As most of the readers know by now, I don’t have a television and often when I go to sleep I have the radio on. When I wake up in the middle of night I may hear the middle or the end of a specific issue being discussed on the program.

The last time this happened what perked up my ears was a discussion about welders. One of the participants taught at a school for welders. He said that there were a lot of positions open and not enough workers to fill the jobs. At his particular school, they were graduating 300 students a year and had a six month waiting list.

It was not unusual for welders in their early twenties to be earning six figure salaries.

This made me very curious so I immediately started to Google welding jobs. Was I in for a surprise!

The first information started out with the salary range of $50,000 to $200,000 a year. It also listed the different categories, positions and industries where welders are in demand. The most striking information was the fact that a lot of our infrastructures are very old. There is a high demand of people needed to inspect, repair or replace structures.

I was also interested in one particular website where people told how they started out welding. One person said they started welding alongside his dad at the age of seven. His father was a highly skilled welder and this peaked his interest.

The training needed will depend on the materials that you will be working with and the field dealing with welding that you choose.

What it boils down to a traditional college may not always suit a child or young adult’s needs. You really need to observe and talk to your children about what their interests are – not yours.

It would be akin to having a family business and assuming that your children will want to follow in your footsteps. The reality is that it may not always be true.

I decided to look at websites to see what courses local vocational schools offered. Again I was surprised!

Would your child be better served going to a vocational school? Look at your children and see what they really enjoy. Talk to them about their options. You may find that a vocational school has a course that appeals to them. Talk to an administrator or attend an open house.

Remember vocational schools share the some of the basic important criteria as the public schools as far as days attended and certain curriculum requirements.

Whether they prefer to attend a traditional public, parochial or charter school, it doesn’t hurt to examine all options. Your child should not be stigmatized over a school that they attended as long as that school gives them the education they need. C.M.

At one Board of Ed meeting it was said by Board Member Ken Puccio that not everyone is a computer technician. What is important is that a student becomes a productive member of society. That includes all fields of employment – not just technology.

I can’t stress enough how important the guidance department is in high school. How many at the age of fourteen know what they want to do with their life?

Education has become so complicated over the years and to pick a career at age fourteen is hard for a teenager. It is important to explore the career they want while that opportunity is there. Time goes by quickly.

–K.M.