MANY PARTS, ONE BODY

“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:18-20

At the age of six, I put together a charcoal grill for my mom without using the instructions. I mean a fully-functioning grill that we used for cooking on the patio of our apartment. We didn’t have much money, so when something broke, I fixed it. I have always had the ability to fix what’s broken and to construct what needs to be built. During my high school years, I realized that I wanted to work in a trade and not sit behind a desk. Therefore, I never even applied to college, but started working as an electrical apprentice right after high school graduation. I have now worked as an electrician for twenty-three years and own my own electrical contracting company, Systematic Electric. And I love working as an electrician and entrepreneur.  

Why do I share all this with you? Because so many of us have been taught or believe that the only way to have a successful career is to graduate from college. That’s simply not true! College is not for everyone, nor is it necessary in order to achieve success in every field. A recent article I read in the journal Electrical Contractor argued that more than half of college students should be working in a skilled or technical-type trade, rather than spending four years in college. As it is, 40% of students who enroll in college drop out before they ever complete their degree, according to the Institute of Educational Statistics. The skilled trades require workers who are intelligent problem solvers and true artisans.  

Unfortunately, the skilled trades are struggling to find qualified employees as those who are gifted problem solvers and skilled with their hands are encouraged to attend college instead. I currently have two electrical apprentices both of whom were talented high school students who felt the pressure to enroll in college after graduation. They knew after a few semesters that college was not right for them, and they realized that they wanted to work with their hands. They both love the electrical trade and have bright futures ahead of them. We need to recognize that God has gifted us all differently, and many of us are made to serve Him through jobs that require skilled or technical labor work instead of jobs that require college degrees. God has blessed me beyond measure and has provided me with the opportunity to witness to others through my electrical work and to mentor employees. Not all of God’s gifts are flashy and exciting, remember even Jesus was a carpenter.