the-real-steve wrote: ↑Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:59 am Seven months later, I revisit this thread.
Last year, I went back to school, sort of. I got my Class A CDL. I no longer have a standing desk and a Raymond powered jack to drive around. My work space is a Kenworth.
I do not regret doing this even though I took the long way around. I am in my late 40's and learning something new came with a price. But it can be done.
God willing, you are approaching your prime of life. Enjoy it with gratitude.
0 x
i’m perfectly comfortable with an older, wiser, more docile Trump.
”Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.” Robert Martz
The answer is not sexy, but the truth rarely is. As someone with two undergraduate degrees, children with multiple graduate degrees and another that eschewed college and became a successful electrician, the answer is definitively……..it depends!
We all know the piece of paper means nothing. Might be required for certain things but the paper itself grants nothing. Being old enough to have been given a true, proper liberal arts education I am both most grateful , would wish it for everyone, and equally distant so many younger folks I have worked with that got NOTHING from their education except “credentials” that are garbage.
Yet equally I meet those that are quite uneducated and choose to mock education.
It’s the age old human story. We should not look down on anyone without knowing them, and never on the basis of silly meaningless characteristics. I know university educated men that are the salt of the earth, and others that are either jerks or brutally badly educated. I know Amish that are fools and some that I so greatly admire. Tradesman that are crooks, and some that I wish to emulate.
the-real-steve wrote: ↑Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:59 am
Seven months later, I revisit this thread.
Last year, I went back to school, sort of. I got my Class A CDL. I no longer have a standing desk and a Raymond powered jack to drive around. My work space is a Kenworth.
I do not regret doing this even though I took the long way around. I am in my late 40's and learning something new came with a price. But it can be done.
One of the Pastors we love grew up Amish, 8th grade education, started one (successful) business after another and is at least a millionaire, while being an unpaid pastor for over 40 years- you’d be surprised then by the fact he got his CDL at 68 yo (or 69? Can’t remember which).
JayP wrote: ↑Sun Jan 11, 2026 12:22 pm
The answer is not sexy, but the truth rarely is. As someone with two undergraduate degrees, children with multiple graduate degrees and another that eschewed college and became a successful electrician, the answer is definitively……..it depends!
In my state, becoming a journeyman electrician takes 4+ years of on-the-job training plus a few months' worth of classroom time. Becoming a master electrician (who can run their own independent business) is another year or so.
A college degree doesn't take as long - although the financial picture is sure different...
Valerie wrote: ↑Sun Jan 11, 2026 12:58 pm
One of the Pastors we love grew up Amish, 8th grade education, started one (successful) business after another and is at least a millionaire, while being an unpaid pastor for over 40 years- you’d be surprised then by the fact he got his CDL at 68 yo (or 69? Can’t remember which).
Lack of formal education meant nothing to him!
Apparently growing up Amish meant nothing to him, either. Are his children attending college?
Valerie wrote: ↑Sun Jan 11, 2026 12:58 pm
One of the Pastors we love grew up Amish, 8th grade education, started one (successful) business after another and is at least a millionaire, while being an unpaid pastor for over 40 years- you’d be surprised then by the fact he got his CDL at 68 yo (or 69? Can’t remember which).
Lack of formal education meant nothing to him!
Apparently growing up Amish meant nothing to him, either. Are his children attending college?
I wouldn’t assume it meant nothing to him.
People often can glean from their childhood but his beliefs were unacceptable to Amish as none of us here want to be Amish either. I’m not aware of his children attending college, they are past college age. Grandchildren. I think one is going to a Christian college of some kind. He started businesses that his children /grandchildren can work/manage some day take over completely.
Google’s hiring practices today reflect how dramatically the industry has shifted. The tech giant is now embracing workers without college degrees.
“In as much as we’ve hired a lot of academic stars, we’ve hired tons of people who don’t have bachelor’s degrees,” Brin said. “They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner.”
Valerie wrote: ↑Mon Jan 12, 2026 5:42 pm
I wouldn’t assume it meant nothing to him.
People often can glean from their childhood but his beliefs were unacceptable to Amish as none of us here want to be Amish either. I’m not aware of his children attending college, they are past college age. Grandchildren. I think one is going to a Christian college of some kind. He started businesses that his children /grandchildren can work/manage some day take over completely.
Well, if one is going to praise dropping out of school at 8th grade, perhaps it would be prudent to look at non-Amish people (and non-plain Anabaptist in general) and see how well that generally works out. My observation is that overall it doesn't usually actually work out that well.
So if you decide that beliefs are "unacceptable to the Amish" and "none of us here want to be Amish" (or other plain Anabaptist), then I am not sure it is your place to be enthusiastically promoting ending schooling at 6th or 8th grade. What do you propose that non-Amish, non-plain 14 year olds do with their time?
Valerie wrote: ↑Mon Jan 12, 2026 5:42 pm
I wouldn’t assume it meant nothing to him.
People often can glean from their childhood but his beliefs were unacceptable to Amish as none of us here want to be Amish either. I’m not aware of his children attending college, they are past college age. Grandchildren. I think one is going to a Christian college of some kind. He started businesses that his children /grandchildren can work/manage some day take over completely.
Well, if one is going to praise dropping out of school at 8th grade, perhaps it would be prudent to look at non-Amish people (and non-plain Anabaptist in general) and see how well that generally works out. My observation is that overall it doesn't usually actually work out that well.
So if you decide that beliefs are "unacceptable to the Amish" and "none of us here want to be Amish" (or other plain Anabaptist), then I am not sure it is your place to be enthusiastically promoting ending schooling at 6th or 8th grade. What do you propose that non-Amish, non-plain 14 year olds do with their time?
I never suggested 6th grade, where did you get that? Although because my grandmother had to take care of her siblings when her father left the family she had to drop out of school at fourth or sixth grade. I can’t remember which. As an adult she worked she owned a café. She ended up owning property it made up for her lack of education.
People who are Amish, have a choice to remain Amish or leave the Amish. Many Amish become Mennonites. But I will say we had a roof replaced by an Amish company, and a rain, gutters and leaf guard by Amish same company, we had some painting done on our exterior by an Amish painter. The Amish roofer when I dropped his sign off at his house since we were in the area. I noticed they were quite well off many with college educations could not afford with this Amish man and his wife had my way of property home, etc. it was absolutely gorgeous.
