[Slacky]

This is quite interesting in that it shows what other people are likely to earn in their chosen profession.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-41693230

[Mike Halliday]

I was wondering why window cleaning isn’t Listed them I realised it only goes up to £50k

On a serious note I showed a similar graph to show my son when he was thinking of going to university. My wife was adamant that he was going to university ( just like her sister kids  ) But I wanted him to go straight into work with some built in education prospects

I showed him that sort of graph and bluntly told him he could spend 4yrs in uni  and still never earn as much as his dad who is just a cleaner.

He ended up getting a job as a trainee car salesmen for a national dealer on crap wages and long hours but 4yrs later he’s still there, the wages are a lot better but the hours are still very long.

He would be in the middle of that chart now, so 5yrs ahead of them but with an added bonus of 4 yrs real work experience in a high pressure job.

University can be a solid option,  but it’s not the only option

[andyM]

I think I heard somewhere the average Graduate leaves University 40-50k in debt. Ouch!

[Stoots]

It can never hurt to have a degree, qualification etc to "fall back on" as it were.

But I will be telling my kids they can't make their own way in the world with a bit of thought and a lot of hard work.

However if you have a genuine passion for something i.e law then you should pursue it as money isn't everything. If like a lot of people you don't really know is what you want to do you just want money then business is the way forward.

[slap bash]

Well, my degree has never helped in the U K. Because when you are older the world thinks your brain freezes and dies. So that`s why I clean glass and yet still have my B. Com from the University of Stellenbosch. This has worked against me on many occasions. So I keep it to myself the majority of times.

[Walter Mitty]

Well, I got an A star in GCSE English about three years ago.
Is that any help?

[andyM]

Well, my degree has never helped in the U K. Because when you are older the world thinks your brain freezes and dies. So that`s why I clean glass and yet still have my B. Com from the University of Stellenbosch. This has worked against me on many occasions. So I keep it to myself the majority of times.

I reckon you know full well that unfortunately qualifications gained in your native country do not always count when you move to a foreign country.
A Brit emigrating to Australia for example with a Trade usually has to spend time sitting exams and gaining the recognised qualifications over there, whilst effectively taking a pay cut in the mean time.
It's harsh, but unfortunately just another of life's little challenges to get over.

[Marc Stock]

This is bit misleading.

The chart shows people in employment where they work for a company and they get paid a wage for their labour out of the profits from the company/practice/organisation.

Since we are all business owners its only common sense that as business owners we are very likely to be making more than an employee in a professional capacity shown in the charts.

By contrast if you become a law partner or partner in a dentist/doctors then its safe to say you will be earning more that 50k a year, probbably more than 200 k a year at the very least.

[p1w1]

and its only 5 years after they started.

[AuRavelling79]

Well, I got an A star in GCSE English about three years ago.
Is that any help?

I laugh at your A* in GCSE English and brandish my CSE Grade 1 English Language from 40 years ago.

 

[windowswashed]

This is bit misleading.

The chart shows people in employment where they work for a company and they get paid a wage for their labour out of the profits from the company/practice/organisation.

Since we are all business owners its only common sense that as business owners we are very likely to be making more than an employee in a professional capacity shown in the charts.

By contrast if you become a law partner or partner in a dentist/doctors then its safe to say you will be earning more that 50k a year, probbably more than 200 k a year at the very least.

Dental business owners do brilliantly. One i use to clean has a house worth 6.4 million pound and they aint short of a bob or two. They sold up and moved so cleaning same house but new people 

[dazmond]

its a nice feeling

knowing that despite my poor education(bunking off school a lot from age 14) and no college or university degrees etc that my earnings are around the same as someone in medicine and dentistry(give or take a few grand)with fewer hours and much lower stress.

[Marc Stock]

Tell you what if i could do it all again i wouldn't be cleaning windows.

Tell you what is criminal, engineering. No money in that whatso ever.

[dazmond]

Tell you what if i could do it all again i wouldn't be cleaning windows.

marc have you ever completed the fiscal study of incomes in this country?.you have to put in  your earnings(after tax and NI and expenses),whether your married/single,got kids,council tax bill, etc.......you might be pleasantly surprised!

im better off financially than most people in this country.over 80% of people are poorer than me according to the department of fiscal studies.

[dazmond]

its called "where do you fit in?"institute of fiscal studies(google it!).im actually better off financially than 84% of the population(over 53 million people!).

it puts thing into perspective.thats why im so grateful  i can make a living cleaning windows.

[Missing Link]

its a nice feeling

knowing that despite my poor education(bunking off school a lot from age 14) and no college or university degrees etc that my earnings are around the same as someone in medicine and dentistry(give or take a few grand)with fewer hours and much lower stress.

That's your lack of education speaking.

Education should NOT be merely about getting an occupation and money. 

[Stoots]

I actually think I would go into window cleaning if I could do it all again.

Wish I'd have found this industry at 16 rather than 30 odd. Wasted so much time in dead end jobs. Did my fair bit of education as well, nvq lvl 3 in mechanics/auto electrics and got 2 years into a 5 year degree before realising I hated it and started licking glass

[dazmond]

its a nice feeling

knowing that despite my poor education(bunking off school a lot from age 14) and no college or university degrees etc that my earnings are around the same as someone in medicine and dentistry(give or take a few grand)with fewer hours and much lower stress.

That's your lack of education speaking.

Education should NOT be merely about getting an occupation and money.

True tosh but who wants 40k-50k of debt after all that studying?

[LT carpet cleaning]

its a nice feeling

knowing that despite my poor education(bunking off school a lot from age 14) and no college or university degrees etc that my earnings are around the same as someone in medicine and dentistry(give or take a few grand)with fewer hours and much lower stress.

That's your lack of education speaking.

Education should NOT be merely about getting an occupation and money.

True tosh but who wants 40k-50k of debt after all that studying?

Somebody with a serious vocation. And despite what you think/bs yourself , a doctor/dentist will be waaaaay richer than you.

[Marc Stock]

Honestly.... 50-100k a year is chickenfeed to some of these people Dazmond.

Window cleaning is a good honest way to make a living no doubt about it, and if you work really hard you might be able to put away a significant packet. But tou know what if you work hard enough at anything you can make good money.

But if i had the choice, personally i would probbably have worked harder at school and taken things a bit more seriously in my youth and would have prefered to be a doctor or dentist, not cleaning the windows for one.

Never mind too late now no need to feel sorry for myself...just going to make the best of my business.

Following bbc children in need on bbc r2 with chris Evans this week. Some of rhe bids for these packages 40 grand 100 grand, all from no doubt  very generous wealthy people but think about it who has 40 grand to spend on something they might or might not win you know...
For fun??

[Mike Halliday]

It’s an interesting subject comparing  a university education to just being a cleaner of any sort ( window cleaner, carpet cleaner, drive cleaner etc)

I would guess most dentist at the same age as me will be earning (and be worth) more than me. But is this because they are a dentist with a university education? Or is it a consequence of the work path they followed.

They went to university and studied, earned nothing for 4yrs and invested £40k in thier future they then worked full time a minimum of 40hrs Week (even longer 60-75hrs if they became a doctor)

Now imagine if you could jump in a time machine, go back to being 18 and followed the same strategy.....

1) you will start a cleaning business.

2)for the first 4-5yrs invest every single penny you earn in your business.

3)you will invest £10k a year for the first 4 years, 

4)you will educate yourself in your chosen field until you are an expert,

5) you will work a minimum of 40hrs  or 60-75hrs a week if not actually cleaning but marketing your business

6) you will dilengently follow this strategy for the next 30yrs

Can anyone here honestly say if they did this they would not easily be on par with a dentist... if not much more richer/successful?

[dazmond]

My brother is a millionaire now. 8yrs ago he was living in a terraced house with his wife and 2 kids. Now it's a 1.5million house with swimming pool and cinema room. 

But I'm very happy with my lifestyle and income. At the end of the day I'm doing very well for myself. Better than ever before in fact. Long may it continue.

[dazmond]

Honestly.... 50-100k a year is chickenfeed to some of these people Dazmond.

Window cleaning is a good honest way to make a living no doubt about it, and if you work really hard you might be able to put away a significant packet. But tou know what if you work hard enough at anything you can make good money.

But if i had the choice, personally i would probbably have worked harder at school and taken things a bit more seriously in my youth and would have prefered to be a doctor or dentist, not cleaning the windows for one.

Never mind too late now no need to feel sorry for myself...just going to make the best of my business.

Following bbc children in need on bbc r2 with chris Evans this week. Some of rhe bids for these packages 40 grand 100 grand, all from no doubt  very generous wealthy people but think about it who has 40 grand to spend on something they might or might not win you know...
For fun??

Really you'd prefer to be a doctor or dentist? Not in a million years for me. I hate going the doctors or dentist!

Being a window cleaner is the perfect job for me. 

Regarding the chris evans show most people are not  rich marc. Think of them instead of the very wealthy. You'll feel better about your own life and business

[Marc Stock]

Whats not to like about drilling peoples teeth and being paid for it?