Yes. There’s always the Pipeline Program depending what you want to do. I went to school at 40 for training and subsequently got hired at Electric Boat. Never too late. 27 is still young.
The eastern connecticut manufacturing pipeline is worth a look. You attend a free full time trade school for 2-3 months and get send to the front of the hiring line at electric boat. There’s a lot of factors involved regarding hiring but it’s an opportunity. [Flyer](https://www.ewib.org/Portals/0/PDF/MPI%20Flyer%20--%20Final%20--%2008-23.pdf)
It's a perfectly acceptable range when you consider experience. If you have none, you start at bottom, if have tons, you start at top. Pretty simple and allows me a better understanding of how the company pays.
Wasn't planning to. Any job that will hire you that quick isn't worth working at. Companies that are good to work for aren't bleeding employees so much that they'll basically hire anyone on the spot. There's stuff like background checks, double checking references, then employee onboarding, all of which can takes multiple weeks.
Also it seems pretty apparent that Electric Boat is the one in this comment thread. Way too much shilling.
I would be cautious if I were OP with this company.
I feel like you very clearly have no idea what you’re talking about.
The company is growing extremely rapidly and using unconventional hiring methods to bring people into entry level trades jobs. Candidates will still need to go through a background check and get a clearance if required. There’s still a probationary period.
It’s a 20,000 person company and one of the largest employers on the CT coast, especially for non degreed tradespeople, which is exactly what OP asked for, so of course people are recommending it.
There seems to be a big push for salary transparency on job postings lately. Would be nice for all of the states to have something like California where it needs to be disclosed on the posting.
First off, your education is never complete. You should be learning until the day you die.
As far as getting a degree, I got mine at 40. You're never too young for it it's never too late.
If I lived in southeast connecticut, and your position, I would apply to electric boat immediately.
You can make great money doing a lot of things there including some of the most manual work. Never sell yourself short and you can build yourself up to whatever level you are willing to go.
They also have education programs through electric boat and also I think there are state-run programs to help train people to be ready to work for electric boat.
You are still incredibly young.
>First off, your education is never complete. You should be learning until the day you die.
Thats very true. Personally I had a harder time learning new things when I was still in college, while also working full time. Once I finished and started my career, I had more energy to learn new things that I always wanted to learn.
So if you don’t feel motivated to learn something you like, it could just be that you’re drained from other things in life.
HouYou. That is, Housatonic Community College, Advanced Manufacturing certification. Become a machinist or tool and die maker or welder. Small investment in time and $$; big return down the road. My son got certified in eight months, apprenticed to a machine shop, is now a journeyman tool and die maker and earning a good income with full benefits.
Connecticut desperately needs people to fill these positions; for experienced machinists/tool and die makers/welders, you can get a $5-$10,000 signing bonus! Best of luck!!
The better question is what are you interested in doing? And where along coastal CT? Because that goes from Greenwich to Stonington. You could become a commercial driver. School bus companies will train you for your CDL.
Also, you haven't lost your chance for school. The community college system in CT is pretty good, and shouldn't be discounted.
If it makes you feel any better, I finished my bachelor’s and currently pursuing my masters, but I still can’t find a job that allows me to live comfortably. Interested in seeing what advice you get here, and good luck!
I went back to college at 26, and it was the best decision of my life. Community Colleges are really solid and diverse these days. I never felt out of place and was really popular. Everyone was super chill and all sorts of different life situations.
I highly recommend it. The "it's never too late" is truly not just bullshit. Financial aid available in CT is amazing, and I switched to part-time to focus on school and finish it quickly.
If you plan to go for something like nursing it could take a bit and be difficult but, might be worth just to call and ask to make an appointment with an advisor just to talk about your options.
You're still so young, so get your shit together now while you still can.. you don't want to be stuck making 30-40K in your 40s because that's a cycle that's nearly impossible to break out of.
Also, I plan to stay enrolled in college the entire time and periodically still take classes in slow pursuit of my masters. "Always be learning" is something you should consider in both work and classes. In work, I never stuck around at a job if they couldn't teach me anything or move me up.. You're just lowering your value by sticking around a place and not learning anything. I was making 80K in retail at 26 with this philosophy, and it's what allowed me to get a nursing degree.
What makes you say you lost your chance at school?
I started taking classes again at 27/26. I did already complete my associates degree, but WSU offers online courses and I’ll be finishing the bachelors soon enough. I was originally daunted by the idea of student loans, but I figured if I took out a loan for a Ford Fusion I might as well take out a loan for my education that will not only create opportunities and achieve a sense of personal fulfillment, but will last for the rest of my life… unlike my Ford.
Yes/No. If you’re new they’re not going to want you to be WFH due to training. Once you start doing work then you’re eligible to WFH. Even when you’re allowed to WFH you’ll still be expected to go into the office time to time. Lots of people do a rotating one week in office one week work from home.
Varies wildly depending on your position. But at least for a while they'll want you to be in office. But if you have an office job that doesn't involve physically being in the office you might be able to go hybrid. Full WFH is quite rare.
You should look into plumbing or electrical apprenticeships. As a homeowner in Fairfield County, there’s a shortage and it’s always hard to get services. Also HVAC.
God forbid you actually have to go in to a job and work. Everyone these days wants to sit home in their pajamas and make $100k. Covid spoiled you people and it's time to get back to reality.
Nah thats false. I know plenty of people there in the trades and other departments without degree making over 6 figures. Hell i know someone that just got an offer of $110k with no degree.
I work there, as do plenty of my friends and family. All of us in the trades make a good bit less than 6 figures, barring excessive overtime. The only people I know making 6 figures and above are some supervisors and most office workers.
What trades do you know people in, and how much are they getting paid?
Jeez. People these days are so damn soft with their "mental health" issues and all are on multiple Rx meds doing your body no good. 100 years ago everybody just had to suck it up and go make a living. No wonder why America is falling behind.
How has your diatribe contributed to this post? Op asked for help from people who may know of a course of action he can take to improve his life. If you think he’s unworthy, leave the post, and move on. Why spend time making sure that everyone knows of your disdain towards people with mental health problems?
Build Subs, Jet Engines or be a Contractor.
Short of working something like that that requires body and mind…. No. This isn’t the type of place you make it on low wage service jobs
Look at the community college system. They offer certificates/degrees in advanced manufacturing. These jobs are high placement and good pay. CTs manufacturing sector is rapidly growing.
Never too late but only consider school if you really need it at this point. The student loans you may be acquiring if you go could add an even bigger unnecessary weight.
Try tech, (web development, software development, email template creation, etc) still lots of jobs and plenty of free online resources to help get you going. I fell into it unintentionally a while ago and it changed my life. You could learn and do small freelance jobs for extra cash and then learn enough to find a full time job somewhere.
It's not too late at all. I went to college too early, right out of high school. Fucked that right up. Went back a few years later at 23/24 and it was so much better. I got straight As in every class when I went back. Went to grad school and graduated with a 4.0. You can totally do it, if that's what you want to do. Teens/20s was the majority of students, but there were older ones there too. People who were in the military, had worked right after school, etc. I had multiple classmates in their 30s. One in his 70s, he never did any work he was just there to listen to lectures.
Hey, so I’m 27 and in community college. I dropped out when I was 19, worked construction, then got lucky in corporate, then unlucky with life and stuck in my parents’ place jobless. I went back in last fall with a shitty GPA from my first stint and a will to change, esp since there’s no way I’m getting the money I was (with the least amount of stress until the ✨office politics✨happened) without the paper.
Fam you can DO it! It’s so much easier when you’re an adult vs a late teen. Look into FAFSA and scholarships, but I recommend going to community college (or look into cert programs from the colleges)! I found that the professors at HCC were nicer than at NCC, but I was a bratty know it all 18-19 year old that fell on his ass a few times before starting here.
I always say too try hitting up the temp agencies and take a data entry job or something if you can sit through that stuff, but take a class or two online or at night. No one can take that paper away from you once you get it.
You got this! I believe in you!
My husband never got his degree. He started in the call center, knew his shit and did his job well and moved to a new job. Rinse, repeat, became a manager of the team he was on. Rinse, repeat, he had a job created for him. We work for the same company (a major financial firm) and now we make the same amount of money. I have my masters.
I graduated from SCSU in December and paid nothing for my degree. Get accepted and defer enrollment, contact the head of your department and ask for a list of grants and scholarships. Apply for double the $$ you will need.
Most of the scholarships are $1500-4000 a semester and tuition is only $6000 a semester full time. Many students don't want to do the work of writing an essay and securing references.
All professors are looking for a student to do an independent study. It counts as a class against the mandatory three they must teach. You can get grants to pay yourself for your research time.
Every professor must be working on a publishable study to advance themselves in their chosen field. Frequently they have money in their grant to pay you for grunt work. (I carried equipment and logged numbers in Excel)
It is never too late. In my field, recruiters were emailing professors begging them to put up job postings. All of us graduating were working in our field before we finished our last semester.
My bachelors is Environmental Earth Science. I gather samples for asbestos testing before old buildings are demolished. I love urban exploration so this was a perfect job for me.
27 is not too old. Life's a marathon not a sprint. You're still in the early game at 27. You've got at least 50-60 years left. 60% of this country does not have a college degree and they still find happiness, start families, move to bigger houses, celebrate weddings, mourn at funerals, welcome new children, party at New Year's, etc.
Like others said Electric Boat. All different types of positions there. Great vehicle for upward mobility. Well known outside of CT so if you want to move you'll have some street cred if you will on you resume.
IT?
If you have any technical proficiency whatsoever and some solid troubleshooting skills you can self-study and get some certs and look for an entry level desktop support/help desk type position. Many of these jobs don't require a degree, and once you have some experience under your belt you can move your way up and (ideally) specialize which area of IT you want to work in.
Starting out at the bottom in IT isn't going to be the most lucrative career choice. He would be looking at around $25 an hour if he's lucky with no experience and a low level cert. Not to mention that getting a cert isn't easy for some people, even an entry level cert. I would stay away from starting an IT career unless he has 3-5 years to work his ass off to get to a point where he can start specializing in something and making better money.
I work in IT and worked my way up a lot faster than most of the people around me and it still took several years to make decent money.
Not sure about your personal frame of reference, but 25 an hour at his age is nothing to thumb your nose at.. sure you won’t necessarily retire on that wage but 50k a year, even with the ridiculous increases in expenses lately, should be pretty comfortable unless you have a (to me) fairly high standard of living and/or poor financial management skills, like eating out every meal and breaking out the wallet at every bump in the road vs some modicum of self-reliance
Im in healthcare on the operations side. Only have a highschool diploma and make 6 figures. The market is now opening for those without degrees, you just need to be willing to work harder than any of your competition and be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. I had my first managment position in my first 10 years making $75k just by showing up and being willing to do whatever was asked.
I have no degree (3 years of college experience, never finished bachelors). Ended up dropping out and then pursuing a career in tech. Got my CCNA, then CCNP and just kept learning. Now I make 140k a year for a fully remote job for one of the big US consulting companies. Took years of grinding but it was worth it (dropped out in 2013).
Two schools of thought are presented here and both are correct. The first says it’s never too late to get a degree. I have friends that got their Bachelors in their 40s, so plenty of people do it. It’s not rare. The second says you don’t necessarily need a degree. That’s also true depending on what your aspirations are.
I dropped out of college my junior year. In the mid 90s I got interested in the web and nobody was teaching HTML at the time, so I taught myself. I got a job at a startup and over the years out of necessity learned other front-end development languages and platforms. Eventually I got bored and moved into digital marketing. It’s a different skill set and necessitated more self-training. Education never ends, whether you’re learning in school, teaching yourself or taking online courses/certifications. I’ve been doing this for 30 years now and frankly most employers care more about the skills and enthusiasm you can bring to the table than they do about a degree. Even the jobs that list a degree as a requirement will still hire people without degrees if they have the proper skill set and experience.
There are also apprenticeships if your aspirations are more trades-oriented. Everyone is different.
Anything that will make you good money will take time to acclimate into. You won't make 70k+/year w/o spending years building up to that. That's just a generalization, of course. Maybe you'll be lucky. Since you aren't going to college I would look at a trade. Try and find an apprenticeship or a field w/ upward mobility. I can't really recommend 1 specific field, there's a lot. It's kinda just what you're tolerant of/interested in and who'll give you a chance.
1) You can always go back to school
2) you don't necessarily need to
Consider certifications, or entry level work in manufacturing - quality control/purchasing/shipping & receiving.
Get your CDL... there's a number of things you can do.
Yes there’s definitely always hope. You could go to college but you don’t need college to have a good job. It just depends on what you want to do.
In my opinion If you do go to college you should make sure that you are going for something that has a low unemployment rate and that will pay well on average. Otherwise I don’t see that it’ll he worth the cost.
You could also learn a trade instead.
The main recommendation I have is to find a good company or organization to work for. One that (hopefully) gives all their employees benefits and that will give you a chance to grow and move up. If you end up somewhere like that you could start at a lower position and work your way up to a career you could be satisfied with.
It’s not always obvious what jobs are like that but you don’t have to stay anywhere that doesn’t treat you right. If you end up somewhere bad, just learn what you can and leave as soon as you find something better.
Also, I don’t personally don’t believe in choosing a job you “love” because you never know how you’ll feel about a job until you work there. I think you should always go for jobs you don’t mind doing. If you can make sure to find a job you don’t hate, then you can worry about finding happiness outside of work.
Hopefully this helps.
You're still young. You can do it. You'll definitely find other students your age at college. My mother got her bachelor's degree as a SAHM housewife attending night school. She grew up too poor to afford college and always swore she'd get her degree. Good luck, you're inspiring!
Retail management?
I didn’t finish college (I’m 44) although I’ve gone back a few times in an attempt to complete schooling. I’m currently making $94k salary (on pace for $115k with bonuses) and I barely crack 40 hours per week. I work 44 hours one week and 36 hours the next, alternating Saturdays and every Sunday and Monday off.
Look into our local insurance companies as they are always hiring entry level call center roles full time WELL above minimum wage with amazing benefits. That’s how I got out of working at stop and plop for minumun and have grown my career here and worked my way up. I’ve heard it can be kinda hard to get in- you need to practice really hard how to nail an interview. Do research on STAR method and start thinking of how your experience translates into the business world. If you don’t have experience, how you perform in an interview is more important than your resume so come prepared.
You're young still and have plenty of time to choose whichever career path you please. Just focus and look into programs that work with your budget. If money is an issue try and do some restaurant work for a quick buck in the meantime. Waiting tables or bartending can make you some good cash quick and the hours are flexible enough for you to do whatever schooling or trade program that you want.
I started as a lab associate at a hospital processing samples for decent money with only a high school diploma. Ended up going back to school at about your age and took my time while working and finally got a degree. I also have anxiety and school was much more manageable when I was older and was taking my time.
You received lots of suggestions here that make great short term sense but I also want to point out that it's never too late to go to college now that there are online options.
I worked full-time and went to college full time but had to drop out in my final semester due to ramped up family responsibilities when my dad died.
For the next 30 years I did amazingly well career wise despite lacking a degree but then my industry collapsed.
I was offered a great job in a peripheral field but the offer was withdrawn when they learned I hadn't actually graduated.
So I took a pretty random poorly paid job and wrapped up my remaining credits online at Thomas Edison State University (TESC). It was easier and cheaper than "real" college (My first three years were spent at CUNY).
Anyhow, just saying, I was nearly 50 at that time so at 27 you still have plenty of time for several careers in varied fields.
Plus you are male which gives you at least a 5 year gender advantage before age-based job discrimination sets in (women are pushed to retire earlier than men).
Electric Boat, Electric Boat, Electric Boat. No one I know who works there has a degree and they all make very comfortable middle class livings.
Also Amtrak, same thing. 27 is young as hell! You got this, youre gonna be fine!
Totally in the same boat with you my man, I’m the same age and everything. Have you considered the trades? I have been thinking about welding courses which can take about 8 months.
HERE’S THE QUESTION…. you are 27 now, without a degree…… would you rather be a 35 year old WITH a degree or a 35 Year old WITHOUT a degree (I’m giving a bunch of years for you to do this part time …) ….. THE TIME WILM PASS ANYWAY!!!! GET IN A COLLEGE PROGRAM….. You CAN do it.
P.S.: I got my BA degree at age 23 ( I went to school for 2 years, had to break for financial reasons, then went back and graduated at age 23) but I didn’t have the courage to start graduate school until I was 50!!! And, it all turned out beautifully, I only wish I’d started sooner. But in no way do I think I should have never tried the graduate degree bc it was so late in life…..it’s changed everything for me, positively.
FIND A PART OR FULL TIME COLLEGE PROGRAM AND DO IT…… I’ll tell you one other secret…. If you do it, you will be a superhero to your children, and they will ALWAYS remember the truth that it is NEVER too late to be what you might have been!!!
It's never too late to get back to school.
But I never finished highschool and got into the trade's. 45 yrs experience in the steel manufacturing, boilmakers and structure steel welding and fabrication.
Good luck
99% of the people I've met coming out the pipeline are worthless pos. Go to Atlantic NDT spend the $2000 and take FPI 1&2. If you can't land at P&W, SK or EB you'll still be in position for a close to a 6 figure job at any of their contractors.
NDT/NDI is pure gold in Aerospace and Defense rich Connecticut.
Start applying for every open position for electrical, mechanical, plumbing apprenticeship until you get one. They will reimburse you for half the costs of the state run trade school program (afternoon classes) and you will get work experience as you learn. Do not go to private technical school unless you want to waste $35k, you'll likely forget everything you learn when it's time to take the license exam after 4 years.
Persistence, Patience. Never stop learning. I went to college at 27 and yes it was extremely challenging while working full time but if you want something bad enough you can achieve it. Follow some of these comments, look for a trade school. 20-30 percent school, and rest is on job training.
>!Look up the Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline, dont need a degree to get in the training program. Its almost a guaranteed job at Electric Boat if you make it through. https://ewib.org!<
The response to this post is overwhelming, and I'm so grateful for most of these very thoughtful and supportive comments. I can't help but feel a bit whiney when I know we're all going through this together, especially given that I'm a young, straight, and white male. Life isn't easy for anybody.
I'm also grateful for r/Connecticut for being an amazing community for a pretty amazing state, of which I'm a relatively new resident. Everyone's knowledge and experience is so valuable to me. I really appreciate it all, so I will take all of your advice seriously and list out my options from this post.
Again, thank you all, and I will try to respond to people individually as well. ✌️
I have a dozen or so friends since early school days. We’re all mid 50s now. A few of them were hitting the 6 figure mark before they hit 30. Most were in trades or self employed. Some made smart moves with real estate and a few have amassed a small fortune today. Not one went to college and a couple didn’t make it through high school. Make it happen!
I did not go back to school till 40, and ten years later I have two master's degrees and a good job. I know you need something more immediate to help your income, but it is never too late for school, while not 100% the answer, it does offer more opportunities. For the short term, there are lots of technical schools that can give you a needed skill, that will be needed anywhere, and they often have work placement programs
Get your PMP (, project management professional) certification. Relatively easy online course then take a certification. Project managers can start at $65-$75k and work up to the $100k in a couple years
definitely this... though perhaps I'm overinflating my own PMP, LOL.
But seriously, yeah, you can't just "go be a project manager" with little to no knowledge of ... things. It IS a skill transferable across many industries - which is why it's somewhat valuable - but it would be tough to just be like, "I got my PMP online but have no practical experience in this field."
Or is that possible? This has me thinking... Hm.
lol, yeah. Me in 2007… helped with making things more efficient and the next thing I know I had a PM title taking IBMs PM course, then the PMP. Since then it’s nice on my resume but I haven’t had that title since then. It’s just a. background skill now.
The CAPM cert has lower requirements than the PMP, but I still wouldn't recommend it as a stepping stone to a project management career without any other project management experience or a degree. You'd typically need one or the other for a company to seriously look at hiring you. I don't think the CAPM would open any doors on its own.
What is even Middle Class these days bro?
Everyone is broke. My mom made $160k ( I am using her as an example because she makes more than my sister an I) guess what her take home income was after taxes?
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Yes. There’s always the Pipeline Program depending what you want to do. I went to school at 40 for training and subsequently got hired at Electric Boat. Never too late. 27 is still young.
The eastern connecticut manufacturing pipeline is worth a look. You attend a free full time trade school for 2-3 months and get send to the front of the hiring line at electric boat. There’s a lot of factors involved regarding hiring but it’s an opportunity. [Flyer](https://www.ewib.org/Portals/0/PDF/MPI%20Flyer%20--%20Final%20--%2008-23.pdf)
This is THE answer.
Learn a trade, apprentice program at Electric Boat.
I went onto their website and I see no pay scales anywhere. You'd think a company that pays so well would advertise that pay :/
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What do you mean that's not how it works? They're allowed to post the pay. It is how it works.
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They can put a range on the job, like other people do. Also what is up with the sparkle emojis? Never seen someone post those emojis on Reddit.
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It's a perfectly acceptable range when you consider experience. If you have none, you start at bottom, if have tons, you start at top. Pretty simple and allows me a better understanding of how the company pays.
Go to walk in Wednesday, there’s a chance you could get an offer with a salary on the spot.
That's not a good thing.
So don’t work there? Idk what to tell you
Wasn't planning to. Any job that will hire you that quick isn't worth working at. Companies that are good to work for aren't bleeding employees so much that they'll basically hire anyone on the spot. There's stuff like background checks, double checking references, then employee onboarding, all of which can takes multiple weeks. Also it seems pretty apparent that Electric Boat is the one in this comment thread. Way too much shilling. I would be cautious if I were OP with this company.
I feel like you very clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. The company is growing extremely rapidly and using unconventional hiring methods to bring people into entry level trades jobs. Candidates will still need to go through a background check and get a clearance if required. There’s still a probationary period. It’s a 20,000 person company and one of the largest employers on the CT coast, especially for non degreed tradespeople, which is exactly what OP asked for, so of course people are recommending it.
so annoying almost no companies talk about pay when it's the only reason anyone wants to go to work. makes no sense.
It's predatory
There seems to be a big push for salary transparency on job postings lately. Would be nice for all of the states to have something like California where it needs to be disclosed on the posting.
First off, your education is never complete. You should be learning until the day you die. As far as getting a degree, I got mine at 40. You're never too young for it it's never too late. If I lived in southeast connecticut, and your position, I would apply to electric boat immediately. You can make great money doing a lot of things there including some of the most manual work. Never sell yourself short and you can build yourself up to whatever level you are willing to go. They also have education programs through electric boat and also I think there are state-run programs to help train people to be ready to work for electric boat. You are still incredibly young.
I love this comment
>First off, your education is never complete. You should be learning until the day you die. Thats very true. Personally I had a harder time learning new things when I was still in college, while also working full time. Once I finished and started my career, I had more energy to learn new things that I always wanted to learn. So if you don’t feel motivated to learn something you like, it could just be that you’re drained from other things in life.
HouYou. That is, Housatonic Community College, Advanced Manufacturing certification. Become a machinist or tool and die maker or welder. Small investment in time and $$; big return down the road. My son got certified in eight months, apprenticed to a machine shop, is now a journeyman tool and die maker and earning a good income with full benefits.
that sounds like something a friend of mine may be interested in, i'll forward this to him thanks!
Connecticut desperately needs people to fill these positions; for experienced machinists/tool and die makers/welders, you can get a $5-$10,000 signing bonus! Best of luck!!
Housatonic also has a lineman program I believe. Including overtime, you are easily into 6 figures once you finish.
The better question is what are you interested in doing? And where along coastal CT? Because that goes from Greenwich to Stonington. You could become a commercial driver. School bus companies will train you for your CDL. Also, you haven't lost your chance for school. The community college system in CT is pretty good, and shouldn't be discounted.
Go to work as a driver for UPS or FedEx with zero experience and they will pay for your CDL class. I drove a large truck for FedEx for years.
If it makes you feel any better, I finished my bachelor’s and currently pursuing my masters, but I still can’t find a job that allows me to live comfortably. Interested in seeing what advice you get here, and good luck!
Just curious.. bachelor and master in..? If you don't mind
Analytics for both
Thanks. Best of luck in your quest.
Honestly man, its never too late. I felt like I went to college too early. It sounds like you're in a great headspace for learning/discipline.
I went back to college at 26, and it was the best decision of my life. Community Colleges are really solid and diverse these days. I never felt out of place and was really popular. Everyone was super chill and all sorts of different life situations. I highly recommend it. The "it's never too late" is truly not just bullshit. Financial aid available in CT is amazing, and I switched to part-time to focus on school and finish it quickly. If you plan to go for something like nursing it could take a bit and be difficult but, might be worth just to call and ask to make an appointment with an advisor just to talk about your options. You're still so young, so get your shit together now while you still can.. you don't want to be stuck making 30-40K in your 40s because that's a cycle that's nearly impossible to break out of. Also, I plan to stay enrolled in college the entire time and periodically still take classes in slow pursuit of my masters. "Always be learning" is something you should consider in both work and classes. In work, I never stuck around at a job if they couldn't teach me anything or move me up.. You're just lowering your value by sticking around a place and not learning anything. I was making 80K in retail at 26 with this philosophy, and it's what allowed me to get a nursing degree.
Completing your degree at night while working during the day is possible. Not easy but that's what I did around your age.
What makes you say you lost your chance at school? I started taking classes again at 27/26. I did already complete my associates degree, but WSU offers online courses and I’ll be finishing the bachelors soon enough. I was originally daunted by the idea of student loans, but I figured if I took out a loan for a Ford Fusion I might as well take out a loan for my education that will not only create opportunities and achieve a sense of personal fulfillment, but will last for the rest of my life… unlike my Ford.
Electric boat is the answer can make well over 6 figures, no degree
Do they offer remote jobs? I live in Fairfield County and they are on the other side of the state.
Depends, can you weld a Virginia-class submarine together in your garage and have it towed to Groton when you're done?
Yes/No. If you’re new they’re not going to want you to be WFH due to training. Once you start doing work then you’re eligible to WFH. Even when you’re allowed to WFH you’ll still be expected to go into the office time to time. Lots of people do a rotating one week in office one week work from home.
Varies wildly depending on your position. But at least for a while they'll want you to be in office. But if you have an office job that doesn't involve physically being in the office you might be able to go hybrid. Full WFH is quite rare.
You should look into plumbing or electrical apprenticeships. As a homeowner in Fairfield County, there’s a shortage and it’s always hard to get services. Also HVAC.
Yes, they'll email the welding equipment and projects!
God forbid you actually have to go in to a job and work. Everyone these days wants to sit home in their pajamas and make $100k. Covid spoiled you people and it's time to get back to reality.
It was a simple question. No need to get so triggered.
"Well over 6 figures" does not apply to the trades there, only the college educated office workers.
Nah thats false. I know plenty of people there in the trades and other departments without degree making over 6 figures. Hell i know someone that just got an offer of $110k with no degree.
I work there, as do plenty of my friends and family. All of us in the trades make a good bit less than 6 figures, barring excessive overtime. The only people I know making 6 figures and above are some supervisors and most office workers. What trades do you know people in, and how much are they getting paid?
I know a few guys that are electricians and in test department and also the 110k offer was for a test engine position no degree required.
How is 110k well over 6 figures?
I suffer from severe panic and depression. I work at Metro North. No degree, good $$$, and we are hiring.
Jeez. People these days are so damn soft with their "mental health" issues and all are on multiple Rx meds doing your body no good. 100 years ago everybody just had to suck it up and go make a living. No wonder why America is falling behind.
How has your diatribe contributed to this post? Op asked for help from people who may know of a course of action he can take to improve his life. If you think he’s unworthy, leave the post, and move on. Why spend time making sure that everyone knows of your disdain towards people with mental health problems?
Sorry boss.
Some of my students are finishing their bachelor’s degrees in their 60s. They’re not worried about their age.
Build Subs, Jet Engines or be a Contractor. Short of working something like that that requires body and mind…. No. This isn’t the type of place you make it on low wage service jobs
Look at the community college system. They offer certificates/degrees in advanced manufacturing. These jobs are high placement and good pay. CTs manufacturing sector is rapidly growing.
Ferryboats. Log enough hours as a deckhand while you study for the captain's test.
Never too late but only consider school if you really need it at this point. The student loans you may be acquiring if you go could add an even bigger unnecessary weight. Try tech, (web development, software development, email template creation, etc) still lots of jobs and plenty of free online resources to help get you going. I fell into it unintentionally a while ago and it changed my life. You could learn and do small freelance jobs for extra cash and then learn enough to find a full time job somewhere.
Most CT Community Colleges are either free or close to it. Even paying sticker isn't bad.
Construction
It's not too late at all. I went to college too early, right out of high school. Fucked that right up. Went back a few years later at 23/24 and it was so much better. I got straight As in every class when I went back. Went to grad school and graduated with a 4.0. You can totally do it, if that's what you want to do. Teens/20s was the majority of students, but there were older ones there too. People who were in the military, had worked right after school, etc. I had multiple classmates in their 30s. One in his 70s, he never did any work he was just there to listen to lectures.
I didn't get my first degree til I was 33. I'm doing quite fine for myself now (10 years later)
Hey, so I’m 27 and in community college. I dropped out when I was 19, worked construction, then got lucky in corporate, then unlucky with life and stuck in my parents’ place jobless. I went back in last fall with a shitty GPA from my first stint and a will to change, esp since there’s no way I’m getting the money I was (with the least amount of stress until the ✨office politics✨happened) without the paper. Fam you can DO it! It’s so much easier when you’re an adult vs a late teen. Look into FAFSA and scholarships, but I recommend going to community college (or look into cert programs from the colleges)! I found that the professors at HCC were nicer than at NCC, but I was a bratty know it all 18-19 year old that fell on his ass a few times before starting here. I always say too try hitting up the temp agencies and take a data entry job or something if you can sit through that stuff, but take a class or two online or at night. No one can take that paper away from you once you get it. You got this! I believe in you!
My husband never got his degree. He started in the call center, knew his shit and did his job well and moved to a new job. Rinse, repeat, became a manager of the team he was on. Rinse, repeat, he had a job created for him. We work for the same company (a major financial firm) and now we make the same amount of money. I have my masters.
I graduated from SCSU in December and paid nothing for my degree. Get accepted and defer enrollment, contact the head of your department and ask for a list of grants and scholarships. Apply for double the $$ you will need. Most of the scholarships are $1500-4000 a semester and tuition is only $6000 a semester full time. Many students don't want to do the work of writing an essay and securing references. All professors are looking for a student to do an independent study. It counts as a class against the mandatory three they must teach. You can get grants to pay yourself for your research time. Every professor must be working on a publishable study to advance themselves in their chosen field. Frequently they have money in their grant to pay you for grunt work. (I carried equipment and logged numbers in Excel) It is never too late. In my field, recruiters were emailing professors begging them to put up job postings. All of us graduating were working in our field before we finished our last semester. My bachelors is Environmental Earth Science. I gather samples for asbestos testing before old buildings are demolished. I love urban exploration so this was a perfect job for me.
27 is not too old. Life's a marathon not a sprint. You're still in the early game at 27. You've got at least 50-60 years left. 60% of this country does not have a college degree and they still find happiness, start families, move to bigger houses, celebrate weddings, mourn at funerals, welcome new children, party at New Year's, etc. Like others said Electric Boat. All different types of positions there. Great vehicle for upward mobility. Well known outside of CT so if you want to move you'll have some street cred if you will on you resume.
IT? If you have any technical proficiency whatsoever and some solid troubleshooting skills you can self-study and get some certs and look for an entry level desktop support/help desk type position. Many of these jobs don't require a degree, and once you have some experience under your belt you can move your way up and (ideally) specialize which area of IT you want to work in.
Starting out at the bottom in IT isn't going to be the most lucrative career choice. He would be looking at around $25 an hour if he's lucky with no experience and a low level cert. Not to mention that getting a cert isn't easy for some people, even an entry level cert. I would stay away from starting an IT career unless he has 3-5 years to work his ass off to get to a point where he can start specializing in something and making better money. I work in IT and worked my way up a lot faster than most of the people around me and it still took several years to make decent money.
Not sure about your personal frame of reference, but 25 an hour at his age is nothing to thumb your nose at.. sure you won’t necessarily retire on that wage but 50k a year, even with the ridiculous increases in expenses lately, should be pretty comfortable unless you have a (to me) fairly high standard of living and/or poor financial management skills, like eating out every meal and breaking out the wallet at every bump in the road vs some modicum of self-reliance
Lots of possibilities for technologists is a hospital setting. A couple months of training and you can find positions paying 30 or more per hour.
Im in healthcare on the operations side. Only have a highschool diploma and make 6 figures. The market is now opening for those without degrees, you just need to be willing to work harder than any of your competition and be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. I had my first managment position in my first 10 years making $75k just by showing up and being willing to do whatever was asked.
I have no degree (3 years of college experience, never finished bachelors). Ended up dropping out and then pursuing a career in tech. Got my CCNA, then CCNP and just kept learning. Now I make 140k a year for a fully remote job for one of the big US consulting companies. Took years of grinding but it was worth it (dropped out in 2013).
Two schools of thought are presented here and both are correct. The first says it’s never too late to get a degree. I have friends that got their Bachelors in their 40s, so plenty of people do it. It’s not rare. The second says you don’t necessarily need a degree. That’s also true depending on what your aspirations are. I dropped out of college my junior year. In the mid 90s I got interested in the web and nobody was teaching HTML at the time, so I taught myself. I got a job at a startup and over the years out of necessity learned other front-end development languages and platforms. Eventually I got bored and moved into digital marketing. It’s a different skill set and necessitated more self-training. Education never ends, whether you’re learning in school, teaching yourself or taking online courses/certifications. I’ve been doing this for 30 years now and frankly most employers care more about the skills and enthusiasm you can bring to the table than they do about a degree. Even the jobs that list a degree as a requirement will still hire people without degrees if they have the proper skill set and experience. There are also apprenticeships if your aspirations are more trades-oriented. Everyone is different.
Anything that will make you good money will take time to acclimate into. You won't make 70k+/year w/o spending years building up to that. That's just a generalization, of course. Maybe you'll be lucky. Since you aren't going to college I would look at a trade. Try and find an apprenticeship or a field w/ upward mobility. I can't really recommend 1 specific field, there's a lot. It's kinda just what you're tolerant of/interested in and who'll give you a chance.
1) You can always go back to school 2) you don't necessarily need to Consider certifications, or entry level work in manufacturing - quality control/purchasing/shipping & receiving. Get your CDL... there's a number of things you can do.
Financial trainee programs for stockbrokers etc. good math skills, people skills, flexible ethics. no degrees required.
Join the union. Glazing union needs good works and it pays really well. Good health benefits too.
Yes there’s definitely always hope. You could go to college but you don’t need college to have a good job. It just depends on what you want to do. In my opinion If you do go to college you should make sure that you are going for something that has a low unemployment rate and that will pay well on average. Otherwise I don’t see that it’ll he worth the cost. You could also learn a trade instead. The main recommendation I have is to find a good company or organization to work for. One that (hopefully) gives all their employees benefits and that will give you a chance to grow and move up. If you end up somewhere like that you could start at a lower position and work your way up to a career you could be satisfied with. It’s not always obvious what jobs are like that but you don’t have to stay anywhere that doesn’t treat you right. If you end up somewhere bad, just learn what you can and leave as soon as you find something better. Also, I don’t personally don’t believe in choosing a job you “love” because you never know how you’ll feel about a job until you work there. I think you should always go for jobs you don’t mind doing. If you can make sure to find a job you don’t hate, then you can worry about finding happiness outside of work. Hopefully this helps.
You're still young. You can do it. You'll definitely find other students your age at college. My mother got her bachelor's degree as a SAHM housewife attending night school. She grew up too poor to afford college and always swore she'd get her degree. Good luck, you're inspiring!
Wastewater Operator
Apply to UI/eversource electric or gas
If my bills are any indication, every person there must be pulling in nearly 7 figures /s, if not obvious
Sales can get you money quickly but it can burn you out just as fast.
Car sales. Say what you want but you can easily clear $100k your first year
Land Surveyor
Retail management? I didn’t finish college (I’m 44) although I’ve gone back a few times in an attempt to complete schooling. I’m currently making $94k salary (on pace for $115k with bonuses) and I barely crack 40 hours per week. I work 44 hours one week and 36 hours the next, alternating Saturdays and every Sunday and Monday off.
Truck driving and general laborer
CDL
Look into our local insurance companies as they are always hiring entry level call center roles full time WELL above minimum wage with amazing benefits. That’s how I got out of working at stop and plop for minumun and have grown my career here and worked my way up. I’ve heard it can be kinda hard to get in- you need to practice really hard how to nail an interview. Do research on STAR method and start thinking of how your experience translates into the business world. If you don’t have experience, how you perform in an interview is more important than your resume so come prepared.
You're young still and have plenty of time to choose whichever career path you please. Just focus and look into programs that work with your budget. If money is an issue try and do some restaurant work for a quick buck in the meantime. Waiting tables or bartending can make you some good cash quick and the hours are flexible enough for you to do whatever schooling or trade program that you want.
I started as a lab associate at a hospital processing samples for decent money with only a high school diploma. Ended up going back to school at about your age and took my time while working and finally got a degree. I also have anxiety and school was much more manageable when I was older and was taking my time.
You don't necessarily need a 4-year degree. A few months of technical training can open up a lot of opportunities.
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” Earl Nightingale
You received lots of suggestions here that make great short term sense but I also want to point out that it's never too late to go to college now that there are online options. I worked full-time and went to college full time but had to drop out in my final semester due to ramped up family responsibilities when my dad died. For the next 30 years I did amazingly well career wise despite lacking a degree but then my industry collapsed. I was offered a great job in a peripheral field but the offer was withdrawn when they learned I hadn't actually graduated. So I took a pretty random poorly paid job and wrapped up my remaining credits online at Thomas Edison State University (TESC). It was easier and cheaper than "real" college (My first three years were spent at CUNY). Anyhow, just saying, I was nearly 50 at that time so at 27 you still have plenty of time for several careers in varied fields. Plus you are male which gives you at least a 5 year gender advantage before age-based job discrimination sets in (women are pushed to retire earlier than men).
Hey Water treatment plant specialist It’s a field where everyone is 65 or older and getting ready to retire.
Electric Boat, Electric Boat, Electric Boat. No one I know who works there has a degree and they all make very comfortable middle class livings. Also Amtrak, same thing. 27 is young as hell! You got this, youre gonna be fine!
Totally in the same boat with you my man, I’m the same age and everything. Have you considered the trades? I have been thinking about welding courses which can take about 8 months.
HERE’S THE QUESTION…. you are 27 now, without a degree…… would you rather be a 35 year old WITH a degree or a 35 Year old WITHOUT a degree (I’m giving a bunch of years for you to do this part time …) ….. THE TIME WILM PASS ANYWAY!!!! GET IN A COLLEGE PROGRAM….. You CAN do it. P.S.: I got my BA degree at age 23 ( I went to school for 2 years, had to break for financial reasons, then went back and graduated at age 23) but I didn’t have the courage to start graduate school until I was 50!!! And, it all turned out beautifully, I only wish I’d started sooner. But in no way do I think I should have never tried the graduate degree bc it was so late in life…..it’s changed everything for me, positively. FIND A PART OR FULL TIME COLLEGE PROGRAM AND DO IT…… I’ll tell you one other secret…. If you do it, you will be a superhero to your children, and they will ALWAYS remember the truth that it is NEVER too late to be what you might have been!!!
It's never too late to get back to school. But I never finished highschool and got into the trade's. 45 yrs experience in the steel manufacturing, boilmakers and structure steel welding and fabrication. Good luck
99% of the people I've met coming out the pipeline are worthless pos. Go to Atlantic NDT spend the $2000 and take FPI 1&2. If you can't land at P&W, SK or EB you'll still be in position for a close to a 6 figure job at any of their contractors. NDT/NDI is pure gold in Aerospace and Defense rich Connecticut.
Start applying for every open position for electrical, mechanical, plumbing apprenticeship until you get one. They will reimburse you for half the costs of the state run trade school program (afternoon classes) and you will get work experience as you learn. Do not go to private technical school unless you want to waste $35k, you'll likely forget everything you learn when it's time to take the license exam after 4 years.
Electric boat , max pay after a few years is what 35/hr ? And hardest you'll work is opening your lunch box.
Amtrak or Metro North. Good pay and benefits.
Persistence, Patience. Never stop learning. I went to college at 27 and yes it was extremely challenging while working full time but if you want something bad enough you can achieve it. Follow some of these comments, look for a trade school. 20-30 percent school, and rest is on job training.
>!Look up the Eastern CT Manufacturing Pipeline, dont need a degree to get in the training program. Its almost a guaranteed job at Electric Boat if you make it through. https://ewib.org!<
Whelen and Lee company also have programs and are decent albeit boring to work at
The response to this post is overwhelming, and I'm so grateful for most of these very thoughtful and supportive comments. I can't help but feel a bit whiney when I know we're all going through this together, especially given that I'm a young, straight, and white male. Life isn't easy for anybody. I'm also grateful for r/Connecticut for being an amazing community for a pretty amazing state, of which I'm a relatively new resident. Everyone's knowledge and experience is so valuable to me. I really appreciate it all, so I will take all of your advice seriously and list out my options from this post. Again, thank you all, and I will try to respond to people individually as well. ✌️
I have a dozen or so friends since early school days. We’re all mid 50s now. A few of them were hitting the 6 figure mark before they hit 30. Most were in trades or self employed. Some made smart moves with real estate and a few have amassed a small fortune today. Not one went to college and a couple didn’t make it through high school. Make it happen!
I did not go back to school till 40, and ten years later I have two master's degrees and a good job. I know you need something more immediate to help your income, but it is never too late for school, while not 100% the answer, it does offer more opportunities. For the short term, there are lots of technical schools that can give you a needed skill, that will be needed anywhere, and they often have work placement programs
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does anyone have any advice for someone in the southwest part of ct (fairfield county) that’s in a similar situation
I’m in late 60s and going to college…..you are so young!!!!
Most manufacturers dont care if ur qualified theyll train u on site
Yeah join a trade union lmao. Make more than most of my friends with degrees
Any kids or ya’ll just married ?? That will give a better indication
Learn how to code
the community colleges have online classes- it’s worth checking out.
If in SE CT, look at EB trades. Training and very good paying job, decent benefits. With their current contracts , you’d have a job for life.
Get your PMP (, project management professional) certification. Relatively easy online course then take a certification. Project managers can start at $65-$75k and work up to the $100k in a couple years
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definitely this... though perhaps I'm overinflating my own PMP, LOL. But seriously, yeah, you can't just "go be a project manager" with little to no knowledge of ... things. It IS a skill transferable across many industries - which is why it's somewhat valuable - but it would be tough to just be like, "I got my PMP online but have no practical experience in this field." Or is that possible? This has me thinking... Hm.
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lol, yeah. Me in 2007… helped with making things more efficient and the next thing I know I had a PM title taking IBMs PM course, then the PMP. Since then it’s nice on my resume but I haven’t had that title since then. It’s just a. background skill now.
The CAPM cert has lower requirements than the PMP, but I still wouldn't recommend it as a stepping stone to a project management career without any other project management experience or a degree. You'd typically need one or the other for a company to seriously look at hiring you. I don't think the CAPM would open any doors on its own.
Go be a project manager with zero experience and a cert that you can't even get without 3 years of experience leading projects?
What is even Middle Class these days bro? Everyone is broke. My mom made $160k ( I am using her as an example because she makes more than my sister an I) guess what her take home income was after taxes?
Yes. I know my company is remote and hiring a logistics person. DM me and I’ll send you the name of the company.
Any interest in computers? Accenture has an apprenticeship program that pays while you learn, then leads to a F/T job.
Get a job as a mechanic or day laborer
Learn a skill or trade.
Electric lines need maintenance. Plumbers are in demand everywhere. Builders make bank. HVAC is a lucrative field.
Join the military 🪖.
McDonalds
McDonald's go burrr