looking for advice

[JeffSteele]

im going to be graduating highschool at the end of june and my post-graduation plans hopefully involve something in boat building. ive looked into most of my options for boat building schools but IYRS, being local, would be the better choice. i recently applied to iyrs but it seems that i might be too much of a financial burden especially since there wont be a lot of time during the summer to work to pay for gas and other thiings like that in between the two years of the program. so i guess my main question would be what are the chances of me being able to get a job out of high school in some sort of building shop? any advice would be greatly appreciated


thanks in advanced,
jeff

[JimConlin]

If you're already in RI, go knock on some doors. There is a lot of boatbuilding in the Bristol area. Spend the next vacation week. That'll answer your question better than any of us.

[JeffSteele]

i had vacation this past week and thats exactly what i did. i traveled around southern rhode island with my marine tech. instructor. i had hoped to check out a few more in mystic and such but unfortunately the weather thought other wise

[Dave Davis]

Go to IYRS now if you can. Great place to make contacts, learn the trade, find summer work if you want. In your position you could get rid of the car (save 5k a year), share a place down in the Yachting District up the hill from IYRS, reduce your expenses to near nothing, and do it.

Nothing against work, but you start and then your materialist instincts get you, then this, then that; soon you've got a trunk of junk and you haven't done the education part of the thing.

If you put your mind to it and reduce expenses you could do IYRS. Get a summer job in the field that's going to relate to what you're going to do after graduation will be easier from IYRS too.

When in your posit I went to work because education was too expensive, and found out later how wrong that was. It's never going to be more inexpensive than now, go for it.

Free advice worth what you paid for it.

[JBreeze]

Don't forget career day at IYRS on March 1 (saturday)

http://www.iyrs.org/NewsEvents/EventsCalendar/tabid/164/Default.aspx

Last year there was some sort of partnership between CCRI-Newport and IYRS to attract people into the marine industry.....might check if CCRI-Newport has anything to offer.

Also, I think NEIT has some marine offerings....I used to be sceptical about NEIT, but my employer had an intern (CAD/IT stuff) and she worked out well and was eventually hired.

Perhaps learn marine mechanics at NEIT, and use future earnings to finance IYRS later?

Good luck with whatever you do.

[elf]

ride a bike. Cars are expensive and once you get into school you'll find plenty of ways to get around without the expense of a car.

And apply for every type of financial aid you can find - my public library gives out scholarships every year, try the Rotary Club, go to your church, try everything. And see if a local boatyard can use you after school with commissioning this spring. Paint and varnish. Sanding. Just go ask for work. The worst they can say is "Gee. I'm awful sorry, but I've got all the help I can use."

[S.V. Airlie]

If nothing else, doesn't your school have a counselor? He should bge able to help. It's afterall, what he is paid to do.
Otherwise, follow elf's advice.
There are funds available for education.. grants, etc. Books on the subject in most libraries. Use the internet too.

[JeffSteele]

if not iyrs then im hoping maybe an apprenticeship in a local shop if there would be any available. i do have wood working experience so i wouldnt be starting from nothing. i had hoped to take the lofting course at the mystic seaport but i think i just missed it so ill have to wait for the fall session.

[Chan]

DD I agree, as soon as you make a buck it's hard to stop even though you know it's not the end all.
Jeff
Look into all the financial aid possibilities. If you want to start in the trades plan on and appreciate the opportunity to sweep floors, don't expect to start building anything.

[JeffSteele]

the first thing i thought about was being the floor sweeper when the thought of an apprentice ship came up. too bad the yard i work at doesnt have a wood shop.

[Ed Harrow]

Jeff, send me an email: ed@harrow.org