So how do I go about getting paid to be a part of my passion?

Tom1200 said:

In reply to ExcessKuma :

16 years ago (approaching 45 yrs old) I took a 5% pay cut to come to my current employer. In the intervening years my salary has gone up 218%. 

My job is in no way shape or form involved in motorsports but the now not insignificant income allows me to play with cars much more frequently. I do like my job but the pay and benefits is solidly 50% of why I like my job.

I could, if I so desired, have a job as a driving instructor tomorrow but beyond the pay and the longer hours I didn't want to turn my hobby/love of the sport into a job.

 

I mean I would be okay with a paycut if it isn't drastic and leads to something I enjoy. I'm afraid of jumping into something I end up disliking and struggling to line something else up

In reply to ExcessKuma :

In the early 80s I worked as a Toyota mechanic; I quickly discovered I disliked working on cars for a living......actually I hated it. I was in my early 20s so I simply moved on.

You want to make $50 an hour with all the overtime you can stand?  Go to trade school and become a top notch welder or electrician.  You'll then have skills and money you can use to build all of the cars you want in your spare time.  Professional trades are hiring at $25/hr for gophers who are in training if they can be reliable, work hard and pass a drug test.  Once you are skilled tradesman, you will get $50/hr or more.  I'm talking become a pipefitter or an electrician or a commercial HVAC tech.  They will pay you while you learn the job too.  You get good enough to do ASME code welds on food grade, nuclear or aerospace stuff and you can get $100 an hour and all the work you can stand.  Skilled trades are on a trajectory to pay more than medicine and law at the current rates.  The demand far exceeds the supply of people with the skills. 

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

With what I see coming down the line with AI, this is even more relevant. 

Also consider a skillset that is broadly applicable. Specialists get paid well, but it tends to significantly narrow your options down the line. I.E. if you're a great welder, your future employment options are....more welding.

I started off at a dealership, held pretty much every position you can think of over a decade. Discovered that I'm pretty good at taking complex data and telling a short, actionable story from it. That's a skill that transcends automotive and allowed me to make career moves that wouldn't have been possible if I had been narrowly focused.

Look at some Motorsports big names and think about what they've done while still having a day job. 

Penske started out as car dealer. Dieter Mateschitz owned a beverage company.

What's my point; Motorsports wasn't their primary occupation. 

I've done a lot of fun things and things I only dreamed of as a kid; like working behind the scenes at top level events.  This was possible because of two things:

1. My SCCA membership (I'm sure PCA, BMW Club or NASA members have had similar experiences).

2. The fact that I've had a career that offered a wage that allowed me to participate in this hobby.

For several years I was doing a "Careers on Wheels Day" at one of our schools whereby I would bring one of the race cars.

My advice for the kids was always look at becoming an engineer, machinist, welder, mechanic and followed closely by sales and marketing. 

Motorsports is how I make my living now.  I'm "retired" but still work plenty.  I will tell you I get paid 50% of what I used to.

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

Also think about side work or retirement years.  There are opportunities in these areas.  Every welder should be welding up a welding trailer on the side.

My job? Need a kick ass excel sheet or an expansion joint power point training?  Yeah, right!

Not yet read through the replies, I'll say this: why not start a youtube page or blog or podcast?

That way you could dip your toes into the 'automotive world' while not fully committing and maybe you can pick up some cash from it. 

Maybe, just maybe, it COULD turn into a job.

I was watching a woodworking video the other day -the guy was retiring from his 'real job' to focus on his family and youtube channel. Seems wild, but with so many subscribers and views, one CAN actually make money that way. But it's not going to be easy. Lots of video editing, writing, thinking through your plans and regularly making content.

Anecdote time: all my "car friends" that ended up professionals (techs, writers, sales) now leave that at work and have a different fulfilling hobby. I can't think of ONE person that does it during the day and enjoys it in the spare minutes. Its hard to have car buddies that now over-do crossfit, rec league hockey, run marathons, bird watch, mountain bike.. it's a long list. All my friends that are racing and enjoying motorsports have a day gig that's at least a little separated from it. 

Even personally, I started a business more than a decade ago doing standalone ecu installs, support, etc and it's *really* hard to get motivated to work on my own stuff sometimes to enjoy the fruits of that extra income.