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Boys and Girls that didn't go to college...


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Where do you work, what do you do, and do you make good money? Better yet, how did you land the job you are in? anyone hiring?

 

Here is my story, after high school i had a opportunity to make very good money, for an 18 year old kid. I chose to work hard at a job, instead of working hard at school. Now I am kicking the crap out of myself, and I really regret not going to school. I still make good money, but I hate going to work everyday, I am burned out more and more as the days go on. I am trying to find a new career, but nobody, will pay me my current wage let alone cover insurance. I am never fun to be around at work or at home, that really bothers me. I have to find a way to change jobs so I can better myself, yet it seems out of reach. thanks for hearing my rant, off to search monster.com.

 

tom

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im in the same boat...after HS i was delivering pizza (which doesnt sound great, but i was making like 15$/hr, and about 10 of it tax free:)) so i did that for a while...got sick of it, got a job doing collections, set work schedule, never changes, make a little under 10$/hr plus chance to bonus monthly (usually about 500-1000/month when i hit)...i wish i went to school, but at this point, with my bills, and having to work to keep things like my apartment, car, insurance, groceries, etc i cant stop working to go back to school
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I went to callege for graphic design but never finished. I now work for Natrionwide out in Dublin make great money for what i do. I went through tech systems as a contractor and was brought on as a employee after a year and a half.

 

PM if you want more details we are always bringing people on.

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and just to add...i know my boss has been with this company about 10 years, makes a little over 50k/year base plus bonuses...he never went to college, just like most of the supervisors here...i know the president of the company at this location is making over 200k/year, but im sure he has plenty of post HS education
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I don't really see the point of college unless your going into a field that would require the type of training you'd get in school like a Doctor or other type of profession where alot of close hands on training by educators would be required.

What do you do now? If your imaginative you can find a way to use the skills you have to do something else that might be more fun. You could then keep moving in the direction you wanna go until you get there. For us that didn't go to college its either that or stop everything and go back to school. You could also do evening classes or whatever. I don't know I have a great job that pays great and is tolerable, but I guess I won't really ever be happy about work until I don't have to work again ever, but thats just me:-) I've been thinking lately that I might someday look into teaching at a tech school or something. I've heard alot about people who've had a lot of experience in there field moving on to teach and that might be something I'd like to do. I believe in teaching from experience more than I do teaching from the books anyway.

 

Oh and also my job is a highly technical one and about 95% of the people in it are just hands on smart guys that can do electronic and mechnical types of repairs. There is the other 5% that wish they didn't have college loans to pay for.

 

Evan

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I worked full time and went to college part time. So it took me 13 years to complete college, I also had 13 years of experience in management in my field, and graduated debt free.

 

A lot of companies have tuition assitance as well. If you want to do it, you can. It just isn't gonna be a 4 year fraternity kegger.

 

Your earning potential with a degree is much higher than just a high school education. Sure there are exceptions, but they are few and far between.

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I sometimes wonder if I would be a lot better if I had gone to school as well. I currently work for an asphalt company and honestly like what I do. I get to work outside all day and play with equipment like backhoes and bobcats. I like doing physical work and moving around all the time doing different things. 2 years in and I'm making in the mid-thirties which isn't bad.

You can't go wrong with school, at the very least it won't hurt you. I will probably go back at some point myself.

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Both the following are true and add up

Your earning potential with a degree is much higher than just a high school education. Sure there are exceptions, but they are few and far between.

+

You can't go wrong with school, at the very least it won't hurt you.
=

Go to college after work. In the end it'll pay off immensely.

 

 

Also, on a tangent, please don't be an auto factory worker. You'll want to retain some sense of actually earning what you're paid. And I think there was a clinical study that proved non-leeches live longer.

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You basically need a degree for a lot of companies to even talk to you. It opens tons of doors. I'm finding the degree isn't helping much because I don't have any experience in my field. It does get me the interview though, which I woudln't have without it. It's starting to piss me off though. I need a shoe in.
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yeah who you know is more important than anything else. a good word put in by someone thats already employed where you want to work is about as good as gold.

I also didn't even get a HS diploma so I guess I'm one of those few and far between

lucky people, but I'd like to think that I have a work ethic and determination that

helps me out more than anything. If you want to get ahead you will. its really that simple because you'll do what it takes, give up what you have to and whatever else is necessary.

 

Evan

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It depends on if the degree will help you in your field.

 

I've been doing PC shit for 12+ years. Started off really small. Now I work at Chase, pretty much doing the same thing. I've only had ONE certification in my life. A+.. and that was pointless. I make roughly 50k a year.

 

What I'm trying to say is since i've been doing it for so long, my experience pretty much passes any 4 year college degree. At least in my opinion.. and the others I've talked to. I work with a dude who has his MCSE. Got it about 2 years ago. I'm making more than he is.. simply because I've been doing it longer.

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yeah pretty true in the I T field now days. Companies are looking for experience more than anything else. Nobody needs some fresh college grad to screw things up. They can pay experienced people to mess it up just the same.

 

Evan

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I did a research paper on the facts behind companies hiring certified people or people with experience and it's very common that a company will hire someone with more experience than someone that's certified with no in-field training or no hands on experience.

 

I graduated HS last year and I immediately went into Devry University for Computer Networking since that's what my father does for the government and his salary is 100k+ from past research. Well, turns out I didn't find that major very exciting in the least and I decided I would drop out and just get a full time job. Personally I don't find school to appealing and I really never have. One of the reasons has to do with the fact that I have two older brothers one which went to Tiffin University and graduated in Criminology and he's really got nothing to show for it, and it seems like he's always strapped for cash. My other brother who decided not to go to college, started his own business in lawn care and he's got money out the ass. To me this just goes to show you're able to make a living without going to college in whatever you do, it just depends how high you set your goals and really what you're happy doing in life.

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i didn't go even though it was all paid for already. kinda wished i did but at the sametime i'm glad i didn't. I work at a GM dealer and when i go do some training i see guys there my age and i can walk circles around them when it comes to a car. and i don't have to pay to go to school, i get paid to go. with all the training and certs i have i can pretty much walk into and GM dealer and get a job.
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Well in high school I was in the Auto Tech program. So I did that for two years, my junior and senior year. I got out of high school and got some experience at a tire/oil change place. Now I'm working at a dealership making low $30k a year, living at home with my parents rent free. lol I really don't want to be wrenching on cars the rest of my life. I have recently pasted my firefighters PCT so I'm on the list for the CFD and I'm hoping that I'll be able to become a firefighter and just work on cars part-time.

 

All I can say is don't mix your job with your hobby. I love cars and since I've been working on cars for the past few years, I hardly want to touch my own car, I just feel so burnt out sometimes. That's why I'm trying to get partially out of it and just wrench part-time.

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Im about to goto UTI arizona to work on bmw/audi/porsche. I also will get an associates degree from there which is nice to have

 

Three words...waste of money.

 

Experience > spending $20k+ to learn things you could have learned for free. Or at Columbus State for less than half the price.

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How are you suppposed to get experience if you don't have a degree? Get lucky? Pretty much. It can work both ways, I remember hearing when I was younger about some punk ass kid just out of college getting paid higher wages just because they had a degree then the said employee with "x" amount of years experience.

 

It depends on what you want in life. Anyone can make a living without a high school degree, though the odds are highly likely it will be a less "material" life.

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this is starting to turn into a debate about how college isn't worth spending the money.

 

Its not worth the money if you get a worthless major and you don't apply yourself. I know for me at least my "hands on" experience in my freetime helped my employer decide to hire me, I could have all the experience in the world but the position still requires an engineering degree.

 

you can opt to pay your school loans over 30 yrs or more. I went to school for 5 years, and I am paying my loans off in 10 yrs. My monthly loan payment is only 6% of my after tax salary. To me its worth it.

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Guest Luetic
there is a big difference in a generic college degree, like a college G.E.D. v's a job degree-teacher, engineer, pharmacist,lawyer,doctor. Education is never a bad thing. I would recommend you go back to school, but to get a degree that you can get a job with.
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How are you suppposed to get experience if you don't have a degree? Get lucky? Pretty much. It can work both ways, I remember hearing when I was younger about some punk ass kid just out of college getting paid higher wages just because they had a degree then the said employee with "x" amount of years experience.

 

I'm not saying he shouldn't go to school to learn. He'll definitely have to learn some things, but UTI is $20k+ to get a degree, when you can go to CSCC for $7k for the exact same degree. The only thing UTI has is higher end placement with companies, THAT IS IF you are never late, never miss a class, get straight A's the entire time you are in the school. Easier said than done. That's the only way you'd be placed at Porsche/Audi/BMW. I know, people from my school went to UTI/Northwestern after the tech school and I'm making more money then them and most of them just left those school and decided to come back to CSCC. I'm just trying to save that kid's/parent's money.

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