It's the road for me. The shop tech is a thankless job, hardcore nasty stuff you can't do in the field. When and if you get enough experience on what you do, you gain a level of confidence that tells you no matter what the day will bring you, you will have the knowledge and resources to effect that repair and make a new friend. Taking time to talk with the customer, operator and having a general attitude of " how can I be of service" will take you far and is in fact very rewarding, personally satisfying and separates the rookies from the pro's. You just can't get that in a shop environment.
On the other hand if you like being treated like a mushroom...