Hi, I am Jacob and am very interested in smithing/metal working/machining for a career. I am a senior in Highschool and am trying to figure out the next step in the process. My main love is history and would love to be able to incorporate that into my career, whether it is through metal restoration/historical weaponry restoration or recreation/ etc. I would like to go to college, but that is not a requirement. So, my question is, "what should I look for in a school/trade school/apprenticeship? Where should I look for a good one (of the above)? Is there anything you guys suggest I do in preparation?
While I really like swords/weapons/knives (Blind Horse Knives rocks, Arms of Valor/Gen 2 swords rocks) it seems like a trickier career path, and more of a hobby. My dad believes that getting a certification in Machining would be a great way to get a consistent job if other pursuits don't work. His idea is that I would get trained in Machining, and do smithing more as a hobby/side note. Is this a good idea? Or is knife/weapon smithing generally pretty safe job-wise?
Also, so far I have found two schools that seem to work: NAIT, Colorado School of Mines. Are these pretty decent schools?
Thanks for the help! And if anyone wants to add anything feel free! Thanks!