Best jobs for non-college grads?

The Coffee Shop
41

If someone isn’t afraid to climb roofs, there is some excellent money to be made as an independent insurance adjuster. To do well, one needs to be self-motivated and it helps to have computer skills. It takes a little bit of work to get into it, but those who work hard can do very well. Plus, they typically have quite a bit of time off outside of storm season.

On a really good storm, I can make more in a month than I made in a year as a computer programmer - but I am usually working 16 hour days, 7 days a week.

There are guys who run claims exclusively for the largest insurer in the the US who make 300k-400k a year - assuming that there are an abundant number of hail/wind/hurricanes that year.

42

In-N-Out near me is paying $21 per hour for new employees.

This is rural GA where $20/hour is still a very good wage and COL are low
.

43

The railroad. Requires some measure of mechanical/electrical aptitude, and companies will provide training. You have to be willing to travel or live in some pretty remote places and don’t mind working in all kinds of weather. The pay is competitive, if not more so depending where you are, you pay into railraod retirement instead of social security. It’s an industry that isn’t going away, likely ever.

When I was getting ready to retire from the Marine Corps I looked into the railroad, even had two offers (BNSF and CSX). I wasn’t willing to travel. If I were a young man, single, I’d be all over that career.

I’m an electrician in private passenger rail. I spend from October to april in the yard 5 miles from home 4X10 hrs…But April til October it is literally “as and when” no stats, no sick time, no vacation and 20-30 hours per week extra.

The good news is my job is riding the train in the some of the most beautiful environments in Canada. I make about the same as Oil & Gas, Mining Camp, etc for my trade…but I float from 2400-2600 hours per year. I’ll have 7 weeks off in the winter, but work 500hrs extra in the summer. We get to bank some OT.

I did spend about 10 years working Facilities Management in Banking and Non-profit…great benefits, but 24/7 calls drove me bananas, I am much happier having “acute” or “situational” or “troubleshooting” stress than weekend/3am call stress. We are private so no pension, bur 5% RRSP match (you say 401k) and our annual bonuses not bad. There are a tonne of weird little premiums, dry cleaning, meals, switching, on call, etc…which appear small but add up to a lot.

Maurice

44

Mortician

Wrong, schooling for this close to a medical doctor.

And that’s a load of bullshit

https://apps.illinoisworknet.com/cis/clusters/OccupationDetails/100069?parentId=111000&section=license&sectionTitle=Licensing%20%2F%20Certification

be at least 18 years old;
complete 30 semester hours of college credit and a 12 month course of study in an approved program of mortuary science; or
complete an associate’s degree in an approved mortuary science program; or
complete a bachelor’s degree in an approved mortuary science program; and
complete one year of training under the direct supervision of a licensed funeral director and embalmer; and
pass the state board exam.

45

The railroad. Requires some measure of mechanical/electrical aptitude, and companies will provide training. You have to be willing to travel or live in some pretty remote places and don’t mind working in all kinds of weather. The pay is competitive, if not more so depending where you are, you pay into railraod retirement instead of social security. It’s an industry that isn’t going away, likely ever.

When I was getting ready to retire from the Marine Corps I looked into the railroad, even had two offers (BNSF and CSX). I wasn’t willing to travel. If I were a young man, single, I’d be all over that career.

The young and single part is spot on. It gets a little more difficult when you add a family into the mix. That’s why my nephew went from conductor to engineer to management. You also need to be someone who does not care if you are tied to a regular schedule because your schedule will not be regular.

Does he like Colorado/Moab? If he has a family the wages won’t really work, but great if he’s a “free spirit” out doors/single person:

https://recruiting.ultipro.ca/GRE5000GCRC/JobBoard/9cb3cc71-21ba-4bb5-b1a7-2c69b706555c/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=06501374-08af-4239-8668-480eed76b491

Maurice

46

My son was HS Class of 2021, so the last 3 semesters were COVID hell. For someone who can’t sit still, and learns best by doing, it was hell on earth and I think his HS was being nice by graduating him.

He’s smart, extremely mechanically inclined ( he did all of the Project One builds for one of the highest grossing Trek Stores in the country in HS), and works his tail off. Sitting in a classroom listening to lectures just wasn’t his way of learning like what happened with COVID.

Two months after he graduated, he got a job as an apprentice Electrical Lineman at a non-union yard. Probably about $25/hr. He worked his azz off, learned a lot, was the substitute foreman after about 6 months and was named employee of the year after his first year. When the Lineman’s Union tried to unionize his yard, he got very involved with that and networked with union brass. The unionization effort failed but he impressed the union bosses and they recruited him to a union yard. He’s been with the union for 12 months now, and he made just over 100k in his first year with the union. Not bad for 2.5 years out of HS.

He hustles in what he does, and it rubs off on his team. His team gets a full day’s pay if they lay a certain number of feet of line. They are usually finished by lunch and his team either moves to another job and gets double pay, or, he’ll volunteer to be on call for middle of the night emergencies.

He’s saving up his money and vacation time to take a month off in the summer to rent some excavating equipment and do some small excavating projects with the goal to eventually owning his own excavating and line laying business.

47

Wasn’t one of Andrew Yang’s arguments in favor of a universal basic income the potential for at least long-haul trucking to become fully autonomous? I don’t know how true that is, and it probably won’t impact anyone currently doing the job. But I think it may be important for anyone looking into a trade or profession to also try to look at how that trade might be 10 to 15 years out.

48

In the UK there are now apprenticeship pathways to chartered engineer, architect and finance professionals (ACA, ACCA etc)

Start earning at 16, no college debt, by the time the grads join the apprentice has 5-6 years of experience plus the qualifications
.

49

Waiter. You can be dumb as heck but as long as you can more or less bullshit around vines you can make great money in tips in a fine dining restaurant. I worked with two Chinese guys, both largely useless for any conversation in English but they knew enough to fluently talk about food and vine.
The job is also dumb as heck.

50

Sort of like what we had when my dad walked into Rosyth Dockyard as a fitter and turner apprentice 1960, finished up as an Engineer.

51

That’s fucking brilliant. I love it. And good for him.

I’m actually excited to see what my daughter wants to do (but not rushing things by any means). Our families are a great mix of white collar and blue collar. Healthcare, education, and trades. I certainly won’t be pushing her for higher ed if she doesn’t want it.

52

What was the breaking point for your brother?

I know you were a teacher. And my wife is also. Granted she is in a great district WRT pay and bennies, but she still has a headache with her admin and parents because the kids aren’t the brightest. Still she loves the fact that she can be home by 3 and has summers and holidays off.

I don’t know how much money it would take to make me or her choose the road life of 18 wheeling away from home for long stretches over the frustrations of modern public education.

But I do know there are many factors. Kids, retirement options, etc,

Glad he’s happier.

In teaching it helps to be organized and have thick skin. He’s neither.

Don’t get me wrong, he was a good band director, but lacking those two innate qualities places a lot of stress on you, and he doesn’t manage that stress well.

I got out much earlier. EDIT: I went on a rant and erased it. I’ll summarize as “They don’t appreciate good teachers, i don’t need this shit, I’m finishing my engineering degree.”

53

You absolutely do not have to be union to get paid well in the trades.
Open shop contractors have to compete with union shop, so wages have to be competitive. Many guys go from union to nonunion because they realize they can take home more money.

The key to working in the trades is to work your way into management. Then your not working physically, but mentally.

Journeymen in our area are easily making over $100k per year, just a few years out of high school.

As I said, this is dependent of my area. There is nobody in my area, even the best people on machines, plumbers, electricians, making anywhere near that kind of money, unless they are the owners. If I remember correctly, you are in Austin, a booming area where the wages have to be significantly higher. I would say another caveat to making more money would be the willingness to travel. What you are stating is not attainable in my area, unless you are in a union.

I’m sure Automatic Jack would have a similar situation as yours since I believe he is in Long Island. They don’t pay those wages outside of Philly and Pittsburgh, PA. I’m sure you’ll get closer on the eastern side of PA, but after you start getting west of Harrisburg, the wages significantly decline.

Yeah, I wasn’t going to say much, but some of the $$ amounts thrown around don’t seem like avg but more the higher end, high OT.

And as pointed out, there is money at the start of your career and then there is max money. Skill trades do not appear to have a high income growth rate, 30yr electrician doesn’t make much more than a 10yr unless they have moved up and out of being an electrician.

54

Sorry, but trades can make good money. Yes, my industry tends to work 50 hour weeks whether hourly or salary.

Unions like to push a narrative that open shop doesn’t pay.
Even when I was in Kansas, union guys were going open shop because they took home more money.

In my trade association, I participate in our workforce committee which tries to get high school kids and those leaving the military to get into the trades.

If you look at Davis Bacon wages for my area, that is the minimum companies pay because everyone is competing for crews.

If a guy is still swinging a hammer or turning a wrench 30 years into his career, he’s done something wrong. He should be a foreman, superintendent, or moved into management.
Those who’ve worked their way into management for a subcontractor are probably pulling in closer to 200k. Not bad for someone who didn’t want to go to college.

55

Sorry, but trades can make good money. Yes, my industry tends to work 50 hour weeks whether hourly or salary.

Unions like to push a narrative that open shop doesn’t pay.
Even when I was in Kansas, union guys were going open shop because they took home more money.

In my trade association, I participate in our workforce committee which tries to get high school kids and those leaving the military to get into the trades.

If you look at Davis Bacon wages for my area, that is the minimum companies pay because everyone is competing for crews.

If a guy is still swinging a hammer or turning a wrench 30 years into his career, he’s done something wrong. He should be a foreman, superintendent, or moved into management.
Those who’ve worked their way into management for a subcontractor are probably pulling in closer to 200k. Not bad for someone who didn’t want to go to college.

Are there enough manager jobs for most workers to move into one at some point in their career?

56

Sorry, but trades can make good money. Yes, my industry tends to work 50 hour weeks whether hourly or salary.

Unions like to push a narrative that open shop doesn’t pay.
Even when I was in Kansas, union guys were going open shop because they took home more money.

In my trade association, I participate in our workforce committee which tries to get high school kids and those leaving the military to get into the trades.

If you look at Davis Bacon wages for my area, that is the minimum companies pay because everyone is competing for crews.

If a guy is still swinging a hammer or turning a wrench 30 years into his career, he’s done something wrong. He should be a foreman, superintendent, or moved into management.
Those who’ve worked their way into management for a subcontractor are probably pulling in closer to 200k. Not bad for someone who didn’t want to go to college.

Around here small city (100k) interior BC in CAD$ hourly:

Residential 30$ish
commercial/service (billable) 35-40$
Institutional (hospital/school board/UNI/ City) 40-45$ (killer pension/benefits/sick)
Industrial Maintenance-light- (railway, ski hill, Data center, Generator call out) 42-52$
Utilities Maintenance (Hydro, Fortis gas) 48$ plus
Heavy industrial (local-copper, New Gold etc) 55$ plus
Camp, fly in/out (local BC, Alberta, Diavek diamond mine etc) **150k$ **to start, when accounting for blended rate. 2 weeks in/out 12 hour days
Africa, panama, PNG etc 4-6 weeks in, 2-3 out 12 hour days…I’ve heard 200k$ plus
International rail consulting (driving, electrical, heavy duty) (third-second world, Nigeria, Algeria, Chili)…I’ve heard 200-250k$ depending on contracts you pick up.

These are for electrical, simply hourly, no management responsibilities not including benefits/premiums/LOA/Stat holiday etc.

Maurice

57

Yes. People retire and positions need to be filled.
I’m including foremen and superintendents in that management number. Plenty of people don’t want to be stuck in an office.

58

I’m a controls engineer and work with electricians a lot. They are hurting. It’s a great field to get in to and if you understand controls (120vac, 24vdc, 4-20ma) you can be VERY valuable.
I typically have to land the wires for them when time gets tight.

59

I’m a controls engineer and work with electricians a lot. They are hurting. It’s a great field to get in to and if you understand controls (120vac, 24vdc, 4-20ma) you can be VERY valuable.
I typically have to land the wires for them when time gets tight.
Oh, Lord help us: an engineer landing conductors… haha!

60

Yes, I’ve friends that were ship building apprentices who went on to be marine engineers, but now, in the UK, jaguar land rover, BAE etc are taking on apprentices and taking them through a similar route but for mechanical, electrical and for other businesses civil engineering

These are businesses that historically kept the apprentice programs separate from the degree, but now the degree is an apprenticeship they are recruiting large numbers
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