In today’s world, especially in the US, we’re told that we need to go to college and get an education in order to have a decent living. But nowadays it’s not so easy, and it’s only boomers telling us how easy it was. College is causing many students to get in debt so early in their life. There are scholarships, however for some that’ll be a hassle to obtain considering other factors in life. What would you suggest?
Trade jobs are everywhere and thanks to the “go to college and get a desk job” push there was a pretty big shortage of new workers for a while. From what I understand it’s left a worrisome gap in the experience as the “old guard” are retiring and there aren’t enough experience workers to replace them. So I’d look into trade jobs. I know a guy that was able to get in as an electrician with little background experience. It’s rough starting out especially if you aren’t part of a union but once you get a few years behind you back I hear the pay can get pretty good.
This is just what I had heard some years ago. I do not know if that situation has changed.
In my area of the US it has changed for the better. There is definitely the age gap you describe. Employers are looking at (and experiencing) massive retirements from the baby boomers and are trying to compensate with cash incentives and training programs. Employers are starting to accept that if they want anyone working for them in 5 years they have to start training immediately and make that training an entry to a viable career.
Personally, I think we are set for a major labor shortage that will empower worker improvements that were put off through the whole career span of baby boomers. Employers are pouting right now saying that nobody wants to work, but they know that it is actually that nobody wants to work a shit job for shit pay for the next 40 years of their life.
In short, ‘the trades’ are a good way to go. Tons of openings for plumbers, electricians, and any other niches like that. These are jobs that simply won’t be allowed to disappear.