Topic: What do you do for a living?

[Maverick]

dead-end job having college drop-out ftw!

 

You are not alone my friend.  I couldn't hack it in college and now waste what's left of my life working in my father's motorcycle accessory shop. 

Any suggestions on real jobs that make decent money so I can kick out my roommates?   

[DAaaMan64]

dead-end job having college drop-out ftw!

 

You are not alone my friend.  I couldn't hack it in college and now waste what's left of my life working in my father's motorcycle accessory shop. 

Any suggestions on real jobs that make decent money so I can kick out my roommates?   

I hear this a lot, but I have a possible cure...

This is a list of 20 jobs that don't need a college degree, but still pay well.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/Careers/02/24/cb.no.degree.jobs/index.html

as well as this link:

http://careerpath.org/jobhunting/change/20051024-coombes.html

Have fun!

[Nick DiMola]

he-he now i feel better cuz im not a nerd

dead-end job having college drop-out ftw!

 

Meh, college is over rated. I personally barely made it out. I had a pretty low GPA, and struggled the entire time I was there. Now that I'm out and working I do extremely well within my job and have made myself a vital part of my organization. Both of my parents attended only 2 years of college and have both done very well for themselves. My father is a restaurant owner/chef and my mother is a retired dental hygienist (has rheumatoid arthritis, she works with my dad now). There is a job out there for everyone, and college isn't necessarily the path to getting it.

[Maverick]

You Da Man, DAaaMan! 

I was actually thinking about taking some pilot training courses, the problem is training for that sort of thing is also expensive.  When you're barely cutting the rent every month, it's hard to dream of getting specialty training in any sort of field.  I guess I'll have to hold out until the girlfriend gets out of college and gets a decent job so I can bum off of her until I can afford to get some training for an actual career.

[Bill Aurion]

Medical student, though my main job is constantly trying to find the right balance between studying and playing videogames... ='D

[NWR_pap64]

Almost everyone here is in a technology field except for the teacher and the pilot. We're a buncha nerds.

Oh, my first degree is actually an associates degree in light computer programming. I did stuff in C++ and Visual Basic while I used sheets to program in COBOL.

The reason I later on studied education was because I wanted to get a higher degree, and figured that if I can't get anything in one field I can go to the other and vice versa, and maybe even combine the two.

So yeah, I'm still a nerd .

[ShyGuy]

Mr Jack is right about college. I like what David Mamet says about college:
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/02/12/2/a-discussion-with-playwright-and-filmmaker-david-mamet
(at about 14:00, few seconds before)

[Caliban]

In the USA, college is inferred to be university, or am I wrong? Because here in Canada, or at least where I am, college and university are two completely different sects of the post-secondary life.
I love college (Humber is where I am now) more than university (York is where I went to). In college classes are much smaller in number of students, so there's more interaction between student and teacher, but then again my program needs such conditions. I also like it because I can at least get to know my classmates in contrast to when I was in university and there were classes of 500 students which I think is just ridiculous. Also college is more inclined to have programs that are focused on trades which I think is quite underappreciated in Canada when there are many job opportunities in trades. Instead of the 4+ years at university I am spending 3 consecutive semesters, september to august, to learn a trade that most likely will push me towards the job marketplace much quicker than if I had stayed in university all those years. Meh, that's just my opinion.

You are not alone my friend.  I couldn't hack it in college and now waste what's left of my life working in my father's motorcycle accessory shop. 

Any suggestions on real jobs that make decent money so I can kick out my roommates?  

Since you work in a motorcycle accessory shop I presume you know or have at least heard of the tool and dye industry, or at least know what a CNC/Conventional (Lathe, Mill) machine is? Look into it. It is something that I see that has a lot of potential to be able to work for a great variety of industries that require such services.

[Nick DiMola]

Yeah in the USA college = university, we don't distinguish a difference. The equivalent of Canadian college would be a trade school (sometimes referred to as Technical College). Glad you mentioned that there is a difference between College and University there, definitely something I never knew.

[RABicle]

In all seriousness, I was studying to become an elementary school teacher. I finished my practical last December, will graduate in June and right now I am looking for a job. Sadly, no luck . Plus I pretty much have to wait a year till I can work in the schools.

Legendary. I'm studying Primary Teaching too.

Right now though my money comes from working as a waiter at a café and welfare.

[Plugabugz]

Almost everyone here is in a technology field except for the teacher and the pilot. We're a buncha nerds.

And me, don't forget me. The one slaving to get everyone else a job. And taking pleasure out of failing them all.

[vudu]

Legendary. I'm studying Primary Teaching too.

Never going to happen.  Your ass is plastered all over the Internet.  It will shame you for years to come.

[odifiend]

The nakedness slowed this one down...
I am not a programmer - I like going out in the sun, I get my hair cut, the girls I know, know of me too.  j/k
I am a chemical engineering student and during the summer I am a door-to-door salesman.  I used to have the same job as Bill, too, but school has pretty much won.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

loli-shota-stalking?

[odifiend]

No, that market is too niche to support more than just Bill.

[Svevan]

I'm a student studying to get degrees in Art History, Political Science, Theatre Arts, Journalism, Photography, Film Studies, and Marine Biology. I think I might have to lop one of those off the list, though.

[vudu]

I'm a student studying to get degrees in Art History, Political Science, Theatre Arts, Journalism, Photography, Film Studies, and Marine Biology. I think I might have to lop one of those off the list though, and replace it with something that might actually earn some money.

Fixed.

[Svevan]

I know you're kidding vudu, but I get this all the time. People say "what are you going to DO with that degree" when I say I'm studying art history. Then, with derision, they'll say "I suppose you could TEACH art history, hurr" as if teaching isn't noble, and art history isn't worthy.

Today I just read a nice little paragraph from Robin Wood's introduction to his book "Hitchcock's Films: Revisited."

As for education: the term has changed its meaning since I studied at Cambridge in the early 1950s. Then, it meant (to me at least) something like "defining oneself in relation to our cultural history, our living past, and in relation to the world today; developing oneself intellectually, emotionally, culturally; learning to make choices, to discriminate; discovering oneself, developing oneself." Today (to judge from the responses of many students I have encountered) it means "Will this help me to a career? If not, will I at least get a good grade?" There must have been some defining - and disastrous - moment in the evolution of the modern American university when it was decided to attach the writing of essays and the awarding of grades to lecture courses (the contamination spread, a long time ago, to Britain). At Cambridge we attended a course because we were interested, and for no other reason.

...

Nowadays I have not infrequently been approached by students on the first night of a course who asked, "What must I do to get a B plus?"

I am curious (yellow). Those who went to college (and beyond), did the experience feel more like a trade school, giving you skills necessary for a job? It is interesting that, at least in Robin Wood's mind, and in the minds of a few other intellectuals I know of, this is not  the way it has always been.

Are we becoming too specialized? In America and the western world, are we too obsessed with jobs and work, giving little care to the value of the work we're doing?

[oohhboy]

That does look a bit much Svevan. But if enjoy it and excel at it I got nothing against it. With that under your belt you can become an intellectual bad ass like Clark Kent with none of the Superman.

I did try out University myself, but dropped out after a semester. I joined up really only because it was the "it" thing to do once you left school. I had no goals or direction other than "Go to Uni". Having done that bit of Uni, I too saw a lot of your quote Robin Wood around and in me, I didn't even have a career to aim for let alone a lust for knowledge. The environment and the shear pointlessness of what I was doing quickly caught up with me.

It was only years later that I found something that didn't test my patience just for the sake of testing it. Something that moved as fast as I did and has a most agreeable payoff at the end. Something I really enjoyed with a passion that matched my energy for gaming.

Also I didn't want to be a nerd anymore 

[IceCold]

I hope you achieve your pilot goal, but isn't there a lot of work to get there? With hours and the rest?

[Kairon]

I know you're kidding vudu, but I get this all the time. People say "what are you going to DO with that degree" when I say I'm studying art history. Then, with derision, they'll say "I suppose you could TEACH art history, hurr" as if teaching isn't noble, and art history isn't worthy.

Today I just read a nice little paragraph from Robin Wood's introduction to his book "Hitchcock's Films: Revisited."

As for education: the term has changed its meaning since I studied at Cambridge in the early 1950s. Then, it meant (to me at least) something like "defining oneself in relation to our cultural history, our living past, and in relation to the world today; developing oneself intellectually, emotionally, culturally; learning to make choices, to discriminate; discovering oneself, developing oneself." Today (to judge from the responses of many students I have encountered) it means "Will this help me to a career? If not, will I at least get a good grade?" There must have been some defining - and disastrous - moment in the evolution of the modern American university when it was decided to attach the writing of essays and the awarding of grades to lecture courses (the contamination spread, a long time ago, to Britain). At Cambridge we attended a course because we were interested, and for no other reason.

...

Nowadays I have not infrequently been approached by students on the first night of a course who asked, "What must I do to get a B plus?"

I am curious (yellow). Those who went to college (and beyond), did the experience feel more like a trade school, giving you skills necessary for a job? It is interesting that, at least in Robin Wood's mind, and in the minds of a few other intellectuals I know of, this is not  the way it has always been.

Are we becoming too specialized? In America and the western world, are we too obsessed with jobs and work, giving little care to the value of the work we're doing?

I'm thinking... I'm afraid the answer is yes. I wonder if sometime in the past, the defenders of education decided to attach education to future income as a way to justify school to underperformers, and since then education has been seen as only a means to an end... though it's not surprising that for many people, it'd end up being such. Not everyone has the demeanor to be an actual academic, and these people probably deserve to go to school if they want to just like everyone else.

I wonder if most of the population considers "learning" as a luxury, and their job potential as the more immediate concern (often justly so).

...I mean... seriously... who actually goes to college for an accounting degree for any other reason than that they want to make some good money???

[Caterkiller]

I like to think I'm not so much of a nerd, but when it comes to games and comics I definitely am. I  think some of you know this but I'm a Martial arts teacher, Wushu specifically. Also a stunt man and actor. Its super fun, and what got me into all of it was Soul Calibur 2. You know how Kilik gets to the top of his staff like upside down? then comes crashing down with a smash? I can do that!

Befor Jan 1st 2008, I use to play Spider-Man at Universal studios, it was great, but now there are no more super heroes! oh well!

But I couldn't go to college, like Ian, I just couldn't deal with tests and things like that again. So i decided if I'm going to make a living, it has to be fun, and I have to  be able to do things like Mario and Link. And I'm being totally serious. Hahaha.

[Kairon]

Wow... Caterkiller... you are AWESOME!

Myself, I'm trying out this totally new major called GSP... Game & Simulation programming. Yeah... so... I'll let you guys know how it goes... I'm scared!!!

[ShyGuy]

The pure joy of higher learning is fine except you can drop $50,000 (OR A LOT MORE) to do it. Somebody has to pay for it, otherwise the teachers starve.

[Kairon]

But just because you're not in college doesn't mean you can't have an enriching education. It's just less... convenient to pursue those things when you don't have teachers pushing you and exposing you whether you like it or not.

It's still possible to live a full and enriching academic life when you're not in college... isn't it?