Going back to school

[jarude]

I did two years of an English degree before I realized several things: it was largely useless, and I didn't enjoy it. Now, after ******* around for several years, I'm planning to go back to school next year - giving me a year to earn some dough and make some decisions.

So, since I'm going back to school for a second time, whats the most cost-effective degree? I'm not pissing away money on something thats going to hang on my wall and earn me minimum wage. What are some of the best opportunities and fields at the moment?

 

[Harold falcon]

Plumbing.

Serious.

 

[IUtoSLU]

Ornithology of the western hemisphere.









Err..... become a mechanic.

 

[ConcernedParent]

Can you handle math?

 

[Huntsman]

Engineering, the core disciplines at least, still seems to be doing well. My company is still hiring engineers right out of college, and actively seeking them. But of course, you have to be pretty good at it.

But of course a college degree is the new HS diploma. If you go out of that track, there are other less traditional opportunities. CPA, plumber (as mentioned), welder, electrician -- trades (excepting CPA) that are necessary all the time, and cannot easily be outsourced.

~ H

 

[BP348]

Depending on what you're interested in the medical field has some well paying jobs.

RN, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist, or Radiology / X-ray Tech.

 

[Journeyman]

Originally Posted by harvey_birdman

Plumbing.

Serious.

+1.
I don't know what the situation is like in the US/Canada, but in Australia a good plumber will easily make over $100 000 a year. Compare that with teachers, for example, who top out at about $70k.

Carpenters, electricians, and even skilled plasterers can make very good money, too.

Originally Posted by BP348

Depending on what you're interested in the medical field has some well paying jobs.

RN, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist, or Radiology / X-ray Tech.

Agree with this, too. Aged care is a big field, so training as an aged care nurse could be a good career move, although not everyone enjoys that kind of work. Similarly, qualified radiographers and sonographers are in demand.

Really, it depends what you like, and what your strengths are.
I love talking and writing, so although I wasn't bad at maths, I would never have survived in a career devoted to maths, for example.

Have a think about what you like to do, what your strengths are, and then compare them to professions/occupations that are in demand. Obviously, if you hate manual labour, then you shouldn't become a plumber or a builder.

 

[jarude]

Math can suck it, I'm terrible with numbers. I'm leaning towards a degree in Kinesiology and then heading off to do physiotherapy afterwards.

 

[Thomas]

No kidding. Sometimes I wish I'd learned plumbing. Can't outsource that work at all.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by BP348

Depending on what you're interested in the medical field has some well paying jobs.

RN, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist, or Radiology / X-ray Tech.

This. I would suggest, based on ROI and quality of life, aiming for a CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist), a nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or pharmacist. The best thing about the CRNA or nurse pract route is, you become an RN first, and need to work a couple of years at RN wages, then go back for your master's. You can also work part time during your master's, at RN wages, not something most students can do.

 

[Milpool]

I think I told this story before on here. Last winter when my furnace went out, the HVAC guy came to repair it and I asked how he was doing. He said he was good, but tired, he had been working very long days because everyone needed furnace repair. I mentioned that there were a lot of people that wish they could say they were working that much... his whole face lit up when he realized how lucky he was to have work.


My general advice is to pick something that requires your physical presence to do the work.

Nursing, plumbing, electronics / electrical repair, trauma surgery, auto mechanic, etc.

It is easy to outsource things like radiology, computer programming, graphic design, accounting, etc. Lots of the white collar "thought" type positions are getting outsourced/offshored quite readily.

Also, in the nearer term, consider any career catering to old people. Lots of baby boomers are going to need lots of services.

 

[Suave]

become a nurse

 

[CMD.EXE]

Do not remember exactly what this title is called or what you have to do to get this certification but a friend of mine is a journeyman electrician or electric engineering foreman or something like that, the various job titles are flying around in my head...anyway he makes under 300,000/year in New York, but not under by much. If you're interested I can ask him exactly what he does. He said the jr guy they hired is paid 90,000.