17. Why This Former Marine Leader Started Over as an Apprentice

You want a stable career that pays well with room to grow — but with all the noise out there, it's hard to even know where to start. Johnny Rogers didn't have a map either. He left the Marine Corps at 28 and started over in the trades at the bottom. In this one we talk about the decision he made in a parking lot that set the next decade in motion, why he chose eight years in the Marines instead of four or twenty, and what it really feels like to go from being in charge to being the new guy who knows nothing. We get into the CDL he treated as a backup plan, the apprenticeship boot camp he showed up to with no training, and the advice he'd give his 18-year-old self about chasing goals too fast. Johnny Rogers is a Marine veteran, journeyman lineman, head wrestling coach in Escanaba, and a member of the National Guard. He started his trade career through Midwest Truck Driving School and a direct-entry line apprenticeship. 0:00 Intro 0:45 Why the Marines 1:25 The rearview mirror 2:33 Boot camp 5:00 Why eight years 8:21 The message that changed two careers 10:41 The video that sold him on line work 18:04 Starting over at 28 23:35 Why he coaches 29:26 Selling the business 31:39 The CDL failsafe 36:00 The apprenticeship boot camp 40:51 The oldest methods 49:00 Advice to his younger self If these conversations are helping you figure things out, subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Curious what a trade career could look like for you? Start with our free guide: Before the Wheel → [link] New episodes every Friday. Hosted in Escanaba, Michigan. 🔗 LINKS Listen wherever your get your podcasts: https://built-in-the-midwest.captivat... Midwest Truck Driving School: midwesttruckdrivingschool.com North Country Heavy Equipment & Electrical Line School: https://ncheschool.com/ 💬 CONNECT Facebook:   / cdlmidwest   Instagram:   / midwesttruckdrivingschool   TikTok:   / midwesttruckdrivingskool