[dba7dba]

So I know (not personally) this guy named Ian McCollum. He's kind of well known on youtube, filming/writing/presenting on a topic that is personally very interesting to him.

He graduated from Purdue with a degree in mechanical engineer. But he didn't want to settle with a 9 to 5 job and a normal life, just to pay his bills. So instead he earned some extra small pile of money after college and set up a low cost life style in Arizona, with off grid house etc. And now he doesn't have to spend life in 9 to 5 job but instead travels around filming/interviewing/presenting on a passion project of his.

So how did he get that bit of enough extra money within 2 - 3 years (I think) after college to pay to get himself set up with that life style? He went to a bartender school and worked as a bartender. That earned him enough chunk of money that he could set up an off grid house in AZ and get on with his passion project.

If you listen to Ian McCollum presenting on his topic, you can tell he would've been a very good bartender. Calm, articulate, polite.

[smabie]

Why didn't he just get a engineering job for 2 or 3 years? Presumably he would have made lot more money.

[dba7dba]

Knowing a few other mechanical engineers myself, finding a decent paying job as a mechanical engineer was nearly impossible. At least 10 - 15 years ago.

So the revelation from his story is that working as a bartender can bring in quite a bit of money due to high margin of alcohol and bigger tip.

[rjsw]

I don't know anything about the profitability of the area of engineering that he is interested in. Perhaps you could look into it and report back.

I'm sure he was a very good bartender.