long story short. Mabey its an early mid life thing who knows.....

Anyway,Got tired of killing myself on a daily basis year after year as a production welder.  Shitty pay, back breaking work,unsavory people, unhealthhy and hazardous working conditions bla bla bla.

So decided to go back to school and get edumakated. I NEVER want to see the inside of a factory again. SO I done did some thinking,talking and web searching. I have signed up at the local community college for a rad tec degree.

Im pretty much starting from scratch. Re-learning everything. Thank goodness the family is 1000% supportive in this and money at this point isnt to much of a worry. It all sounds pretty decent (exept mabey for the barrium enema's )  

Any of you folks got any experience or advice on this. Or career changes in general ?

Where I live at least rad techs don't make as good as most welders.  Of course learning a specialty in rad tech, like nuke med, can shoot your check through the roof.

Its never too late to change.

Good for you, and good that your family is supportive.

Quoted: Where I live at least rad techs don't make as good as most welders.  Of course learning a specialty in rad tech, like nuke med, can shoot your check through the roof.

after 10 years in the biz i was only just making 30k (with ot) as a welder.  I figure it cant be any worse than that.

I used to make about 22k in a steel shop doing layout and welding.  Rad techs here start at about 9 an hour.  But this is Arkansas,  95% of jobs pay way low.  The other 5% pay way high.

It's a good field.  Best of luck to you.

hey luger355,
forget rad tech, go for the big bananas. become a radiologist.  thats where the bucks are. probably only a 2 more years of school.  

luger355

I'm in school for rad tech right now and I should graduate with a B.S. degree in May of 2006. I did it as a second career after 10 years as a LEO. The pay is decent, but it gets better if you specialize in an advanced modality like CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, or Radiation Therapy.  I'm specializing in MRI and I already have an job lined up for when I graduate.

Feel free to IM or email me with any specific questions you have.

IBGW2112  

Quoted: hey luger355, forget rad tech, go for the big bananas. become a radiologist.  thats where the bucks are. probably only a 2 more years of school.

Uh, rad tech is a bachelors.  Can be done in 3 years,  2 if you clep out of some classes.  Radiologists are MD's  try about 10 years or more

DIDNT KNOW THAT, HAD A GIRLFRIEND THAT DID TWO MORE YEARS AFTER HER BACHELORS AT UCLA AND BECAME A RADIOLOGIST.  STRANGE, MUST HAVE BEEN IN SOME KIND OF PROGRAM.  SORRY FOR THE MISINFORMATION.   MY HUMBLE APOLOGIES.

Quoted: DIDNT KNOW THAT, HAD A GIRLFRIEND THAT DID TWO MORE YEARS AFTER HER BACHELORS AT UCLA AND BECAME A RADIOLOGIST.  STRANGE, MUST HAVE BEEN IN SOME KIND OF PROGRAM.  SORRY FOR THE MISINFORMATION.   MY HUMBLE APOLOGIES.

D'OH !

Nothing like giving up your troll account one post later !  

very interesting, anybody know of any place to look for scholarships and what?

Quoted: hey luger355, forget rad tech, go for the big bananas. become a radiologist.  thats where the bucks are. probably only a 2 more years of school.

As mentioned earlier, after a 4 year college degree, and a 4 year medical scool degree, you can become a radiologist by doing another minimum 4 year residency, and 1 or 2 more years if you want to further specialize in some specific areas., but the final year or two is optional.