Well, I need some advice, and I was hoping that someone here would be 
able to help.

Recently (as in, for the past 7 years :o ), I've been working in the 
banking industry.  Well, mostly.  I've held several jobs, but by far the 
most common position I've had was as a bank teller.

Today, one of our customers, who happens to be an electrician, 
recommended I work with him as an apprentice.  In talking to him, it 
sounds a *lot* more like something I would be interested in than what 
I'm doing now, and the starting pay is better than what I'm getting now.

There are just a couple of things that concern me about it, though. 
First, is that the application on the union workers' web site states 
quite clearly (though only once) that you are not guaranteed 40 hours of 
work per week.  While I could probably miss a few hours every week or 
two, I would definitely prefer full-time employment.  Especially since, 
even though apprentices make more than I make now, they don't have to 
miss very many hours before the balance tips back in favor of the bank I 
work for.

Secondly, the apprenticeship program is for 8000 hours, or roughly 200 
weeks of full-time employment, meaning it's a four year program.  I'm 
concerned about getting into a long term program like that, because I 
was hoping to go back to school later this year (I've finally gotten my 
student loans straightened out to the point where its possible), and 
finishing a CS degree.

I've been looking for another job anyway.  I mean, let's face it, as a 
bank teller my job is pretty much to be an ATM that makes small talk. 
And although I've worked as a Banker in the past (new accounts, CDs, 
IRAs, etc), my current employer has no such positions availableeee, and 
only needs me as a teller right now.  They also pay better than other 
banks in the area, so it's not like I can hop across the street to a 
better position at another bank.

But do I really want to get into a long term work program, when I'm 
trying at the same time to go back to school full time for something 
completely unrelated?  Granted, I might enjoy being an electrician, and 
the pay's not bad, so if it works for me it could end up being a long 
term career.  And, honestly, I've never had a real job dealing with IT, 
so I might find that working professionally with technology isn't nearly 
as rewarding as it is when this stuff is a hobby.

In other words, I have no idea what I should do right now :(

-- 
...Ben Chambers
www.pacificwebguy.com

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