After this school year (my senior year in high school) I plan to go to a technical school and take a 9 month "Machine Technology" course. After that I want to go to university for 4 years to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The two big college towns in my state both seem to have 3 or 4 machine shops listed in the yellow pages.
My question is, with the certificate I get from the technical school, what kind of hourly wages could I expect to make? I probably wouldn't want to work more than 20 hours a week, couldn't say for sure until I see how difficult studying is. I haven't been earning good grades in school so far :tired: so I doubt I will see much in the way of financial aid, just help paying tuition from the parents so the more I can earn the better.
Would a machine shop even hire someone that only wants to work a small amount of hours? I would be willing to do menial things if the pay was good (don't know why I would need that schooling to sweep the floors though). I really don't know how much I will learn at the technical school so it is hard to estimate what my worth would be. Would 15 dollars an hour be unrealistic to expect? Did any of you guys work part time during school? Just trying to get an idea of how I will pay for phone bill, car (if I bring one), rent, meals, beer, etc.