Decent paying jobs for people without a bachelors?

[Mr Nice]

motor_oil_madman,

What are you currently doing for income ?

I remember you mentioned black boogers from inhaling welding smoke. I sent you a PM back then.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: Vuflanovsky
Originally Posted By: JOD
my advice: focus on your education. Lots of folks on here are anti-school, ant-college for some reason, but the reality it that earnings are higher, unemployment lower, and opportunities are more diverse for people with a 4 year degree. Find something in which you're interested and pursue an education in it.

Sure, some people are successful without it, but you're only increasing your chances of success with a better education.

I particularly love how folks use Bill Gates as an example of "success without schooling". By the time he even got to college, Gates had probably spent more hours at UW's computer lab than most graduate students... The opportunities afforded Gates at University were instrumental to his success, regardless of the anti-education narrative some would like to spin.


I've gotta agree. While the value of a Bachelor's degree has probably diminished somewhat in recent years, the value of only having a high school diploma has diminished further.

With or without a degree, you largely create your own opportunities.

What slays me is some folks on here equating a 40 hour a week office job as "cush". Having worked industrial jobs in my early career and transitioning to office work, I can tell you that it's much rarer to have an industrial job stress you out of your mind than an office job. In my experience, office jobs tend to be more detailed, more focused, and more immediately accountable...I've gotta assume these folks have never worked in an office.
Have you ever worked a job where you put in 70 hours a week? No air conditioning? A 40 hour week in an office is a cush job compared to that.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I like big trucks, heavy equipment, trains, hydraulics, boats, diesel engines, hydraulics. etc.
Heavy equipment mechanic.

 

[BRZED]

Join the merchant marine as an AB (able seaman). You can make 10 grand a month plus a hefty bonus if you are not a slacker. A typical roundtrip to and back from China lasts about 3 months. You'd go on two or three trips per year with months of offtime in between. You would do physical labor, for example help load and unload the ship, have cleaning duties, service and mainatain equipment, check the cargo, help operate the ship, stand watch. The drawback is being out to sea for months in a usually all male community. If you have a spouse, the job can be a strain on the relationship, or a relief. You can do this job into your 50's then it gets rough.

 

[Mr Nice]

Heavy equipment mechanics make over $45,000 per year.

That's why I asked what the OP is currently doing cause he said he would like to make $40-45K per year. The company I work for has paid internships in that range so its $20-22 an hour.

Job market is not so great, few places want to train unless its a purple squirrel.

 

[eljefino]

^ Do they use US based crews though? I figured since they register most such ships in Liberia they sketched out on crews as well.

If a ship doesn't go from US port to US port, as I understand it, it doesn't need Americans on its crew.

 

[BRZED]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ Do they use US based crews though?


Crews consist of mixed nationalities. There are many US seamen in the merchant marine.

 

[crazyoildude]

WOW around here they are making over $100,000 after a few year and when they climb the ladder and become captain its even more they retire with a great package and some of them are making $7000.00 a month and more plus social security sitting home. same with the port authority P.D.
Im not kidding look it up I have a friend that retired at 44 and says he wins the lottery every month when he goes to his mail box. You can also start your own business if you are good at anything. Owning your own business is still the best way.

 

[IndyIan]

Maybe get another couple crews in your landscaping business and just sell and supervise?
If you've never done a desk job, you might find its not all that great to be stuck to one all day every day. I like getting out in a truck and getting into the field when ever I can.

 

[stockrex]

welding,
CAD
make around $100k

 

[Joel_MD]

I have a cousin who worked as a sales rep for a company that represented several different brands of HVAC equipment. He was on the road from Sunday evening until Thursday afternoon and worked really hard. He didn't have a college degree but made about $100k a year plus travel expenses.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
welding,
CAD
make around $100k


I thought welding was not a steady field, sometimes there is no work... or you work contract to contract ?

 

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: sleddriver
As a first step, I'd suggest reading the book "What Color is Your Parachute?" and doing ALL OF THE EXERCISES.

A paradigm-shift may be in order as well. If you think it's too much work/boring/etc., ask yourself how many of your peers are doing this? Also remind yourself this is for your OWN personal development, not anyone elses. This is an investment into YOU. This isn't for some dumb test or grade or piece of paper either, it's about and for YOUR future. Thus you need to take an inventory...of yourself...find out what you have...what tools are in your toolbox. Start with what you have.

Another useful guide is the TAP manual. You can read it here. TAP


Agree, it is rare that stuff will just fall into your lap when you "decide" on something.
You need to make a conscious effort and have a plan to a goal and a series of specific steps to get to that goal.
If you're not making these steps and just chatting on the internet, nothing is going to happen.


As far as the bill gates, zuckerberg, allen, abe lincoln, insert pro athlete here.
Sure you don't need a degree to be rich.
But that's a child's answer on why an 8year old doesn't want to go to school and fails practical logic.
Because a very few successful people didn't go to school doesn't mean the probability of success turns into a 50/50 coin flip because it's a binary yes/no outcome.

Unless you are gates, zuckerberg, etc, you better give yourself some fallback skills to increase your statistical odds of success.

 

[xfactor9]

You have to do something few others want to do because it's too unpleasant or dangerous.

When I had a leaky roof, it was hard to find someone to come fix it because the job fairly small, and since it's a dangerous job there are few people who would do it. I eventually paid someone over $200 for 1 hour of work -- mostly just labor.

There's a guy around here who installs rooftop TV antennas. He charges $300 labor for 3 hrs of work. He can do 2-3 jobs a day. That's minimum $150k per year.