Learning a new skill can be frustrating and time-consuming when you think you already have a job, but those skills once learned can be a lifesaver in one's life. Learning a new skill should not be limited by time. Whenever we have the opportunity to learn something new, we need to make the best of it, whether we need them immediately or not.
Designing the floor plan of the building
No skill is wasted, even if you have learned in the past that you have not had the opportunity to use in any trade or practice, there will certainly be a time when the need for that skill will arise and it can be a lifesaver. We do not have to learn only the skills needed for our current jobs or employment. If that is the way you think, you will only survive by continuing to pay for things you could do on your own. Whatever your field of work, learn some skills that are not related to your work or employment, you will need those skills tomorrow.
I have had the opportunity to learn various skills long ago and teach my children the same thing. In my home, we have a mechanic, an electrician, an electrical gadget repairman, a mobile phone repairman, and a computer engineer. My first son is very passionate about these skills and he is only in form 3 in high school.
We do not spend money repairing cell phones anytime our phones are faulty. My son repaired them for us and that could have been a bit of a financial burden. But how did he or I learn some of these skills?
I have learned to repair many parts of my car by looking at the technician every time I visit a mechanic's shop. I learned to fix any electrical problems in my house by simply asking questions from a specialist. As for my son, I registered him at the local computer repair shop near my home. During the holidays he goes there to study. Instead of staying home watching TV and playing mobile games all day long, I found a way to make him more productive. And those skills he learned have been useful to me because he has had to repair my phone several times.
Working on the elevation and 3D view
Back in school, I studied urban and regional planning, of which building design was one of the subjects we were made to do as a preliminary for two years. Although most of my classmates didn't pay much attention to this subject because we only had to do it in the first two years of our six-year course, I took it very seriously and had plans to pursue it as a career after school.
Even when I was still in school I did a building project for a few clients at that time. But when I finished school I never got the chance to use that skill because of professional limitations and economic reasons. Though I had a few jobs at that time it would not be my pursuit. And that was it, I never did anything more than that with the building design skills.
As I said earlier, no skill is wasted. Those skills that we thought were not important could save us tomorrow. Few weeks ago I went to inspect my building project as I intend to start construction anytime soon. I needed a building plan that the builders would work on. I need an architect who can do this work for me in two days, but this will cost up to $350.
Then it occurred to me that this was one of the skills we were taught back in school. With a little revision of my old books and consultation with one of my nephews who is a building architect, my building design skills were reawakened.
With my laptop, I was able to produce an aesthetic design for my building in no time. I only spent about $1 for the printing of the finished work. If I hadn’t learned building design at school even if it wasn’t my main thing or my profession, I would have coughed out $350 to pay a building designer to get the kind of building plan I needed.
3D view of the building plan
Making the building design will not be the only thing I can do for my building. With my skills, I will be doing the supervision of the building myself. Laying out a building plan is one of the elements of a building that should not be taken lightly, but from what I have learned I am well-equipped to manage this work.
It’s technical though, I’ll have to update my knowledge elsewhere by taking a second look at my old books and works. The level of balance and technical language in construction are two things that I should immediately review to gain relevant knowledge and work language while leading builders.
It is very satisfying to help ourselves with something like this. It does not only save us some money, but also creates confidence in ourselves as an all round entrepreneur.