Which career path to choose first?

[jch216]

Hey everyone,

I need you to help me decide which career path to take first. I am a karate instructor at night and I have a boring day job. My goals are to become a firefighter/emt and a karate instructor at the same time.

This is where it gets tough. I am currently learning the art of shootfighting (UFC type stuff) from a professional fighter for free. I've been doing this for 5 months now. I just decided that I want to be a firefighter/emt... so I need to go to school for my EMT Intermediate certificate. The days that I would be in school fall exactly on the days that I am in shootfighting.

Should I wait until april of next year to start EMT class, or should I blow off shootfighting and take the emt class now?

The shootfighting guy will be moving back to Florida around april of next year... It seems like the right decision is to wait till april, but man I am itching to get started on that EMT certificate.

I need opinions that aren't biased... mine are

[M_Six]

It all depends how soon you want to get started on your career. If you can afford the delay, go for it. If the delay will cost you, weigh the cost against the benefit of shootfighting skill.

[jch216]

I'm not sure that a delay would cost me. There has been a 1 year hiring freeze that will be lifted in January. I'm sure that there are a ton of people already qualified as EMT's waiting to be hired. But you never know... if I started now I wouldn't be finished by january, but I would at least have something to show the fire department.

[RedFury]

Honestly, I'd take the experience/training that you won't be able to necessarily get in 6 months...why waste a valuable opportunity, especially if you are still able to pay the bills. You can always get that certificate, and it's always nice to be good at more than one thing.

[Blood_Luster]

Shouldn't even be a compation. The EMT is far more important. If you decide that path. Just think of all the lives you could save being an EMT.. by far it's better. Wish I could write more, but my dad is yelling at me to get off the computer and go to school

later, gl
-bl

[Chuckiechan]

I would reccommed that you go the EMT/Firefighter route.

While you may want to chase fame and fortune by being a karate pro, you need to secure yourself a good life style for the future.

The real question is: Which job is going to allow me to feed my family (when I have one), and live a comfortable life?


IMO..

[Uncle Bob]

What are your chances of making a living shoot/fighting. Could you support awife and child lets say two years after you finish the fight trainning???

[jch216]

I support a wife and child now. The issue isn't money related. I make enough money to survive. And to be completely honest, I don't believe being a firefighter/emt is going to pay a whole lot more than I make now. It's the prospect of having an exciting job that will make a difference in peoples lives.

I'll [probably] never be a professional fighter, but I am a career karate instructor.

[Warthog]

EMT, definately.

[John Prophet]

Shootfighter instructor or combatant??

Hmm, big difference. I doubt its too realisitc to think of making any$$$ as a combatant..never mind the risks.

Instructor?? If you live in a huge city..maybe.

Cant you do both? Wouldnt the EMT be a daytime thing?

And the sighting be at night? Does the dude have certain time sonly that he can train you?

Do you have a clear cut "business plan" for actually turning a profit with the fight instructing? They say if you cant make the biz work on paper, no way possible you can make it work in real life.

JP