Slice could try to get another job here in the Basin, oilfield or no. He could try to get a job outside the Basin (St George?). He could start classes again at our local USU extension to finish up a degree. He could go to school somewhere else - we've discussed UVU's Fire & Rescue Academy at great length. I could try to get back in the workforce with my fancy history B.A.
Heck, we could probably buy a local restaurant that's for sale and try to revamp the place. I'm always trying to convince Slice that his heart is in the food business.
Right now we're looking at web development school. This one in Provo offers free housing during the 12-week immersive program. "Free" as in "not extra over the $10k+ that the program already costs." This option has many pros: short duration, convenient location, jumpstart into a new career in an ever-growing field without years of traditional schooling. I have nothing against traditional schooling, truly, but we all know the tech world is constantly evolving and moving in different directions.
The coding bootcamp path presents a whole bunch more options. Do we all move to Provo, or do I stay here with the kids while Slice comes home on weekends for 12 weeks? Do we try to sell/rent the house now, or wait until we have a job offer somewhere? And do we look for work in the meantime, or do we keep doing our side jobs and make do?
I'm leaning toward 1. Side jobs for now, 2. Staying here in Roosevelt while Slice studies in Provo and 3. Selling/Moving after he has a job. We just have a lot of opportunities here (and a great network) that I'd like to use as long as we can. The real estate market here is terrible and we might lose money on our house even if we're able to sell it soon. The major downside of this plan is MONEY. Coding bootcamp is expensive and if we sold, we'd get all the equity in the house that we could live off or put toward something else.
So, what do you think? What would you do if you had the chance to reinvent your life?
Sometimes I think having all of the options open to you is the hardest thing. It certainly was for us - when Jeff graduated and we realized we could go anywhere it was staggering.
ReplyDeleteI didn't look too closely at their site, but does the coding program have a good placement rate after people finish? I know I'm extremely influenced by Jeff's massive student loans, but $10k doesn't sound like that much to me to launch him into a career he thinks he'd be happy in. I think the real key (and of course this will sound so overdone and trite) is that Slice should figure out what it is he really wants to do. I'm so glad that Jeff really loves being a PT, him loving his job so much makes the debt a little less annoying. We know people out here who dropped out of med/PT/law school after a semester or two because their heart just wasn't in it, and man - that is a big financial investment to find out you don't like something.
Oh you guys have so many choices ahead of you. I think be prayerful and help Slice really figure out what he wants to do. Then go for that. You'd rather he be happy in his field of choice! Love you guys!
ReplyDeleteYep I'm a little behind, but hey! I vote find a job in Idaho after his Provo adventure :)
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