Contractor for MTA?

[Dannny]

So I've been looking around the forums for an answer, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Ive always been interested in both carpentry and our transit system, and I recently graduated high school back at the end of January. I applied to a trade school which offers Carpentry as a trade, and they help you get certified as a contractor. During the last few months I was in high school, a friend of mine mentioned I should work for the MTA as a contractor since I was interested in both. IIRC, he said he has a family member who worked for the MTA, and that if I started working for them I could join a union and make a good living. Don't quote me on that, but at the time, I thought that was a good Idea. Once I started looking more into it, People who posted about this on this forum in the past said its better to be an independent contractor and bid on contracts for the MTA, rather than working for them. I also have a good friend who knows alot about the transit system, said being an independent contractor is better. He also said I could work my way up to Train Operator, which also sounds interesting. So my question is what you recommend I do? Join a union with the MTA or bid on contracts and work independently? Which one makes better pay and offers more? And if I work independently, how could I do specific construction jobs for the MTA? What would be ALL my options in this situation?

Hope this is posted in the right section, and I hope you understand what I'm saying, thanks again.