A Cost-Benefit Analysis

I've decided to do a first aid course for my work at BC Ferries.

It is a strenuous two week program that goes from 8:30am to 5:30pm every week day. It will also include a fair amount of home study to pass. The course was 30% off but still $496. While I don't have to book time off from work, I obviously will miss shifts over those 10 days. I figure between 4-6. Traveling to and from the course (it's in New West) will average 75 minutes each day. Even though I'm using my parents car I will at least fill up the tank once or twice. Variables include such things as car issues and not passing the course. Reducing everything down to money I rate the costs at $1500-$2000.

Once I have passed the course I will automatically earn an additional $250 per month with an additional $50 if I am ever called into work as a first aid role. With the certificate I will earn additional days and possibly even scheduling. It is very likely that I will get the full 21 days per month and any additional days are double time. This may not necessarily mean any more days but it should equal at least 5 more a month (exchanging double time for two days). The certificate lasts for two years. Variables include the August baseball trip and the chance of getting put on a watch. Benefits could be rated as high as $4000 for this summer, with additional profits for Christmas break and summer and Christmas 2010.

Looks like I've made he right decision. All I have to do now is finish my 350+ pages of reading.

I did this because I'm finding myself more and more interested in economics. It started with reading a book called The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (worth reading) and it has progressed to the point of reading economic blogs and possibly taking macro economics next year. I understand that this is a very watered down version and I have been informed by the king of all cost-benefit analysis, Dr. Krueger, that it wouldn't be hard to created a few formulas in an excel spreadsheet but my point is that I had fun making this. Does that make me an economist?