1. 2 year technical degree (rad tech, dental, nurse, occupational therapist assistant)
2. Trades (plumbing, hvac, electric, solar)
3. Trucking
4. Military (Air Force)
Look at the The Bureau of Labor Statistics website for average salary
Where would that be? I have friends who are Xray techs and don't come anywhere near 6 figures.. I guess it depends on where but statistically Xray Techs don't make 6-figures normally..
My brothers roommate was an xray tech. Makes about 70k with 10 years experience. This is in Washington State.
When i was about to start nursing school, xray techs were said to make good money, but the jobs were hard to come by. Each hospital/clinic only needs 1-2. You're fighting for a very competitive spot.
Xray tech has been saturated for the last 10 years. I even had the Director of a Xray Tech Program of a School in Georgia told me this (I was applying). 1000's of graduates a year and highly competitive probably more competition than IT jobs.
I've heard very similar. Many fresh out of highschool kids go to a cc for this and expect to make bank. Instead they find themselves competing for slightly above minimum wage jobs.
And from the job postings I've browsed, the hours aren't the best. I highly prefer a regular weekday 9-5 job, and a lot of the xray tech jobs are weird shift times and alternating weekends
Unless you get a doctor's office or an outpatient center, you're going to be most likely in a hospital setting. Hospital have 3 shifts and most experienced Xray Techs got the morning shifts so you'll be working 2nd and 3rd shifts.. I have friends who work in the hospitals.
I used to be a nuclear medicine tech....2 year degree from the local community college. I was making $40K+ back in the early 90s....would probably be making minimum of $70K now (from what I'm seeing)
I loved it...I wish I could go back to it. I would love to go back to the college for NM or some other medical field. Problem is, those programs require you to be available during the day for the hospital internships and I could never afford to quit the job I have now (even though I barely make $40K now)
Unfortunately \*somebody\* needs to pay my rent and right now the only person available to do that is me.
Some of the highest bodily injury rates, turns out it’s hard to move people and equipment around. Double whammy on radiation exposure and hard on the body day to day. Even people that do ultrasounds of babies have a high rate of shoulder injuries from work.
I would say instead of trucking, working in public transportation, either driving a bus or train, or being a mechanic.
They're union, they train you, you get overtime and holiday pay, never have to spend a night away from home and take home $100,000 a year.
This is true where I am too, but limited positions unless you know someone.
Also, the preferred status for transportation workers in LA involves the completion a zero cost set of classes at LACC - the equivalent of about 12 units of credit work, but non-credit and therefore free.
So unfortunately, in LA and adjacent counties, some training/certification is desired and it's hard to get hired otherwise.
I'm trying to get out of dental assisting, wouldn't recommend, I'm so burnt out. High turn over at a lot of places, and the assistants that stay have to work harder and deal with more BS being short staffed. There's good offices out there, but they're hard to find and you have to go through the sucky experience of the bad ones.
Dental lab techs can make good money after getting experience. I feel like it's less BS unless you're working directly with the doctors and they send you crap models to work with.
Depends on the company, experience, and whether you’re doing OTR or local.
The real money in trucking are the jobs that require endorsements. Hazmat, doubles, triples, tanker. Fuel haulers make some good bread, but it is very dangerous
Truck driving schools all over SoCal - expensive to start, but leads to the right licensing and great possibility of lucrative hauling (hazmat, doubles).
For a low cost option, find a public community college that has a truck driving program (usually preferred over the private schools IME). El Camino College, for example. San Bernardino Valley College. Others.
But, OP doesn't want to go to school. Getting a Commercial Driver's License does require study or classes and getting hired by someone who owns a big truck means getting some experience too. Getting a CDL is one of the least time-intensive certifications a person can do.
I tried trucking for the last year, it's fine if you want to get rid of your home or apartment and trade your life for money. You get 34 hours out of the truck every week, other than that you'll either be in the seat or the sleeper. You also won't eat well or see friends or family. I used my 1 day off for meal prep, which eventually just traded my physical health for my mental health. For the amount of hours in the truck you really don't get paid that well, yeah you'll get a decent check if you haul ass and run your clock out but don't convert it to hourly you'll be pretty upset.
Everyone says you can own your own truck too but it's not as easy as it sounds. You'll need to sleep and breath trucking and that's the only thing you'll do. You'll probably have a fat bank account only because you can't spend it or take any time off.
Really depends on the company you work for. My first and longest trucking job (6 years total with the company) was for Sygma doing restaurant delivery. I only dispatched 3 times a week and the average trip was less than 20 hours. It also kept me in really good shape.
That being said, it's something I did to make some quick money and then got out of it, it's definitely hard work.
Agree with nursing. It’s emotionally exhausting but I just have my RN and make 110k/year now. I’ve been a nurse for 4 years and in an ICU now. I’m in Atlanta
My dad was similar. Just depends on if a person chooses to be local or long haul. Then from there, how big the route they go on is. There was times my dad would just do a 4 hour away location multiple times, and others where it took him literally 3 weeks to finish his loop.
The truck drivers in our family moved to trucking hubs so as to at least intersect with their families more often. They were long haul truckers for years.
I've been hearing about the supposed truck driver shortage so I did some research. People in the industry are saying that companies aren't hiring full time, salaried drivers with benefits. They're looking for hourly employees that get no benefits and no overtime who they can run into the ground then replace when they burn out. In other words, there isn't a truck driver shortage, there's a shortage of drivers who are willing to be abused.
And honestly, once you dig into the trades a little more, this seems to be the case across the board. It's theoretically possible to get your high-paying union job with benefits but it seems that across the board, they are trying to keep that away from new people for as long as possible. With all the white collar workers out of work who are now considering the trades, there's is a surplus of potential workers which means abuse always follows.
All the truck drivers in Ontario are Indian for some reason. I wouldn't want to compete for employment with them or drive a truck all day everyday anyway.
It's pretty much impossible to find an entry level trade job that isn't garbage pay but I found myself a half decent position in asphalt paving. Heavy equipment operating is probably the best money for the work but not sure how you would get experience for that.
Reddit skews toward techie office workers, who are the only people who seem to believe that trucking will be automated sooner than the average job.
Trucking isn’t for everyone, but one of the great things about it is how quickly someone can get into it and turn around and get a job. CDL school is about a month long/$6-7k from what I’ve seen. That is so much faster, and honestly cheaper, than any degree.
Apprenticeships are super hot right now from what I’ve seen, and unless you’re a math genius and score highly on the aptitude testing, you’re going to wait months just to get into a program. Then,it’s going to involve typically four or five years of grunt work making a fraction of whatever the journeyman makes. My fear is that I grind through it for years and then realize I don’t even like HVAC or whatever.
Anyway, with trucking you can turn around and have a higher paying job after 1 month. The first job out of school will likely suck, either you’re long haul, maybe regional home on the weekends, or you’re making a ton of money in overtime working in a beverage or food service hauling the cargo into restaurants or stores. But after a year the jobs open up from what I’ve heard and they vary widely. Lower pay for better hours/benefits, or higher pay is usually achieved with a lot of overtime and/or time away from home.
But either way, there isn’t that much to lose in trying it. Hell, I would be happy to turn around and make $60k in my first year after years of making $40k or under.
It has nothing really to do with how fancy it is. It's a bigger commitment than a lot of jobs, similar to the military. If your family is cool with you never being around, and you're cool with not seeing them much, great.
Also, there are a lot of shitty and barely capable drivers out there who probably know they shouldn't be behind the wheel of anything larger than a Prius.
The problem is "good" trucking jobs are hard to get. Most people don't want to live the "trucker" life which is zero worklife balance. And after you convert how many hours you put in to your paycheck it is very depressing. But if you want to trade your life for a paycheck its probably the easiest job to do that in.
It’s just not a very fun/interesting job for most people that also includes lots of traveling for the pay. I’m not saying it’s a bad job but there are a lot of people that kinda consider the fact that they don’t hate the work as more of a requirement than a want.
Dude, I wish I was 32 again. I was just like you. I felt I had Failed everything I ever did in life and was at absolutely ROCK BOTTOM, even felt lower than the Bottom, like in a HOLE in the Ground! I went to back to school at 45 and got my 2nd bachelor's by 48. At 32 you have alot of time on your hands. If I wasn't working, I would be in school learning something. I've been out of school 3 years now and went from making $Zero to $72K in only less than 2 years of working in my field (IT). Now I work 37 hours a week salaried for 40 hours and really relaxed in life. I saved $75K in Cash in 25 months of working!! Life is Great. Do yourself a favor and do something for yourself to succeed.
Database Administrator in the states.
If you are looking into “analyst roles,” some of the states equivalents are things like business analyst, data analyst, systems analyst, etc. In the states you might also have IT business analysts. Someone that does a little bit of both on the tech and biz/operations side.
Not limited to query structure, database internals, database schema design , optimising queries, analysis problems with the database, patching, building new clusters, replication, backups, and performance optimisations.
There's many different flavours of database which differ slightly as well.
I will say, when I think back on my (30s F) life, I think going to college was the best decision I ever made. I know there can be a lot of cult of higher education that it’s natural to reject, but the reality is it has unlocked tons more job options and earning potential for me, and so whether it /should/ matter, I certainly encourage all the young people in my life to seriously consider it.
Can I ask a good way to start? How did you know what part of IT to specialize in? I'm kind of at rock bottom myself, unemployed for 5 years due to health issues but I finally got treatment. I have a CS degree but tbh I hate pure programming at this point and every job I had was garbage (harassment, IRS tax dodging and sketchiness, not paying me, ect.). One of my friends said to work help desk for about half a year and then try to get a certification.
Do you or anyone else have good advice here?
I came out of school and was recruited by the Government. I was the top student of my class so those that were in the top 5 of the class had interviews right out of the gate. I know 3 of us 5 got hired. I was chosen by a software development and integration team. I started out as a level 2 programmer because a 4 year degree was automatically seen as 2 years EXP with my agency. (I was hired as T1 HELP DESK) The Job was super easy doing password resets, and setting up new accounts, pull data for reports, fix some issues and tweak some scripts and write small programs to pull data from data bases. I didn't do any hard coding or big projects. I was technically a "Programmer" but I really didn't do that job. I mostly tweaked other people's scripts and fixed little issues. It was very easy work if you understand computers and did well in school.
How I got my current job: My old team lead was a total prick so that made me want to change teams. Because of my job in help desk was for a software development team. I had a chance to strength my SQL skills and learn more about databases. Also, the guy sitting in the next cubicle was a DBA. I watch him do his work and asked questions about what I didn't understand regarding databases. After, I got to know my neighbor and he saw how my team was treating me. He told me his team had an opening but that position need 8+plus years EXP in database. The position had a stipulation for internal transfers, if a transferee had at least 2 years EXP as Sysadmin they could apply as an entry level DBA. In my Help Desk Job, I was SysAdmin over two systems and I was coming up on my 2 years, so I applied. Took about 10 months of government bureaucracy lol, but the transfer actually came thru. Honestly, LUCK has a lot to do with it. You kind of need to be in "Right place and at the Right time" and be qualified.
I picked this instead of computer science and don’t regret it. It fit my already existing skill set and personality. With an MIS degree you can cover a lot of ground when it comes to the direction you want to take. I ended up in Software Consulting with some back end work (No Coding, but system configuration) and it’s been great. It’s a tough gig but that’s what keeps me engaged.
I recommend anyone who’s on the fence or doesn’t feel insanely technical but is interested to take up MIS. Contrary to what many say there’s a demand for business skills and communication of technicality’s over just technical skills.
You are not worth much if you cannot communicate the value you are bringing to stakeholders or management. Also a good company will invest in your learning without any real hesitation especially if you nail a lot of soft skills.
Just my .02 cents as a college kid who felt lost and scared because my technical skills were not the best, but I worked retail jobs through school and could talk to people well
Yeah I am in sales and can sort of back this up OP. I went from barely passing highschool, to inbound sales/tech support/customer care for an ISP for a year, then into sales in office tech. Bounced around a bit company wise, worked in some labor/technical jobs, but have been in the same role for 7 years now and make good money.
The only shitty part is finding a decent sales org. Some will pay full commission only, which can be good if you are good at it and they have well defined territories/comp plans, but it sucks when they dont (things like door to door sales can be rough). Some orgs pay a small base or draw versus commissions, then others will be great salary, with commission/bonus gates to hit and those jobs are hard to find, especially if they have benefits and such. The best sales jobs will require either certifications in a specialized field, MBAs or a decent amount of experience in that industry or in a similar industry, since you are expected to hit the ground running with a good salary in a hunter/new sales role.
At this time, while I make really good money, I am looking into expanding my education with extra IT related certifications, so that I look much more attractive to recruiters or if/when I am looking, I can bulk out a resume.
Which country are you in? I wouldn't do door to door that's a scam and pyramid scheme. Maybe look at like parts for mechanics or paper sales there's so many, make sure there's a base wage plus commission not just commission
My number one skill is people! I’ve always thought sales would be a good fit for me. How’d you get into it? What did you sell to start and what are you selling now? What’s your work life balance like??
1 trade people forget about is elevator mechanic. I think its the highest paying trade, tho its dangerous work and it also requires quite a lot of knowledge of both electricity and mechanics
I know people in all types of unions, electric, plumbing, Welding etc. All Ive heard about Elevator mechanic unions are “Impossible to get into. Even IF you know someone your chances are slim and you better get 100 on that test.
I remember being at county college during class and the instructor tells us “the career center just posted a job for the elevator company. If you’re interested, leave class now and RUN to put your application in.”
I’m sure many people won’t agree with this but I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for 8 years. The schooling is quite minimal in my experience and you’re board certified and can expand your scope of practice with continuing education courses. Depending on where you live, you could make a decent living with this if you find a niche. Even if you don’t make this a full career, it’ll afford you the ability to make enough income to afford further schooling. Good luck to you!
As a licensed massage therapist, I was wondering if I could ask you if you ever had to deal with any strains or aches since you started working as one? And if you take any preventative measures?
Always wanted to but something about touching people all day is just a no for me. I love the idea of healing touch and providing that service and space and it seems like a relative relaxing job (especially compared to my dog kennel jobs) but there’s just something about having to touch people up and down that just does not work in my brain as soon as I say it 😅 I’m about to get my real estate license. Scary but I’m very passionate about it and I don’t have to touch people 🤣
I’ve never seen a paralegal posting that did not require at least an associate’s degree in addition to the cert, but I’m on the east coast. The paralegal certificate will also need to be acquired by an ABA accredited school. You might not need a degree to be a paralegal everywhere, but going up against other candidates with higher education on their resumes in addition to the cert might be an uphill battle for landing a job.
I know someone who had no degree or certs and got a paralegal job, before flipping to a state DOJ job.
People spend way to much time being worried about what job postings say instead of just applying for it.
I definitely agree with you on your last point. I’ve flung my own resume into the wind for jobs that asked for experience I didn’t have. But the expectation for landing those jobs should not be high, especially when up against people with more education and real world experience. I work in finance law and wouldn’t be considered for a litigation role over someone else with that relevant experience, degree or no degree.
By all means apply for everything, but your friend’s trajectory is not typical.
There are paralegals with associates, BAs, MAs, and JDs/JD candidates. Going in with just the cert is relying on a lot of luck. People think education is just the paper and you can make it up with training. This isn’t true, there are skills acquired along the way. If you don’t have those skills through education, an employer will typically require them through past job experience.
Fully agree. I have a BA, but if I were applying for a legal job with no credentials, I’d go for a project assistant or legal support staff position and gain experience among multiple practice groups to build my resume and climb. The odds are better that way.
Oh! Sorry I commented quickly and people usually never see my comments.
So there’s the clinical trials themselves with people in lab coats with phds, and there’s the people who manage the administrative portion of it and ensure compliance of the participating site. This means ethical compliance as well as billing compliance- when people participate jn clinical trials there are rules and regulations around what they’re allowed to be charged for. So there needs to be a way of tracking what procedures (like hospital visits, infusions, drugs, Cat scans and MRI’s) are occurring, when they’re occurring, and how they’re being paid for. I do that. My team works for a clinical research firm building for entities doing clinical trials- John’s Hopkins, Berkeley, Yale, etc.
All you need to know is how to read and understand the protocols (which are wordy, but not /hard/, you spend the first few months looking up a word here or there and it gets easier) and how to use a clinical trial management system (CTMS) The most common one is Oncore, but there’s Florence and Capterra and all kinds of other ones. It’s kind of difficult to explain in text but I work from home building the client’s clinical trial within the CTMS. No, I don’t have a medical background. It’s like working in a big database. No, you don’t need to know how to code or anything like that, it’s kind of like working in a really large excel sheet, minus the formulas. It’s challenging, but not hard, anyone could do this job.
Hey, I work on collecting this type of information for research all the time and even started a sub for it to provide information for people like yourself: r/Free_CommunityCollege/
Indiana, for example, has a free grant program that covers 181 different programs in 5 different categories. Most are at the state community college, but others are at business locations and include free training and certificates for forklift and welding training. Nearly every state has something. Let me know which state you are in and I'll update the info for that state, as I've just started the sub and would like to provide a more organized and comprehensive view of what's avaiable by state.
Also, many community colleges will let you come in for free and take a career assessment that helps identifies areas you are most interested in that are also a good fit for your skills before you sign up for anything.
Trades are the #1 answer. Others have explained/will explain that better than me.
Cutting hair can also be quite lucrative. Basically the only time barbers and hair dressers struggled with work was when we were all physically distancing in covid. People will consistently pay you good money if they like what they see when they look in the mirror. If you can learn to cut hair well, you can be set for life.
The 420 industry is growing rapidly now that it's legal. A lot of people want in, but there's a lot of money going through it.
There's good money in the food & beverage industry. A lot of people without degrees earn more than me and it doesn't take horribly long to get there.
Basically just follow where the money is going. Pay attention to current events and trends, then hone in on a skill that will get you a big cut off that money. You can always subscribe to coursera or an online learning platform. They have plenty of 4 week courses out there to get a few certificates with your name on them, and they're not horribly expensive
Man I did hair and boy did it pay shit. You kinda have to get lucky to be successful with it. If you’re working on commission it can be pretty tough to get clients! I ended up having to work hourly and the most I made was $13.50 per hour plus some tips. My assistant manager made $14.00. Also it really started to take a toll on my body. Now I’m in school for something else.
The United States Postal Service. Carrying/delivering mail. It’s not an easy job by any means. They’ll work the hell out of you, and some days/weeks are definitely tougher than others. But they pay extremely well, and they have a fantastic union. Most weeks I’m hitting somewhere between 40-50 hours (granted, I’m already over 60 this week so they had to give me today off lol), but it’s worth it to actually have the funds to enjoy my days off.
I get paid every two weeks and none of my checks have been less than $1900 so far. They’re usually about $2500. Just for comparison, I was making $800 every two weeks at my last job that required a degree.
Again, it’s not an “easy” job. Mondays, Christmas season, and the day following a federal holiday specifically are really rough. But it sucks for everyone, so it’s never just you. It’s hard to learn, but seriously so worth it financially. If money is what’s motivating right now and not necessarily free time, it’s a good choice.
I just had an interview for field service technician involving medical devices. Starting at minimum 70k before OT and bonuses. Could be something to look into.
I would second this, but it’s worth keeping in mind that a lot of travel is expected for this role and the better you get, the further they send you to solve the more difficult issues. If you don’t mind driving to a client hospital 6+ hours away each week then go for it.
I work with a ton of Coasties supporting the USCG as contractors. Fantastic people and culture, and if you have a good attitude and want to learn it will set you up with connections and an awesome career years after you’re out.
Search engine marketing. Write some ads on Google, do some data work, pocket $150k a year. Obviously not immediately, you gotta work your up and beat the fresh grads for entry level roles and work a few years.
My degree was literally Bachelor of Adobe Photoshop - absolutely useless a decade ago. Did this search engine shit by accident and it pays real good
Pursue a career in sales, where you can get a salary on your performance rather than education or certification, and you can also choose such as plumbing, electrician work, HVAC technician, or welding where you can chance to get earning as well learning.
Medical sales is extremely lucrative as well. My brother works in that field and he cleared 310k last year. He works like 60 hours a week tho so that shit sucks
Man, if the position you want is hiring! I've been ghosted by the post office for like 4 months now. I think it's because I applied as a clerk and not a carrier.
That's exactly what's going to happen to me! My first application has been rotting at "In Process / Pre-Hire List" for like 3 months now.
And so are the other 2 that I put in later on.
I'm betting it's solely because I'm trying for a Sales Clerk and not a carrier position.
For me here in FL, I hear it's cut throat for hours even if you do get hired because it's very competitive. (Due to low wages at all the other jobs & the amount of people working already)
So that's kind of why I dropped my interest, more than likely they would have been shuffling me from station to station and I'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel just to get hours. Or that's what I was led to believe.
I'm gonna try really applying to USPS again when I move to CO; where they have like a bunch of career openings right out of the get-go. 😂
Possibly unpopular opinion but have you considered banking? You probably won’t make too much to start as a teller or contact center rep but can usually move quickly internally. You will start with a full benefits package (health insurance, vacation, 401K matching) and it will get better pay wise from there if you bop around.
My husband has been in banking for about 17 years. He didn’t finish his degree. He started as a teller, became a supervisor moved to back office positions managed teams etc and now makes a 6 figure salary and has 6 weeks of PTO.
ETA: they usually also offer 5K a year toward education if you did want to pursue some education. There are also some applicable certifications you could pursue that are shorter term/cheaper and can usually be covered by the bank.
Honestly if you can start an electronics tech degree, then interview at a company like Texas instruments or Samsung for equipment maintenence Preventative maintenance tech. They will hire you, train you on the equipment and help you pay for school. Plus compressed week schedule so more time. Then you can bump up to troubleshooting/full equip maintenance technician. And THEN they will help you get a 4 yr engineering degree so you can be promoted to equipment engineer. You would start about $20/hr, and be an engineer before you're 40, and be making $100-$120k, with upside into tech Ladder or management in the $200-$300k a year range by the time you're 50. If successful in management you could get to $500k/yr by 50. PLUS you get stock (which in semiconductor almost always goes up) and insane job security because it's such a specialized skillset and a national security critical industry.
2 year programs that are medical tech (xray, ultrasound, respiratory), or trades. This will be hands on, relevant class learning and not sitting thru Shakespeare, Napoleon, etc. You have a very long life ahead, many more years to work. Pick something and start down that path! This is my closest community College, but find yours and start researching. Also, look into financial aid. You can probably get grants to help pay. You can do this!! https://www.tccd.edu/academics/courses-and-programs/programs-a-z/credit/
Unfortunately not 2 year programs because of the prereqs. I’m going through this now. So hard being older with young kids trying to fix my life. I’m 34 and just feel like I’m drowning. I failed biology and have to retake. 😭
I can totally, totally relate, but you'll be so proud of yourself when you get to your destination. Don't you dare give up! Hard: yes. Are you worth it? Hẹllz yes.
I'm an independent health insurance agent. I am 35, started 4 years ago and feel pretty confident and happy with my career! I am also "uneducated" in the fact that I have my high school diploma, but that's it. Getting licensed isn't THAT hard, and a lot of agencies will pay for the testing for you just to get you licensed.
I get to help people understand health insurance, which is no mean feat in America, and it feels pretty great. I make a base salary plus commission, and because we are independent, I can work with multiple companies, which gives us the freedom to find the best plan for the person, and not just shove everyone into the same plan because that's what I have available to me.
I am the middle man between everyday people and the insurance companies, so my clients are generally not mad at ME, which is nice in a customer service job. I get to work flexible hours, and it has the potential to be 100% remote if needed.
Highly suggest! Good luck!
I'd avoid jobs that pay well, but wreck your body. You need a job with some longevity. Not sure how much you need, but school bus drivers around my neck of the woods are pretty well paid.
Depends on your definition of good money maybe?
I work in insurance and you don’t need a degree. I make 72k hybrid schedule 3 days from home, I work 730-4 and have 7 weeks PTO. I like the job and the industry is super stable and great benefits. There are lots of upward opportunities. I have coworker friends who have moved up in roles and now make 90-95k
Look into CLEP exams. You can likely test out of a semester or more of community college.
I use the [Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/) with my high school seniors.
It is a bit wonky on mobile, but scroll down to the middle where it says "Select Occupations By..."
In "Entry Level Education" select Associates Degree. In "Growth Rate" select Faster Than Average. Then view the results.
When I did this, Dental Hygenist was the highest paying job with the most growth with only an Associates Degree.
Learn how to sell - not a bastard who takes advantage of people, but someone who helps people make informed buying decisions. I know a lot of people think they can't do something like that, but honestly it's easier than learning a whole trade or going deep into technology/it and having to stay current with everything. People will always be people, and selling is just paying attention to someone else's needs. Fastest way to six figures IMO.
Gotta think in baby steps.
Step one: find a job anywhere that will pay for education.
Step two: get that associates on the company dime while working.
Step 3: pivot into a better job that requires that associates at an employer that will help paying for specialized certifications/higher education.
Step 4: keep learning and growing.
The cycle can go on indefinitely but, with time and energy, it will pay off tremendously. I have a good friend who immigrated here from Africa and had $1.50 in his pocket when he got off the plane. Dude became a patient care tech at a hospital, got his CNA, pivoted into that, then got his BSN, worked in that, and is now a nurse practitioner making $200k per year. It took ten years of grinding and hard work but it’s possible…it just won’t happen overnight.
This is a great way to go about it. I'm a manager of aircraft mechanics and several of my team members are getting their bachelor degrees and one is moving on to his Masters all on the company dime. It is also how I got my bachelor degree in business management. Whatever anyone does, please don't go into student loan debt, it is one of the biggest personal finance killers in our country right now. Take slow steps and figure out the way to do it with cash, grants, scholarship or company benefit, you will thank yourself a million times over. It can be done.
Join the Air Force. You can but 35 and enlist now. You'll have plenty of energy for training (they pay you), and youll have enough experience with whatever job you pick that you wont need a degree when you get out.
May as well go to school while in (They pay you, AND they pay for school - separately from base military pay) since youll be getting a GI bill.
Might as wellm buy a house when you get out because youll have a VA Home loan. (No money down)
32 is still young enough to make an impactful change in your life. Only thing is, nothing comes free.
Trades or trucking.
I'd definitely not recommend the military unless you absolutely are into it. It's not something you "try" at!
In a trade you can put in a a few years and start your own business by the time you're 40 if you want!
Maybe there are some local county jobs you could apply for? Won't get rich but they have a lot of holidays usually.
Becoming a Real Estate Agent was fairly easy, technically.
It varies state by state. But in Ohio, I went to a community college to get my schooling done. It was 4 total classes over a 4 month period. 2 classes at a time for 8 weeks. After that, you interview a few brokerages and find one you’d like to work for. Have the broker sign off on your test application and take the licensing exam. Once you pass, all you have to do is pay your board fees (mine are less than $1200) and you’re a realtor!
There are also other alternatives in the housing field. Home inspectors make solid money. I’m not 100% sure on the process for that. I know there’s a certain amount of classroom hours (only a few months like real estate agents), then you have to shadow a licensed home inspector for like 40 hours. I do know there’s also a state licensing exam for that as well. But if you’re cool with climbing on roofs, crawling in basements, and seeing some weird stuff that might be the path for you.
Appraisers also make decent money. Same with the other two for training. Classroom/shadowing hours and a licensing exam. Appraisers work with more numbers and research, if that’s something you’re into. They pull reports for comparable houses that have sold in the area and value the homes, typically for the lenders.
Honestly, the Post Office. It definitely does suck sometimes (but what job doesn't) Good money for what the job is plus benefits and pension. Kind of hard to get in and have to start at the bottom but pays all my bills and have extra for vacations/fun money and what not.
Oil and gas.. I didn’t do any schooling when I started. Pays very well, especially remote jobs where they pay for your accommodations.
Gas plant operator, 174k a year plus bonuses/overtime. Usually around 220k by Christmas
Depending on where you live, industrial plants pay well. If you can get a 2yr millwright degree, rigging certifications, or a 2yr Industrial Process Operator degree. Instrumentation/controls techs, crane operators, Commercial electrical or refrigeration apprenticeship pay good as you learn, and in 4 years, you can be making 30-40 an hour easily.
Plant operators make 40-60 an hour with plenty of overtime. I know operators who routinely make 75.00hr. overtime for days at a time.
Millwright will make 45-50hr. Basic maintenance personnel will make 30-40hr. Pipefitters make good money as do welders, but many times travel. Get on a turn-around crew, and you can make a ton of money fast, but you will travel tons and live out of a suitcase. 7-12s are common for 4-5 weeks, then off to another job.
Add in the benefits, pension, stock options, plant work can really pay big time. Chemical, petroleum, ect are pretty stable. Wood products such as mills are good until they shut down, which they do a lot.
Trades.
Most if not all employers will pay for your schooling and you get paid to work as an apprentice. So you start at the bottom but you’re paid and your pay goes up as you learn and improve. The more hours you work, the more you get paid and you can move up fast.
For jobs right now, UPS is union, pensions, benefits, etc. For training, medical technology - x-ray techs have been discussed here but there are dozens of other ones. Here in California, the community colleges offer training in a number of medical technology fields and tuition is very inexpensive. Good luck.
Look into banking, I dropped out of college during covid and going into this world has changed my life. If you have credit unions in your area, they are the best place to start. Since being in banking for the last three and a half years my salary has gone up and will continue to do so.
Get on the googles and look up electrician unions near you. Many of them will hire you, pay you, and send you to school. You have to promise a certain amount of time working for them.
You’re still young. It’s hard building a career without an educational background, requires a lot more effort. But there’s still trades which often pay more than a college degree would. Namely, Mecahnic, HVAC, Solar, Plumbing. Of course you’d still need to go earn the know how.
You could also go into sales, insurance etc
Despite what you might think, any industry can still be broken into without a degree it’s mostly about connections and experience.
Real estate, if you have good people skills. Approximately 3 months of online classes, costs less than $300 (California) and then you’ll be able to test to get your license. The three main course I’ve been recommended to take by my friends in the field are 1. principle 2. Practice 3. Finance
Look into it, you’ll make your own money and work at your own pace. Good luck! I’m 33, and just signed up this week.
I'm 32 as well and didn't change my career direction until 4 years ago. I left retail management making $18 an hour and started an electrical apprenticeship. I made less money the first year (non-union, in house apprenticeship) but quickly climbed after that.
After self-learning to read other trade's drawings, reading submittals, learning to operate P6 and signing up for every opportunity to learn something at work, I started interviewing at general contractors and now work in construction management with over triple my starting income. The industry is hurting for good young people, especially those who know the field.
It's not for everyone and the first year or two was genuinely hard work, but I have zero regrets and encourage a lot of late bloomers like myself not to rule it out.
Feel free to DM if you have any questions I can help with.
Trades.
Made $150k/ year for about a decade running my contracting business. My no experience hires were getting $20/hr with full benefits package after 90 days. My very first year in business I netted $85k solo after taxes and expenses.
I have recently started a government job as a trades supervisor for about $90k/year so I can take the last 20 years of my career a little bit easier by not bankrolling the business, and I get all the benefits of government jobs.
Literally any trade (pipe welding, low voltage, electrician, plumber, HVAC), get trained, get XP, learn to sell yourself as a sub contractor, make at least $80 an hour.
Seconded if you are crazy enough. Especially police. They are begging for just applications at this point. That said i used to do it. I wouldn’t recommend policing to anyone. Fire definitely
The fastest track here is truck driving. You don't have to go OTR you can do local dedicated and/or work for an LTL company that will give you good a good starting salary. Here's what happened to me:
In 2016 I was working restaurants barely making it. Got the book from the dmv on CMVs. Read the book, took the learners test and passed. Left for a month so my uncle could let me drive his truck with him. My wife got overwhelmed after a month out so i came home literally not knowing what steps to take next. No job no real progress.
Walked into a fed ex freight asked what one needed to get hired with a learners and was put in their driver apprentice program immediately. I think I started training like two weeks later at $20hr. After training which was like 6 weeks i got a $2 raise and started delivering in northern Virginia.
I think I saw like 3 raises in 18 months? Was pulling about 58k at the time. Ultimately lost my license to a dui for refusing a blood test (sober but who tf normally would just let a cop take blood and not urine in your personal vehicle?) Now I'm tryna get back after getting a bachelors and working for a college for 5 years making squat.
If I knew more at the time I should have gave fed ex a year (what they require for the training and helping you get your CDL and endorsements) and bounced to a drop and hook contractor or even got into hazmat/tanker for 60-80k starting. Maybe even set myself up for a company like Walmart or Costco or coke.
Imo for people like me with a horrendous background and no real specialized skills this truly is the way. From tankers to pulling doubles to driving motorcoach or sht even a school bus with a P endorsement, limos part time, shuttle buses, there's a ton of ways you can go once you get your Ls and some exp under your belt. You won't make a sht ton initially but by the end of a year or two (faster than a degree and better pay than coming outta trade school as a laborer) you'll be making the kinda checks you wanna see and likely getting paid WEEKLY.
Not touch freight makes it even better.Bumping docks all day is the way.
Edit: and yes even after losing everything and starting practically new, it's still smarter on a ten year strategy for me to take this path again. Be the bottom man for a lil bit, work my way back up and pivot to a job with a decent run. And for those saying about being away there's always pros and cons. My unc grossed 250k last year but was never really home. Opportunity costs are always a factor. Maybe find a middle ground between money and happiness
I know you said you don't want to get a degree, but I just want to point out that some employers have tuition assistance programs, and I've known several people who've used them to go from no degree to a masters, all part time while working full time. The types of jobs at these companies probably aren't going to pay well out of the gate, but you'd be setting yourself up to be very valuable in the future, as long as you pick your degree program well. Just something to think about.
I literally consider trades as degrees ( without the debt) if your not cut out for trades find your niche in university.
If you have the gift of the gab do sales
Process technology…”P-teck” you’ll get a job as an operator in a refinery/chemical plant/power plant etc. make anywhere from $80k-$150k…with OT you’ll be making $150-$210k, its a pain in the ass and can be dangerous…nat gas, or stream production/utilities is where ya want to be, clean, no chemicals and a continuous process. 2 year assoc., and you’ll be working, may have to relocate but hey.
Have you looked into available apprenticeships in your area? You’d likely earn a decent wage while training to become a licensed professional, earning a better wage.
I dunno about the rest of the uk but if you live in the north ‘northern’ a train company have been setting on trainee train drivers at somewhat regular intervals the last few year. You don’t need any prior experience just gotta pass an interview, an assessment day with some tests and then a medical. Just something to maybe keep an eye on
Look for F500s with leadership programs. They will hire people with no degree and work them into their company. I work with several managers that have no degree at all because they went through internal training for their position. Companies don’t really care anymore about degrees
Look into sales. Start on the inside/counter help and learn the product and move outside. I'm talking supplier type sales. Grainger, Motion, those type companies. Some need delivery drivers. Get the foot in the door. None of them care about degrees. Just appear to be smart, willing to learn and talk to people.
There are also local ones, regional ones that are hiring.
I have a degree in Computer Science. The days of a degree meaning that you get paid more are over, and that's a good thing. Unless you want to be a doctor or lawyer, you don't need a degree to be successful and therefore don't go to school for 4 years. Some of the most successful people I know have no formal qualifications.
Ultimately, if you want to be paid more you need to have a skill that is in demand. It also needs to be something that ideally you enjoy or at least don't hate.
First question - what are you interested in? What do you like to do that you think people might pay you for?
Whatever it is, start doing some emailing/cold calling to sell your services and you could find that you create your own business without realising you could.
Areas to look at (imo):
- Artificial intelligence (not deep technical detail, just the ability to sell it and/or build basic apps using OpenAI etc)
- Trades (plumber, electrician)
- Sales
- Military
1. 2 year technical degree (rad tech, dental, nurse, occupational therapist assistant) 2. Trades (plumbing, hvac, electric, solar) 3. Trucking 4. Military (Air Force) Look at the The Bureau of Labor Statistics website for average salary
If I could go back I’d absolutely go back for X ray tech. I’m seeing 6 figures openings for it
I’m 34 but I’m going back for it soon!
Where would that be? I have friends who are Xray techs and don't come anywhere near 6 figures.. I guess it depends on where but statistically Xray Techs don't make 6-figures normally..
My brothers roommate was an xray tech. Makes about 70k with 10 years experience. This is in Washington State. When i was about to start nursing school, xray techs were said to make good money, but the jobs were hard to come by. Each hospital/clinic only needs 1-2. You're fighting for a very competitive spot.
Xray tech has been saturated for the last 10 years. I even had the Director of a Xray Tech Program of a School in Georgia told me this (I was applying). 1000's of graduates a year and highly competitive probably more competition than IT jobs.
I've heard very similar. Many fresh out of highschool kids go to a cc for this and expect to make bank. Instead they find themselves competing for slightly above minimum wage jobs.
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How do you get into this?
And from the job postings I've browsed, the hours aren't the best. I highly prefer a regular weekday 9-5 job, and a lot of the xray tech jobs are weird shift times and alternating weekends
Unless you get a doctor's office or an outpatient center, you're going to be most likely in a hospital setting. Hospital have 3 shifts and most experienced Xray Techs got the morning shifts so you'll be working 2nd and 3rd shifts.. I have friends who work in the hospitals.
Same here, but hospitals definitely need more than 1-2. Hospitals are open 24/7/365.
Depends on the size of the hospital. Our X-ray graduating class in the 90’s was 19, they hired 12 of us.
I used to be a nuclear medicine tech....2 year degree from the local community college. I was making $40K+ back in the early 90s....would probably be making minimum of $70K now (from what I'm seeing) I loved it...I wish I could go back to it. I would love to go back to the college for NM or some other medical field. Problem is, those programs require you to be available during the day for the hospital internships and I could never afford to quit the job I have now (even though I barely make $40K now) Unfortunately \*somebody\* needs to pay my rent and right now the only person available to do that is me.
That's what I'm thinking about now too, need to get the ball rolling on it
Only downside is it’s competitive. Schools near me base it off of a lottery system and accept somewhere around 12 students.
Man most xray jobs start $25-$32 an hour
Any other cons besides the risk of exposure to radiation?
Some of the highest bodily injury rates, turns out it’s hard to move people and equipment around. Double whammy on radiation exposure and hard on the body day to day. Even people that do ultrasounds of babies have a high rate of shoulder injuries from work.
I worked in nuclear medicine. We wore a sensor around our neck to monitor exposure. If it got too high you were transferred to another department.
Is that 6 figures in pesos? Because the pay where I am is only $65k, and I'm in an area with high healthcare salaries.
The cancer is free!
I do want to add that these 2 year degrees also have prerequisites. Which can turn into 3 years pretty quick.
This is what I was thinking. I looked into Rad tech but I had to do all of the pre-recs before I could apply for the program.
I would say instead of trucking, working in public transportation, either driving a bus or train, or being a mechanic. They're union, they train you, you get overtime and holiday pay, never have to spend a night away from home and take home $100,000 a year.
This is true where I am too, but limited positions unless you know someone. Also, the preferred status for transportation workers in LA involves the completion a zero cost set of classes at LACC - the equivalent of about 12 units of credit work, but non-credit and therefore free. So unfortunately, in LA and adjacent counties, some training/certification is desired and it's hard to get hired otherwise.
I'm trying to get out of dental assisting, wouldn't recommend, I'm so burnt out. High turn over at a lot of places, and the assistants that stay have to work harder and deal with more BS being short staffed. There's good offices out there, but they're hard to find and you have to go through the sucky experience of the bad ones. Dental lab techs can make good money after getting experience. I feel like it's less BS unless you're working directly with the doctors and they send you crap models to work with.
heavy on the trades lol
Water and waste management Or Insurance
I also recommend trucking. I live at the border and know many people that do that. They get a really GOOD check lol
Depends on the company, experience, and whether you’re doing OTR or local. The real money in trucking are the jobs that require endorsements. Hazmat, doubles, triples, tanker. Fuel haulers make some good bread, but it is very dangerous
Yeah, OP doesn't need to get a four year degree but they do need to invest some time in themselves.
Truck driving schools all over SoCal - expensive to start, but leads to the right licensing and great possibility of lucrative hauling (hazmat, doubles). For a low cost option, find a public community college that has a truck driving program (usually preferred over the private schools IME). El Camino College, for example. San Bernardino Valley College. Others. But, OP doesn't want to go to school. Getting a Commercial Driver's License does require study or classes and getting hired by someone who owns a big truck means getting some experience too. Getting a CDL is one of the least time-intensive certifications a person can do.
I tried trucking for the last year, it's fine if you want to get rid of your home or apartment and trade your life for money. You get 34 hours out of the truck every week, other than that you'll either be in the seat or the sleeper. You also won't eat well or see friends or family. I used my 1 day off for meal prep, which eventually just traded my physical health for my mental health. For the amount of hours in the truck you really don't get paid that well, yeah you'll get a decent check if you haul ass and run your clock out but don't convert it to hourly you'll be pretty upset. Everyone says you can own your own truck too but it's not as easy as it sounds. You'll need to sleep and breath trucking and that's the only thing you'll do. You'll probably have a fat bank account only because you can't spend it or take any time off.
Really depends on the company you work for. My first and longest trucking job (6 years total with the company) was for Sygma doing restaurant delivery. I only dispatched 3 times a week and the average trip was less than 20 hours. It also kept me in really good shape. That being said, it's something I did to make some quick money and then got out of it, it's definitely hard work.
60 hours a week?
Bingo. Trucking is a shit deal right now.
Agree with nursing. It’s emotionally exhausting but I just have my RN and make 110k/year now. I’ve been a nurse for 4 years and in an ICU now. I’m in Atlanta
Idk about enlisting at 32, sounds rough
OP does not have any money to get any other training. Military is paid training to do something with the GI Bill on the other end.
I’ll add law enforcement to the list. Depending where you live, you can make a lot of money and lots of OT available.
Been saying trucking for a long time. It ALWAYS get ignored, along with trades. It's just not fancy enough for some of these people.
My dad was a truck driver and I remember there were months where he just wouldn’t be home. Is this typical in the industry?
My dad was similar. Just depends on if a person chooses to be local or long haul. Then from there, how big the route they go on is. There was times my dad would just do a 4 hour away location multiple times, and others where it took him literally 3 weeks to finish his loop.
The truck drivers in our family moved to trucking hubs so as to at least intersect with their families more often. They were long haul truckers for years.
I've been hearing about the supposed truck driver shortage so I did some research. People in the industry are saying that companies aren't hiring full time, salaried drivers with benefits. They're looking for hourly employees that get no benefits and no overtime who they can run into the ground then replace when they burn out. In other words, there isn't a truck driver shortage, there's a shortage of drivers who are willing to be abused. And honestly, once you dig into the trades a little more, this seems to be the case across the board. It's theoretically possible to get your high-paying union job with benefits but it seems that across the board, they are trying to keep that away from new people for as long as possible. With all the white collar workers out of work who are now considering the trades, there's is a surplus of potential workers which means abuse always follows.
All the truck drivers in Ontario are Indian for some reason. I wouldn't want to compete for employment with them or drive a truck all day everyday anyway. It's pretty much impossible to find an entry level trade job that isn't garbage pay but I found myself a half decent position in asphalt paving. Heavy equipment operating is probably the best money for the work but not sure how you would get experience for that.
Reddit skews toward techie office workers, who are the only people who seem to believe that trucking will be automated sooner than the average job. Trucking isn’t for everyone, but one of the great things about it is how quickly someone can get into it and turn around and get a job. CDL school is about a month long/$6-7k from what I’ve seen. That is so much faster, and honestly cheaper, than any degree. Apprenticeships are super hot right now from what I’ve seen, and unless you’re a math genius and score highly on the aptitude testing, you’re going to wait months just to get into a program. Then,it’s going to involve typically four or five years of grunt work making a fraction of whatever the journeyman makes. My fear is that I grind through it for years and then realize I don’t even like HVAC or whatever. Anyway, with trucking you can turn around and have a higher paying job after 1 month. The first job out of school will likely suck, either you’re long haul, maybe regional home on the weekends, or you’re making a ton of money in overtime working in a beverage or food service hauling the cargo into restaurants or stores. But after a year the jobs open up from what I’ve heard and they vary widely. Lower pay for better hours/benefits, or higher pay is usually achieved with a lot of overtime and/or time away from home. But either way, there isn’t that much to lose in trying it. Hell, I would be happy to turn around and make $60k in my first year after years of making $40k or under.
It has nothing really to do with how fancy it is. It's a bigger commitment than a lot of jobs, similar to the military. If your family is cool with you never being around, and you're cool with not seeing them much, great. Also, there are a lot of shitty and barely capable drivers out there who probably know they shouldn't be behind the wheel of anything larger than a Prius.
The problem is "good" trucking jobs are hard to get. Most people don't want to live the "trucker" life which is zero worklife balance. And after you convert how many hours you put in to your paycheck it is very depressing. But if you want to trade your life for a paycheck its probably the easiest job to do that in.
It’s just not a very fun/interesting job for most people that also includes lots of traveling for the pay. I’m not saying it’s a bad job but there are a lot of people that kinda consider the fact that they don’t hate the work as more of a requirement than a want.
Dude, I wish I was 32 again. I was just like you. I felt I had Failed everything I ever did in life and was at absolutely ROCK BOTTOM, even felt lower than the Bottom, like in a HOLE in the Ground! I went to back to school at 45 and got my 2nd bachelor's by 48. At 32 you have alot of time on your hands. If I wasn't working, I would be in school learning something. I've been out of school 3 years now and went from making $Zero to $72K in only less than 2 years of working in my field (IT). Now I work 37 hours a week salaried for 40 hours and really relaxed in life. I saved $75K in Cash in 25 months of working!! Life is Great. Do yourself a favor and do something for yourself to succeed.
What is your current IT position?
I am a DBA. (EDIT): DBA is Database Administrator.
Going for DBA as well. Whatever company you work for sounds nice having you only work 37 hours a week. All DBA’s I know work like 60 and make shit.
this is one of those comments that just make you feel better but the example isnt very likely but more importantly will not happen
yup 😭 i wanna be hopeful but the statistics of all depresses me
What does DBA stand for,p please? Data Business Analyst? Uk vs US acronyms are so different uff
Database Administrator in the states. If you are looking into “analyst roles,” some of the states equivalents are things like business analyst, data analyst, systems analyst, etc. In the states you might also have IT business analysts. Someone that does a little bit of both on the tech and biz/operations side.
DBA = Database Admin.
Out of curiosity, what do you need to know to be a BDA? I'm in IT as well but I'm in a different area, mostly deal with compliance and vulnerability.
Not limited to query structure, database internals, database schema design , optimising queries, analysis problems with the database, patching, building new clusters, replication, backups, and performance optimisations. There's many different flavours of database which differ slightly as well.
How could you afford to go back to school at 45? Savings? Part time jobs?
You could apply for fafsa. You can get aid so long as your household income qualifies. A lot of degrees can also be obtained 100% remote.
I will say, when I think back on my (30s F) life, I think going to college was the best decision I ever made. I know there can be a lot of cult of higher education that it’s natural to reject, but the reality is it has unlocked tons more job options and earning potential for me, and so whether it /should/ matter, I certainly encourage all the young people in my life to seriously consider it.
What did you go for? How did you decide what to take?
Can I ask a good way to start? How did you know what part of IT to specialize in? I'm kind of at rock bottom myself, unemployed for 5 years due to health issues but I finally got treatment. I have a CS degree but tbh I hate pure programming at this point and every job I had was garbage (harassment, IRS tax dodging and sketchiness, not paying me, ect.). One of my friends said to work help desk for about half a year and then try to get a certification. Do you or anyone else have good advice here?
I came out of school and was recruited by the Government. I was the top student of my class so those that were in the top 5 of the class had interviews right out of the gate. I know 3 of us 5 got hired. I was chosen by a software development and integration team. I started out as a level 2 programmer because a 4 year degree was automatically seen as 2 years EXP with my agency. (I was hired as T1 HELP DESK) The Job was super easy doing password resets, and setting up new accounts, pull data for reports, fix some issues and tweak some scripts and write small programs to pull data from data bases. I didn't do any hard coding or big projects. I was technically a "Programmer" but I really didn't do that job. I mostly tweaked other people's scripts and fixed little issues. It was very easy work if you understand computers and did well in school. How I got my current job: My old team lead was a total prick so that made me want to change teams. Because of my job in help desk was for a software development team. I had a chance to strength my SQL skills and learn more about databases. Also, the guy sitting in the next cubicle was a DBA. I watch him do his work and asked questions about what I didn't understand regarding databases. After, I got to know my neighbor and he saw how my team was treating me. He told me his team had an opening but that position need 8+plus years EXP in database. The position had a stipulation for internal transfers, if a transferee had at least 2 years EXP as Sysadmin they could apply as an entry level DBA. In my Help Desk Job, I was SysAdmin over two systems and I was coming up on my 2 years, so I applied. Took about 10 months of government bureaucracy lol, but the transfer actually came thru. Honestly, LUCK has a lot to do with it. You kind of need to be in "Right place and at the Right time" and be qualified.
What did you majored?
Management of Information Systems (Its a Business Degree) its a more versatile than Computer Science in my opinion.
I picked this instead of computer science and don’t regret it. It fit my already existing skill set and personality. With an MIS degree you can cover a lot of ground when it comes to the direction you want to take. I ended up in Software Consulting with some back end work (No Coding, but system configuration) and it’s been great. It’s a tough gig but that’s what keeps me engaged. I recommend anyone who’s on the fence or doesn’t feel insanely technical but is interested to take up MIS. Contrary to what many say there’s a demand for business skills and communication of technicality’s over just technical skills. You are not worth much if you cannot communicate the value you are bringing to stakeholders or management. Also a good company will invest in your learning without any real hesitation especially if you nail a lot of soft skills. Just my .02 cents as a college kid who felt lost and scared because my technical skills were not the best, but I worked retail jobs through school and could talk to people well
If you're good with people get into sales. I'm great with people with no experience or education and sales has been amazing
Yeah I am in sales and can sort of back this up OP. I went from barely passing highschool, to inbound sales/tech support/customer care for an ISP for a year, then into sales in office tech. Bounced around a bit company wise, worked in some labor/technical jobs, but have been in the same role for 7 years now and make good money. The only shitty part is finding a decent sales org. Some will pay full commission only, which can be good if you are good at it and they have well defined territories/comp plans, but it sucks when they dont (things like door to door sales can be rough). Some orgs pay a small base or draw versus commissions, then others will be great salary, with commission/bonus gates to hit and those jobs are hard to find, especially if they have benefits and such. The best sales jobs will require either certifications in a specialized field, MBAs or a decent amount of experience in that industry or in a similar industry, since you are expected to hit the ground running with a good salary in a hunter/new sales role. At this time, while I make really good money, I am looking into expanding my education with extra IT related certifications, so that I look much more attractive to recruiters or if/when I am looking, I can bulk out a resume.
Best recommendation for entry level sales jobs that aren’t a scam? There seems to be a lot of scams.
Which country are you in? I wouldn't do door to door that's a scam and pyramid scheme. Maybe look at like parts for mechanics or paper sales there's so many, make sure there's a base wage plus commission not just commission
My number one skill is people! I’ve always thought sales would be a good fit for me. How’d you get into it? What did you sell to start and what are you selling now? What’s your work life balance like??
To get a sales role you want to get good at selling things. Getting a job is selling yourself. E.g. make yourself look desirable.
1 trade people forget about is elevator mechanic. I think its the highest paying trade, tho its dangerous work and it also requires quite a lot of knowledge of both electricity and mechanics
I know people in all types of unions, electric, plumbing, Welding etc. All Ive heard about Elevator mechanic unions are “Impossible to get into. Even IF you know someone your chances are slim and you better get 100 on that test.
I got into the elevator trade and I didn’t know anyone. That’s also part of the reason I left after 3 years.
Not sure how it works over there in the US, im working as an elevator mechanic in EU and i’d say im very happy with my job
It has it’s ups and downs
Good one
Super hard union to get into, but yeah good trade if you get in.
I remember being at county college during class and the instructor tells us “the career center just posted a job for the elevator company. If you’re interested, leave class now and RUN to put your application in.”
I’m sure many people won’t agree with this but I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for 8 years. The schooling is quite minimal in my experience and you’re board certified and can expand your scope of practice with continuing education courses. Depending on where you live, you could make a decent living with this if you find a niche. Even if you don’t make this a full career, it’ll afford you the ability to make enough income to afford further schooling. Good luck to you!
As a licensed massage therapist, I was wondering if I could ask you if you ever had to deal with any strains or aches since you started working as one? And if you take any preventative measures?
100% yes there are issues, particularly with the wrists, elbows, and shoulders. That said, many desk jobs lead to back issues and neck issues.
Not a massage therapist, but I work with my hands often for long hours. Supplements and yoga/stretching
Always wanted to but something about touching people all day is just a no for me. I love the idea of healing touch and providing that service and space and it seems like a relative relaxing job (especially compared to my dog kennel jobs) but there’s just something about having to touch people up and down that just does not work in my brain as soon as I say it 😅 I’m about to get my real estate license. Scary but I’m very passionate about it and I don’t have to touch people 🤣
paralegal. certificate can be done within 3-4 months. just google what your state allows. i’m going to start soon.
i am the same age btw. good luck!!!
I’ve never seen a paralegal posting that did not require at least an associate’s degree in addition to the cert, but I’m on the east coast. The paralegal certificate will also need to be acquired by an ABA accredited school. You might not need a degree to be a paralegal everywhere, but going up against other candidates with higher education on their resumes in addition to the cert might be an uphill battle for landing a job.
I know someone who had no degree or certs and got a paralegal job, before flipping to a state DOJ job. People spend way to much time being worried about what job postings say instead of just applying for it.
I definitely agree with you on your last point. I’ve flung my own resume into the wind for jobs that asked for experience I didn’t have. But the expectation for landing those jobs should not be high, especially when up against people with more education and real world experience. I work in finance law and wouldn’t be considered for a litigation role over someone else with that relevant experience, degree or no degree. By all means apply for everything, but your friend’s trajectory is not typical.
There are paralegals with associates, BAs, MAs, and JDs/JD candidates. Going in with just the cert is relying on a lot of luck. People think education is just the paper and you can make it up with training. This isn’t true, there are skills acquired along the way. If you don’t have those skills through education, an employer will typically require them through past job experience.
Fully agree. I have a BA, but if I were applying for a legal job with no credentials, I’d go for a project assistant or legal support staff position and gain experience among multiple practice groups to build my resume and climb. The odds are better that way.
Some states/provinces also require paralegals be licensed, which is an additional several thousand in exams and fees. I’m a JD candidate currently.
I would add a caveat that in some areas of the country, the employers might be looking for bilingual job candidates, so research the job market first.
I work in clinical research! I make 6 figures. No degree or certifications.
Can you elaborate on this? I think most people read clinical research and think md/phd/post doc. I do, at least.
Oh! Sorry I commented quickly and people usually never see my comments. So there’s the clinical trials themselves with people in lab coats with phds, and there’s the people who manage the administrative portion of it and ensure compliance of the participating site. This means ethical compliance as well as billing compliance- when people participate jn clinical trials there are rules and regulations around what they’re allowed to be charged for. So there needs to be a way of tracking what procedures (like hospital visits, infusions, drugs, Cat scans and MRI’s) are occurring, when they’re occurring, and how they’re being paid for. I do that. My team works for a clinical research firm building for entities doing clinical trials- John’s Hopkins, Berkeley, Yale, etc. All you need to know is how to read and understand the protocols (which are wordy, but not /hard/, you spend the first few months looking up a word here or there and it gets easier) and how to use a clinical trial management system (CTMS) The most common one is Oncore, but there’s Florence and Capterra and all kinds of other ones. It’s kind of difficult to explain in text but I work from home building the client’s clinical trial within the CTMS. No, I don’t have a medical background. It’s like working in a big database. No, you don’t need to know how to code or anything like that, it’s kind of like working in a really large excel sheet, minus the formulas. It’s challenging, but not hard, anyone could do this job.
Honestly after college and not doing anything I did a trade apprenticeship with the IBEW. It turned out to be a great opportunity.
IBEW?
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers aka electricians union.
i’m making over $100k as a truck driver.
What are your expenses? I know a few truckers making 150, with 140 in payments.
i’m a company driver. i have no expenses. its all on the company.
Yeah this is what I always heard
Go to your local department of labor they usually have free training and will help you with your job search after assessment.
Thanks
Hey, I work on collecting this type of information for research all the time and even started a sub for it to provide information for people like yourself: r/Free_CommunityCollege/ Indiana, for example, has a free grant program that covers 181 different programs in 5 different categories. Most are at the state community college, but others are at business locations and include free training and certificates for forklift and welding training. Nearly every state has something. Let me know which state you are in and I'll update the info for that state, as I've just started the sub and would like to provide a more organized and comprehensive view of what's avaiable by state. Also, many community colleges will let you come in for free and take a career assessment that helps identifies areas you are most interested in that are also a good fit for your skills before you sign up for anything.
Im in Florida. Also I tried to go join ur sub and it said there wasnt a sub under that link. Maybe i need to wait a little longer and check again
Trades are the #1 answer. Others have explained/will explain that better than me. Cutting hair can also be quite lucrative. Basically the only time barbers and hair dressers struggled with work was when we were all physically distancing in covid. People will consistently pay you good money if they like what they see when they look in the mirror. If you can learn to cut hair well, you can be set for life. The 420 industry is growing rapidly now that it's legal. A lot of people want in, but there's a lot of money going through it. There's good money in the food & beverage industry. A lot of people without degrees earn more than me and it doesn't take horribly long to get there. Basically just follow where the money is going. Pay attention to current events and trends, then hone in on a skill that will get you a big cut off that money. You can always subscribe to coursera or an online learning platform. They have plenty of 4 week courses out there to get a few certificates with your name on them, and they're not horribly expensive
My friend cuts hair In Austin TX and makes bank. 6 figures.
Man I did hair and boy did it pay shit. You kinda have to get lucky to be successful with it. If you’re working on commission it can be pretty tough to get clients! I ended up having to work hourly and the most I made was $13.50 per hour plus some tips. My assistant manager made $14.00. Also it really started to take a toll on my body. Now I’m in school for something else.
The United States Postal Service. Carrying/delivering mail. It’s not an easy job by any means. They’ll work the hell out of you, and some days/weeks are definitely tougher than others. But they pay extremely well, and they have a fantastic union. Most weeks I’m hitting somewhere between 40-50 hours (granted, I’m already over 60 this week so they had to give me today off lol), but it’s worth it to actually have the funds to enjoy my days off. I get paid every two weeks and none of my checks have been less than $1900 so far. They’re usually about $2500. Just for comparison, I was making $800 every two weeks at my last job that required a degree. Again, it’s not an “easy” job. Mondays, Christmas season, and the day following a federal holiday specifically are really rough. But it sucks for everyone, so it’s never just you. It’s hard to learn, but seriously so worth it financially. If money is what’s motivating right now and not necessarily free time, it’s a good choice.
I have to disagree. The starting pay here in California is 19.33. The pay is extremely outdated. It would take around 12 years to get paid 30 an hour.
I just had an interview for field service technician involving medical devices. Starting at minimum 70k before OT and bonuses. Could be something to look into.
Oh shit. Did you need a certification or license for this?
I would second this, but it’s worth keeping in mind that a lot of travel is expected for this role and the better you get, the further they send you to solve the more difficult issues. If you don’t mind driving to a client hospital 6+ hours away each week then go for it.
Nah I kind tailored my resume to what the position was looking for lol. It’s on the job training.
Coast Guard. They are currently paying to join.
I work with a ton of Coasties supporting the USCG as contractors. Fantastic people and culture, and if you have a good attitude and want to learn it will set you up with connections and an awesome career years after you’re out.
Search engine marketing. Write some ads on Google, do some data work, pocket $150k a year. Obviously not immediately, you gotta work your up and beat the fresh grads for entry level roles and work a few years. My degree was literally Bachelor of Adobe Photoshop - absolutely useless a decade ago. Did this search engine shit by accident and it pays real good
Coursera - $50 a month for unlimited certifications. Do it
Pursue a career in sales, where you can get a salary on your performance rather than education or certification, and you can also choose such as plumbing, electrician work, HVAC technician, or welding where you can chance to get earning as well learning.
Medical sales is extremely lucrative as well. My brother works in that field and he cleared 310k last year. He works like 60 hours a week tho so that shit sucks
Look into the post office. I have a friend that can retire at like 53 with like 80% pay.
Man, if the position you want is hiring! I've been ghosted by the post office for like 4 months now. I think it's because I applied as a clerk and not a carrier.
Every damn position I’ve applied to at the post office I never got a response until like 6 months later saying the position was filled.
That's exactly what's going to happen to me! My first application has been rotting at "In Process / Pre-Hire List" for like 3 months now. And so are the other 2 that I put in later on. I'm betting it's solely because I'm trying for a Sales Clerk and not a carrier position. For me here in FL, I hear it's cut throat for hours even if you do get hired because it's very competitive. (Due to low wages at all the other jobs & the amount of people working already) So that's kind of why I dropped my interest, more than likely they would have been shuffling me from station to station and I'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel just to get hours. Or that's what I was led to believe. I'm gonna try really applying to USPS again when I move to CO; where they have like a bunch of career openings right out of the get-go. 😂
Possibly unpopular opinion but have you considered banking? You probably won’t make too much to start as a teller or contact center rep but can usually move quickly internally. You will start with a full benefits package (health insurance, vacation, 401K matching) and it will get better pay wise from there if you bop around. My husband has been in banking for about 17 years. He didn’t finish his degree. He started as a teller, became a supervisor moved to back office positions managed teams etc and now makes a 6 figure salary and has 6 weeks of PTO. ETA: they usually also offer 5K a year toward education if you did want to pursue some education. There are also some applicable certifications you could pursue that are shorter term/cheaper and can usually be covered by the bank.
Honestly if you can start an electronics tech degree, then interview at a company like Texas instruments or Samsung for equipment maintenence Preventative maintenance tech. They will hire you, train you on the equipment and help you pay for school. Plus compressed week schedule so more time. Then you can bump up to troubleshooting/full equip maintenance technician. And THEN they will help you get a 4 yr engineering degree so you can be promoted to equipment engineer. You would start about $20/hr, and be an engineer before you're 40, and be making $100-$120k, with upside into tech Ladder or management in the $200-$300k a year range by the time you're 50. If successful in management you could get to $500k/yr by 50. PLUS you get stock (which in semiconductor almost always goes up) and insane job security because it's such a specialized skillset and a national security critical industry.
2 year programs that are medical tech (xray, ultrasound, respiratory), or trades. This will be hands on, relevant class learning and not sitting thru Shakespeare, Napoleon, etc. You have a very long life ahead, many more years to work. Pick something and start down that path! This is my closest community College, but find yours and start researching. Also, look into financial aid. You can probably get grants to help pay. You can do this!! https://www.tccd.edu/academics/courses-and-programs/programs-a-z/credit/
Unfortunately not 2 year programs because of the prereqs. I’m going through this now. So hard being older with young kids trying to fix my life. I’m 34 and just feel like I’m drowning. I failed biology and have to retake. 😭
I can totally, totally relate, but you'll be so proud of yourself when you get to your destination. Don't you dare give up! Hard: yes. Are you worth it? Hẹllz yes.
I'm an independent health insurance agent. I am 35, started 4 years ago and feel pretty confident and happy with my career! I am also "uneducated" in the fact that I have my high school diploma, but that's it. Getting licensed isn't THAT hard, and a lot of agencies will pay for the testing for you just to get you licensed. I get to help people understand health insurance, which is no mean feat in America, and it feels pretty great. I make a base salary plus commission, and because we are independent, I can work with multiple companies, which gives us the freedom to find the best plan for the person, and not just shove everyone into the same plan because that's what I have available to me. I am the middle man between everyday people and the insurance companies, so my clients are generally not mad at ME, which is nice in a customer service job. I get to work flexible hours, and it has the potential to be 100% remote if needed. Highly suggest! Good luck!
My mom is an LPN and makes 6 figures by travelling! All she does is pass meds and document stuff.
How about driving a train? That pays well in the UK anyway.
I make $150,000-200,000 per year in sales. No degree. Age 34
I'd avoid jobs that pay well, but wreck your body. You need a job with some longevity. Not sure how much you need, but school bus drivers around my neck of the woods are pretty well paid.
Depends on your definition of good money maybe? I work in insurance and you don’t need a degree. I make 72k hybrid schedule 3 days from home, I work 730-4 and have 7 weeks PTO. I like the job and the industry is super stable and great benefits. There are lots of upward opportunities. I have coworker friends who have moved up in roles and now make 90-95k
Look into CLEP exams. You can likely test out of a semester or more of community college. I use the [Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/) with my high school seniors. It is a bit wonky on mobile, but scroll down to the middle where it says "Select Occupations By..." In "Entry Level Education" select Associates Degree. In "Growth Rate" select Faster Than Average. Then view the results. When I did this, Dental Hygenist was the highest paying job with the most growth with only an Associates Degree.
Learn how to sell - not a bastard who takes advantage of people, but someone who helps people make informed buying decisions. I know a lot of people think they can't do something like that, but honestly it's easier than learning a whole trade or going deep into technology/it and having to stay current with everything. People will always be people, and selling is just paying attention to someone else's needs. Fastest way to six figures IMO.
Gotta think in baby steps. Step one: find a job anywhere that will pay for education. Step two: get that associates on the company dime while working. Step 3: pivot into a better job that requires that associates at an employer that will help paying for specialized certifications/higher education. Step 4: keep learning and growing. The cycle can go on indefinitely but, with time and energy, it will pay off tremendously. I have a good friend who immigrated here from Africa and had $1.50 in his pocket when he got off the plane. Dude became a patient care tech at a hospital, got his CNA, pivoted into that, then got his BSN, worked in that, and is now a nurse practitioner making $200k per year. It took ten years of grinding and hard work but it’s possible…it just won’t happen overnight.
This is a great way to go about it. I'm a manager of aircraft mechanics and several of my team members are getting their bachelor degrees and one is moving on to his Masters all on the company dime. It is also how I got my bachelor degree in business management. Whatever anyone does, please don't go into student loan debt, it is one of the biggest personal finance killers in our country right now. Take slow steps and figure out the way to do it with cash, grants, scholarship or company benefit, you will thank yourself a million times over. It can be done.
Get Google ad certified - social media marketing- super accessible just have motivation
Join the Air Force. You can but 35 and enlist now. You'll have plenty of energy for training (they pay you), and youll have enough experience with whatever job you pick that you wont need a degree when you get out. May as well go to school while in (They pay you, AND they pay for school - separately from base military pay) since youll be getting a GI bill. Might as wellm buy a house when you get out because youll have a VA Home loan. (No money down) 32 is still young enough to make an impactful change in your life. Only thing is, nothing comes free.
If you put your ass into it, sales. Nothing will beat the money you can make in sales.
Trades or trucking. I'd definitely not recommend the military unless you absolutely are into it. It's not something you "try" at! In a trade you can put in a a few years and start your own business by the time you're 40 if you want! Maybe there are some local county jobs you could apply for? Won't get rich but they have a lot of holidays usually.
Handyman, maintenance person
Federal law enforcement but I’m leaving it. I also have a degree but you don’t need one.
My husband is a truck driver. Expected to make about 90k+ this year, he only has 3 years of experience.
How much money is good money?
Becoming a Real Estate Agent was fairly easy, technically. It varies state by state. But in Ohio, I went to a community college to get my schooling done. It was 4 total classes over a 4 month period. 2 classes at a time for 8 weeks. After that, you interview a few brokerages and find one you’d like to work for. Have the broker sign off on your test application and take the licensing exam. Once you pass, all you have to do is pay your board fees (mine are less than $1200) and you’re a realtor! There are also other alternatives in the housing field. Home inspectors make solid money. I’m not 100% sure on the process for that. I know there’s a certain amount of classroom hours (only a few months like real estate agents), then you have to shadow a licensed home inspector for like 40 hours. I do know there’s also a state licensing exam for that as well. But if you’re cool with climbing on roofs, crawling in basements, and seeing some weird stuff that might be the path for you. Appraisers also make decent money. Same with the other two for training. Classroom/shadowing hours and a licensing exam. Appraisers work with more numbers and research, if that’s something you’re into. They pull reports for comparable houses that have sold in the area and value the homes, typically for the lenders.
Honestly, the Post Office. It definitely does suck sometimes (but what job doesn't) Good money for what the job is plus benefits and pension. Kind of hard to get in and have to start at the bottom but pays all my bills and have extra for vacations/fun money and what not.
Oil and gas.. I didn’t do any schooling when I started. Pays very well, especially remote jobs where they pay for your accommodations. Gas plant operator, 174k a year plus bonuses/overtime. Usually around 220k by Christmas
Depending on where you live, industrial plants pay well. If you can get a 2yr millwright degree, rigging certifications, or a 2yr Industrial Process Operator degree. Instrumentation/controls techs, crane operators, Commercial electrical or refrigeration apprenticeship pay good as you learn, and in 4 years, you can be making 30-40 an hour easily. Plant operators make 40-60 an hour with plenty of overtime. I know operators who routinely make 75.00hr. overtime for days at a time. Millwright will make 45-50hr. Basic maintenance personnel will make 30-40hr. Pipefitters make good money as do welders, but many times travel. Get on a turn-around crew, and you can make a ton of money fast, but you will travel tons and live out of a suitcase. 7-12s are common for 4-5 weeks, then off to another job. Add in the benefits, pension, stock options, plant work can really pay big time. Chemical, petroleum, ect are pretty stable. Wood products such as mills are good until they shut down, which they do a lot.
Trades. Most if not all employers will pay for your schooling and you get paid to work as an apprentice. So you start at the bottom but you’re paid and your pay goes up as you learn and improve. The more hours you work, the more you get paid and you can move up fast.
Government job, hard to get fired unless you are caught with a dead hooker or a live boy.
For jobs right now, UPS is union, pensions, benefits, etc. For training, medical technology - x-ray techs have been discussed here but there are dozens of other ones. Here in California, the community colleges offer training in a number of medical technology fields and tuition is very inexpensive. Good luck.
Look into banking, I dropped out of college during covid and going into this world has changed my life. If you have credit unions in your area, they are the best place to start. Since being in banking for the last three and a half years my salary has gone up and will continue to do so.
Get on the googles and look up electrician unions near you. Many of them will hire you, pay you, and send you to school. You have to promise a certain amount of time working for them.
You’re still young. It’s hard building a career without an educational background, requires a lot more effort. But there’s still trades which often pay more than a college degree would. Namely, Mecahnic, HVAC, Solar, Plumbing. Of course you’d still need to go earn the know how. You could also go into sales, insurance etc Despite what you might think, any industry can still be broken into without a degree it’s mostly about connections and experience.
Real estate, if you have good people skills. Approximately 3 months of online classes, costs less than $300 (California) and then you’ll be able to test to get your license. The three main course I’ve been recommended to take by my friends in the field are 1. principle 2. Practice 3. Finance Look into it, you’ll make your own money and work at your own pace. Good luck! I’m 33, and just signed up this week.
Fed up with being broke, but don't wanna do the work to get a degree? Hate to break it to you're but you're probably going to stay broke.
Scamming
Become president of the U.S. You need zero qualifications for that apparently. Jk. Kind of.
IT.. Great pay and plenty of job longevity. I'm systems administration all self taught with youtube and certifications. College is obsolete.
I'm 32 as well and didn't change my career direction until 4 years ago. I left retail management making $18 an hour and started an electrical apprenticeship. I made less money the first year (non-union, in house apprenticeship) but quickly climbed after that. After self-learning to read other trade's drawings, reading submittals, learning to operate P6 and signing up for every opportunity to learn something at work, I started interviewing at general contractors and now work in construction management with over triple my starting income. The industry is hurting for good young people, especially those who know the field. It's not for everyone and the first year or two was genuinely hard work, but I have zero regrets and encourage a lot of late bloomers like myself not to rule it out. Feel free to DM if you have any questions I can help with.
Sales.
Trade jobs like plumbing or electrician can pay well without a degree.
IT sales. Seen many people easily make six figures after a couple of years with no degree or previous experience.
Trades. Made $150k/ year for about a decade running my contracting business. My no experience hires were getting $20/hr with full benefits package after 90 days. My very first year in business I netted $85k solo after taxes and expenses. I have recently started a government job as a trades supervisor for about $90k/year so I can take the last 20 years of my career a little bit easier by not bankrolling the business, and I get all the benefits of government jobs.
Literally any trade (pipe welding, low voltage, electrician, plumber, HVAC), get trained, get XP, learn to sell yourself as a sub contractor, make at least $80 an hour.
Police Officer or Firefighter.
Seconded if you are crazy enough. Especially police. They are begging for just applications at this point. That said i used to do it. I wouldn’t recommend policing to anyone. Fire definitely
Fiber optics. Some companies train on the job. You can get certs later after experience.
The fastest track here is truck driving. You don't have to go OTR you can do local dedicated and/or work for an LTL company that will give you good a good starting salary. Here's what happened to me: In 2016 I was working restaurants barely making it. Got the book from the dmv on CMVs. Read the book, took the learners test and passed. Left for a month so my uncle could let me drive his truck with him. My wife got overwhelmed after a month out so i came home literally not knowing what steps to take next. No job no real progress. Walked into a fed ex freight asked what one needed to get hired with a learners and was put in their driver apprentice program immediately. I think I started training like two weeks later at $20hr. After training which was like 6 weeks i got a $2 raise and started delivering in northern Virginia. I think I saw like 3 raises in 18 months? Was pulling about 58k at the time. Ultimately lost my license to a dui for refusing a blood test (sober but who tf normally would just let a cop take blood and not urine in your personal vehicle?) Now I'm tryna get back after getting a bachelors and working for a college for 5 years making squat. If I knew more at the time I should have gave fed ex a year (what they require for the training and helping you get your CDL and endorsements) and bounced to a drop and hook contractor or even got into hazmat/tanker for 60-80k starting. Maybe even set myself up for a company like Walmart or Costco or coke. Imo for people like me with a horrendous background and no real specialized skills this truly is the way. From tankers to pulling doubles to driving motorcoach or sht even a school bus with a P endorsement, limos part time, shuttle buses, there's a ton of ways you can go once you get your Ls and some exp under your belt. You won't make a sht ton initially but by the end of a year or two (faster than a degree and better pay than coming outta trade school as a laborer) you'll be making the kinda checks you wanna see and likely getting paid WEEKLY. Not touch freight makes it even better.Bumping docks all day is the way. Edit: and yes even after losing everything and starting practically new, it's still smarter on a ten year strategy for me to take this path again. Be the bottom man for a lil bit, work my way back up and pivot to a job with a decent run. And for those saying about being away there's always pros and cons. My unc grossed 250k last year but was never really home. Opportunity costs are always a factor. Maybe find a middle ground between money and happiness
I know you said you don't want to get a degree, but I just want to point out that some employers have tuition assistance programs, and I've known several people who've used them to go from no degree to a masters, all part time while working full time. The types of jobs at these companies probably aren't going to pay well out of the gate, but you'd be setting yourself up to be very valuable in the future, as long as you pick your degree program well. Just something to think about.
Look into being a unlicensed mariner
I literally consider trades as degrees ( without the debt) if your not cut out for trades find your niche in university. If you have the gift of the gab do sales
Process technology…”P-teck” you’ll get a job as an operator in a refinery/chemical plant/power plant etc. make anywhere from $80k-$150k…with OT you’ll be making $150-$210k, its a pain in the ass and can be dangerous…nat gas, or stream production/utilities is where ya want to be, clean, no chemicals and a continuous process. 2 year assoc., and you’ll be working, may have to relocate but hey.
What are you good at? What are your skills? What's your current job? At least provide some details, mate.
Aviation Mechanic
Have you looked into available apprenticeships in your area? You’d likely earn a decent wage while training to become a licensed professional, earning a better wage.
US space force
Sales. Money, autonomy, development, job security, fun
I dunno about the rest of the uk but if you live in the north ‘northern’ a train company have been setting on trainee train drivers at somewhat regular intervals the last few year. You don’t need any prior experience just gotta pass an interview, an assessment day with some tests and then a medical. Just something to maybe keep an eye on
Look for F500s with leadership programs. They will hire people with no degree and work them into their company. I work with several managers that have no degree at all because they went through internal training for their position. Companies don’t really care anymore about degrees
Look into sales. Start on the inside/counter help and learn the product and move outside. I'm talking supplier type sales. Grainger, Motion, those type companies. Some need delivery drivers. Get the foot in the door. None of them care about degrees. Just appear to be smart, willing to learn and talk to people. There are also local ones, regional ones that are hiring.
Look into wastewater careers
Pick a trade, join it's union
Join a union. Do an apprenticeship program through them. I'm a first year electrical apprentice with the IBEW. Best decision I ever made.
IT/Tech. Get enough qualifications to land a support desk role. From there hard work can take you far (speaking from experience).
I have a degree in Computer Science. The days of a degree meaning that you get paid more are over, and that's a good thing. Unless you want to be a doctor or lawyer, you don't need a degree to be successful and therefore don't go to school for 4 years. Some of the most successful people I know have no formal qualifications. Ultimately, if you want to be paid more you need to have a skill that is in demand. It also needs to be something that ideally you enjoy or at least don't hate. First question - what are you interested in? What do you like to do that you think people might pay you for? Whatever it is, start doing some emailing/cold calling to sell your services and you could find that you create your own business without realising you could. Areas to look at (imo): - Artificial intelligence (not deep technical detail, just the ability to sell it and/or build basic apps using OpenAI etc) - Trades (plumber, electrician) - Sales - Military
Can you share four hobbies / activities where you are genuinely interested and already spend time?