I graduated college at age 22 with a degree in Psychology and started working for Farmers Insurance Group as a Multi Line claims adjuster for a few years. Then, went back to IT school and got my MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and did Information Technology for about 10 years. The web and IT was exploding back then. Started working and was hired right away as a Systems Engineer for a medium size company. Then, worked for King County in Washington State for a few years toward the end of that 10 year stint as a Web Infrastructure Architect. Lots of good experience but did not like the government environment at all. Pay was great but management is non existant or did not care about anything but retiring, bad decisions made left and right, no leadership, money wasted. My wife and I later started running our own business with good success and have been doing so for the last 6 years. We now have 13 employees. But, if I was to do it all over again I would have gone into the medical field and/or technologies. Hugh demand, consistent need for it over time, lots of opportunities....always.

 

I always knew I would go to college and be an engineer. But you really have no credibility unless you can operate or repair machinery, or plan an 8 hour shift and have 11 people productive and loading coal despite machinery breakdowns or work conditions that change.

I suffer now physically from that young man- can do anything attitude, when you should take better care of your body. I worked five years in a coal seam where you could not stand up straight.

Just be sure to read a lot and think about how to make money working after that first or second job demands you to move on to something else.

 

Well Bluescrew, i should stuck with trying to make it in pro hockey. I played semi-pro down in Texas back in the late 70s in Amarillo for the wranglers and had a chance to move up but choose to go home and start a career. Went to BCIT. Now a traffic manager for a company in Langley. If i had to do it again i would have gotten a trade then apply to be a firefighter. Good luck,Roy.

 

Got out of high school and went straight into electroncis school. Hired on at 19 as a field tech. 31.5 years later (last March) with the same company, got laid off along with the rest of the techs around the country. It was cheaper to use contractors. It was a good ride while it lasted. Worked in San Fransisco, and Denver at a secure DOD site. Also spent time in the Bering Sea on the USNS Obeservation Island supporting the Cobra Judy radar tracking program. Now I am a contractor doing about the same thing as before but not making quite the same money yet. Had a few certifications along the way but they expired and got to busy to keep up with them. I too am at a crossroad trying to decide if I should keep on contracting or try something new. I trust in Him to guide me onto what's needed.


Dale

 

Been turning wrenches pretty much all my life. Everything from lawnmowers to M1 tanks on 3 different continents. I've tried the management thing and didnt like it. Cant see myself doing anything else. Pulled 6 1/2 yrs in the Army, could have retired 6 yrs ago if I had stayed but I dont regret anything.

 

I am so glad to see this thread. I was actually thinking of starting my own "what should I do" thread.

I really want to get the gears turning in a better direction. I could easily love so many jobs but I want to be a part of something and challenged everyday at work. I think I want to get into construction or anything physically demanding. I have a 4 year degree in Business under my belt and can't see me ever being happy behind a desk.

I have done low paying seasonal gigs around Alaska to explore the state and fund my adventures but I want to move onto something exciting. I have considering underwater welding (heard the market is horrible and jobs are hard to find), diesel mechanic (heavy equipment or boats) and even an airplane mechanic while also wanting to learn welding.

I just want to be hands on I guess but I have no idea where to start. I guess I am afraid of that leap as well. I don't have much to lose at this rate and I don't have mouths or pets to feed so what am I waiting on? I guess I don't want to commit to something that I am not sure I will entirely love and quite frankly it kills me.


I am 26 btw and visited Alaska right after graduation. Gave up a management job with Walgreen's to come here and haven't looked back but man the money would be nice. I don't regret that choice however, I feel like I have learned a ton about myself by moving up here and throwing myself into big messes all the time.

 

Well thanks to those who gave me reps for being young and insightful, but they were not needed but greatly appreciated, even got me my next greenie!!

 

thanks for all those posts, guys! love hearing this stuff.

 

Im 23 years old been a cnc machinist/programmer at an aerospace company for almost 7 years now and I love it. I have a bachelors in business management and will be going for my masters soon. I would love to open my own machine shop. Something about taking a raw chunk of metal and turning it into a part worth thousands of dollars is pretty interesting. At least to me lol. I would get in with a company that has tuition reimbursement. You'd be surprised how many do. Ill have an MBA without spending a dime on college. Just my. 02

 

Electronics and video in high school (late 70's), electronics in the Navy, studio engineer in a TV station (digital video in mid-80's), industrial electronics, then shifted focus to industrial electronics in food processing.

You wouldn't believe what's being developed in sensors for produce: Digital cameras recognize color, defects, and blemishes; Near-IR sensors find internal damage; load cells weigh each piece at high speed; then a bank of high-speed computers compile the data and grade each product and sort them. A field crop goes in, sorted and categorized product comes out.

My job isn't within a country mile of being in danger unless everybody around the world cuts way back on eating... or something unforseen happens to me personally (knocking on wood).

 

I saw a quote recently...

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”


Winston Churchill

 

I joined the Air Force while I was in High School; after graduation I left for basic, tech school and then three different bases in four years, where I worked on jets as an Environmental Systems Tech (oxygen, A/C pressurization, mechanical accessories). Then I cross-trained to become a Boom Operator ( had three officers pick me up & take me to work, where I laid on my belly for hours passing gas in a KC-135)! In other words, I refueled aircraft in-flight.

The Air Force gave me many opportunities; I've visited over 25 countries and many states (United States of America is THE BEST!).

Then the boss made me his senior enlisted advisor (Command Chief Master Sergeant). The pinnacle of my career was leading all USAF enlisted forces in OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM in 2003.....an awesome experience!

After 30 years, by law, I had to retire.....I miss the troops and the life!

Better still, God gave me a great wife and five wonderful children.

I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING!

 

Thank you for your service man. I have goose bumps!

 

Hi All
What a great idea to ask around. I just it 60 & as I look back I can say that I'm grateful that my life went as well as it has. Don't get me wrong there have been plenty of tears, heartache, foolish, stupid times but I'm loving my life today because I know I'm ahead of 90% of the planet. As I look back it would have been nice to have someone to help me have confidence in myself & maybe take a few more risks but its fine.
Today I know that the more I try to love people & accept things the way they are and change ME the better my life is. Thanks for asking

 

Mike, if you are considering a trade school I would say that it is a very good choice.

When I was in 11th grade in high school I attended a high school alternative trade school. On the first day I was supposed to be in auto body but it was full so I went to the machining class. After one school year of class I was able to land an apprenticeship
at a large industrial machine shop. I worked there for four years while they payed for my college. Unfortunately I was fired right after completing my apprenticeship.

After that I worked in a job shop for a few months before getting my current job at a tool and die shop. For the last 11 years I have ran CNC EDM machines as well as doing other machining out in the main shop. I now run the EDM dept that consists of three CNC machines and one manual machine.

Trade school is a viable option, the cost can be less, there may be programs in place to help you pay for school, And employers often hire the good students directly from trade school.