades working for contractors can sometimes make twice that, but usually you are hopping from project to project around the province or country. You would probably get isolation pay, depending on where the work is, but you would not be home much. Many remote camps do not allow hunting and fishing while you are in for your work term. Although places like VALE and XSTRATA pay less, there is the benefit of coming home after every shift and depending on the schedule, you could be off for several days at a time. I have one more day shift tomorrow and then I'm off for 6 1/2 days.

More to think about.

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Originally Posted by old243

?..You have to enjoy what you are doing , or you will be miserable...old243

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I lucked out in that the company placed me in my first job classification and I loved it once I got comfortable with it. My work conditions were announced with changes that were not to my liking or a benefit to my health. I bid on an overhead crane operator assignment and I love that as well. Work is not "work" to me. I enjoy what I do. If and when I decide I don't want/like to do it anymore, there are lots of opportunity to try something else. One benefit of working for a large company.

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Originally Posted by jim

Trades seem to be your best bet these days. Fleming has a one yr. course that exposes you to multiple trades, so you can decide what you want. That is what my grandson is doing, next year. Hell I didnt Know what I wanted to do at 18.

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I couldn't agree more about not knowing what I wanted at 18. I took electronics technician with the promise of LOADS of well paying jobs. By the time I graduated, the best job offer I had was assembling circuit boards in T.O. For $8/hr. Min wage then was $6.85. My diploma, however, was my ticket to getting into my present job, although my job has NOTHING to do with my education.

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Originally Posted by 35wailin

VALE seems to always be looking for miners. I believe they will give you Common Core if you are selected for underground work. There is also a Smelter Common Core, but it is more of a safety/awareness overview spanning 40 hours of training as opposed to the skills training you would get with underground common core. They will give you that as well.

Trades at VALE make around $35/hour, plus bonus, shift premiums and OT. Skilled trades working for contractors can sometimes make twice that, but usually you are hopping from project to project around the province or country. You would probably get isolation pay, depending on where the work is, but you would not be home much. Many remote camps do not allow hunting and fishing while you are in for your work term. Although places like VALE and XSTRATA pay less, there is the benefit of coming home after every shift and depending on the schedule, you could be off for several days at a time. I have one more day shift tomorrow and then I'm off for 6 1/2 days.

More to think about.

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yes alot of companies will hire you without it, and do their own training... but thats alot of times do to who you know and not what you know... to maximise your chances, take the common core training... before i landed this job i tried to get in at kl gold... even had a "in" with a buddy that was a supervisor, but gold took a dive at that point and they had shut down hiring...

If you enjoy the outdoors as much as the rest of us, find something with lots of holidays or flex scheduling (like OPP and fire). Take it from me - school is very expensive - I'm still paying for it and still attending more university courses. So choose only what you have to do in terms of schooling to get you to your career destination.

If you can find something that you pour your time into and are rewarded with great paid holidays and a PENSION, that's a win.

Best of luck!

Thanks guys after all of your help i have a lot of things to think about, i still wanna go with the OPP route. But since they like to hire when your mid 20's im thinking of either picking up a trade work for a couple years and then apply and im not excepted then ill still have a good job or do the Same but join military and after 5 year contract ill apply to OPP and if i dont get accepted ill stay in the military

Go with you plan and idea of what you want, you seem like a bright young who is planning a practical future. Keep thinking this way, eyes open, open for challenge and change, and always look for opportunity. Got a feeling you will do well in life. I do have to say, that all my life I was and still am a salaried worker. Starting your own business is an option when you are young. Something simple like Sod, or small garden projects. I never really made money until I owned a business, what I mean by that is each paycheck was the same every other week. When you own a business you have expenses and money into the business. The difference is keeping the cash you earn with good planning for (CCA) write off’s (capital cost allowances), and expenses of running a business. In my case, the pension and job supported the supported the business credit. Income earned with business was wrote down with CCA and expenses, in the early years, the write downs actually cut into the taxes I paid on pension and job. (You cannot do this forever), but it helped to fund the next years capital purchases with refunds or pay off other equipment. I did grass cutting at first and my brother told me “do a lot of work to make a little money” Next I moved into 1 day projects, sod, seed, flower beds, gutters, small outdoor projects that I could be in and out in 1-2 days and be paid on the spot. The business grew and things got more involved with up 14 employees at the peak. I am scaling back to original concept over the next 2 yrs, now that everything is paid off. The reason for me is WSIB premiums (on business owners) and new pension plan for Ontario. Our landscape network in Ottawa noticed about a 25% jump in “under the table “jobs last year. This coupled with all the new taxes are the reason I am scaling back. It might be something to look into, you driven.


QUOTE=Danny20gauge;865389]Thanks guys after all of your help i have a lot of things to think about, i still wanna go with the OPP route. But since they like to hire when your mid 20's im thinking of either picking up a trade work for a couple years and then apply and im not excepted then ill still have a good job or do the Same but join military and after 5 year contract ill apply to OPP and if i dont get accepted ill stay in the military[/QUOTE]

Danny.

My 2c, take it with a very big dose of salt. And keep in mind the topic is very large, complex, no way to dissect it here. Following points will try to be brief.

The world right now is under going big change, the dust is nowhere near settled.
Many are predicting that the trades are going to be in high demand, especially with Boomers leaving the workforce.
Today we see all kinds of youth spending 10s of thousands on post educations, only to come out with a lot of debt and a worthless pedigree, and no jobs.
Many industries I hate say it, if your not the right sex/pigment...forget it.
Many areas are downscaling big time.
Many areas are growing old...technology and etc is changing how the world operates.

Myself, if I could turn back the hands of time and take 30 years off my life, Id try to get into paramedics.

However, I'll put a kernel on the table for you. something I think is well worth considering, I hope my youngest daughter will do.

Armed Forces.
You can make a life of it, or you can "do your time" and leave. Leave with training and qualifications in various fields, and when your in your mid twenties/early thirtees with a lot of in demand real world experience and training...Find your future.

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Originally Posted by MikePal

I'm surprised that no one has mention joining the military...a young guy looking for a future should always pop into a recruiting centre and see what they have to offer...

There are careers in every field you've mention and expressed interest in Danny. The pay scales are very good. You'll get full medical/dental benefits and a great pension plan. They will cloth you, feed you, give you a place to sleep and provide a fully funded education in any field you have chosen, be it at the college level or University..AND all the while your drawing a salary.

http://www.forces.ca/en/home

I spent 25 yrs in Uniform, then retired to a 100 acre hobby farm and now living the dream....the best decision I ever made was walking thru the doors at the recruiting centre and starting career in the service of our country.

Good luck Danny, nice to see you are looking forward at an early age.

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Once again, you beat me to it.

Join the army. If you want a trade, they'll pay you while you're in school learning it, unlike trades civvy side where you'll usually be on lay-off while in school. Or go combat arms and enjoy being outdoors for much of your career.

Most Army bases are out in gods country where there are ample opportunities for hunting / fishing, just take a look at locations like CFB Petawawa, and CFB Gagetown on the map and see what I'm talking about. You'll also accrue a fair amount of leave time to plan trips into that backcountry.

Hey Bud,

you are about to embark on the most difficult choices of your young life that will affect your future. I didn't know what I wanted to do at your age, but I knew what I was already good at and tried to roll with it. It has worked out to be a satisfying career, with decent pay in cushy office setting while going out to jobsites whenever I choose. I have somewhat flexible hours, get a company car and good benefits and get some vacation, but definitely not as much as I would like, but not many people do. I very rarely work any weekends or evenings, but I am the type of guy who does what has to be done, so I guess it is my choice when I do.

I decided when I was at the end of high school it was either between skilled trades or community college. I opted for community college since I had some help from my family and wanted to experience life as a college student. I decided to take architectural technology which combined my love or construction and my abilities to be somewhat handy and my skills that I learned in school to draft and design. if trades aren't for you don't rule out the "technologist" route. There is a shortage of good people in some industries to be the liason between the trades (technicians, journeymen etc) and the professions (engineers, architects etc).

I Started out doing architectural drafting and have since moved my way up into a project management position for a large trade contractor, which pays much better and is less monotonous than sitting at a desk drawing lines all day. But I had to do the drafting to know what I know today and be better at my job. there are lots of options at the technologist level, and every industry has different needs and different specific disciplines for this type of person. I still had to work my butt off and prove myself, while I have seen some folks take what I took in school and are doing something totally different or moved onto taking another college or university course. some guys take technology courses plus a trade certification and they are poised well to be high level managers or supervisors with those credentials.

Ill be honest sometimes my job drives me nuts, and is sometimes very highly stressful. But I get a good and steady salary, I have never been laid off, and I get to point to high profile buildings all over the GTA and southern Ontario and say I had a significant part in them.

the best advice I can give to you is to try and follow what you love OR are good at, and take every opportunity to expand your skills and resume. unfortunately not all of us get to do what we "love" but life's path may lead you back to that and all your experiences will help you find your niche, many people I know who followed their dreams aren't making a living wage and struggle while others get very lucky and get it all, but IMO that is the exception. regardless you have to work hard and prove yourself to others, and remember you are never to good to do a certain job or task when you are a rookie in the workforce.

I sometimes wish I had explored the trades more, or gone the military route, but I do not regret my path, and I know there is lots more life to live and many more opportunities will come up in life, and I just go with the flow. All I need to be sure of is that my future children will have everything that they need provided for them and we are happy and healthy and together.

these are just my thoughts on your situation. only YOU can make this decision, but solicit as much advice from role models and people you trust, and heck these guys definitely know what theyre talking about too!!

best of luck in the future.