Quote:
Originally Posted by James L Walker
What's wrong with going into a culinary arts school? One would think that even in a depressed economy like the United States that demand for cooks or chefs would be constant. Nobody ever stops eating obviously.
It's something I've been thinking about doing. I have a passion for cooking myself.
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Cooks, even in the best restaurants make almost nothing, usually $10 an hour, maybe with luck, $12 an hour, and they work very hard under pressure. If they've gone to a reputable culinary school they make, let's see...oh yeah! still $12 an hour. If they get a good reputation and have years of experience and move to the big city and get a job as kitchen manager, they can move up to, if they are very lucky, $24,000 to $28,000 a year...and very few ever get to this level. I know a woman who is the restaurant manager in an elite restaurant in Denver. She's been in the industry all her adult life and she is over 50. She has a reputation among restaurants that is enviable. She makes about $40,000 a year and has to pay for most of her health insurance.
Here is what you do:
1. Get a degree in engineering and move to a state that has a large aerospace industry. Get a job and stay there as long as you can. Pay attention to other large aerospace companies in the area and keep good relations with other engineers. If there are going to be layoffs at your company either bail to another company or at least always be prepared to bail to another aerospace company.
2. Learn a good difficult skill, such as welding. Get every certification that is valid and reputable. Move to a state and city that has lots of manufacturing that needs your skill. Best if it is a union state. Do whatever it takes to get union certification. Work in that skill taking advantage of every union benefit you can. If you hate unions and jack-off to Austrian school libertarian fantasies... that's fine. Do it at home and keep it to yourself.
Jobs suck...pretty much all jobs suck. Goods jobs are rare, and getting rarer (more rare to the illiterate.) It's about survival, not engaging in dreams about being a culinary expert with your own PBS show. You ain't gonna make that happen. You fucking gird your loins and work. If you've shown some judgment you might still make decent money. Keep your hobbies and fantasies at home.
Mike
Oh! And there is a third way, but I won't tell you that way.