Anti-College Career Paths

There is nothing wrong with going to college but it is not for everyone. There are TONS of fulfilling and financially rewarding career paths to choose from that do NOT require a degree. This certainly isn't a comprehensive list but it is a good start and is meant to provide inspiration and be thought-provoking to the young person looking to find their way.

I encourage you to reconsider a couple of cliches that we’re accustomed to hearing. First is that “You don’t want a back-breaking job”. Workplace safety has advanced greatly in the last couple of decades, as well as tools and equipment technology, so manual labor jobs in general require much less back-breaking manual labor than they used to. Also, suppose you aspire to work a desk job, and your sedentary lifestyle causes you to lose muscle and gain fat. You’re going to have to pay for a gym membership to gain access to a place where your body can move as it is meant to. Again, in general, it is easier for people who get to move all day while they work to stay in better shape. The next cliche to reconsider is that “kids these days don’t want to work anymore”, which I strongly disagree with. I would counter that argument with the following: kids aren’t given the chance to EXPLORE any more. Adolescence and young adulthood is a time to dabble in every interest so kids can learn what they like while they’re also getting to know themselves. Kids these days are more distracted and constantly stimulated than ever before. Between TV, video games, and social media, they start dabbling in the workplace less, and are almost never alone with their thoughts to get to know themselves. All the careers listed below are essential for our economy and have the potential to be quite lucrative if it becomes a person’s passion and ultimately their purpose, but that doesn’t happen without curiosity and exploration first, which leads to finding that passion. There is more on this in the book, but essentially it can only happen like this: Exploration -> Passion -> Purpose -> Enlightenment -> Expert. That being said, kids need to find ways to explore these types of fields, and parents should encourage that experience!

1. Construction - some paths require no formal training or certification at all. Others require work experience/apprenticeship, some class, and/or a test. Either way, the barrier to entry is far less than anything requiring a four-year (or more) degree, and the possibilities in the field are almost endless. Some of these apply to residential, commercial, and industrial construction, and some are specific to only one sector, but many of the skills between different trades are transferrable.

   1. Demolition

      1. Equipment operator

      2. Concrete saw operator

      3. Dump truck driver

   2. Concrete

      1. Form Carpentry

      2. Rebar Fabrication

      3. Rebar Installation / Rodbusters

      4. Equipment operator (excavation)

      5. Concrete Conveyance (Pumping)

      6. Placing & Finishing (laser screening, hand finishing, power troweling, riding troweling)

      7. Decorative concrete (stamps, stains, colors, coatings, sealers)

      8. Polishing concrete floors

      9. Ready-mix concrete plant operations and maintenance

   3. Masonry

      1. Block

      2. Brick

      3. Stone

      4. Foundations

      5. Form carpentry

      6. Rebar fabrication

      7. Rebar installation

      8. Block and brick manufacturing plant operations and maintenance

   4. Steel

      1. Structural fabrication

      2. Structural erection

      3. Decorative fabrication and installation

      4. Industrial machining and welding

      5. Automotive applications

      6. Marine applications

      7. Power generation applications

   5. Carpentry

      1. Dimensional lumber manufacturing

      2. Wood framing / rough carpentry

      3. Truss manufacturing

      4. Commercial specialties (bathroom accessories, toilet partitions, fire extinguisher cabinets, etc.) installation

   6. Thermal & Moisture Protection

      1. Insulation

      2. Waterproofing

      3. Roofing (shingle, metal, standing seam, specialty)

   7. Openings

      1. Doors, frames, hardware installation

      2. Windows installation

      3. Sales & service

   8. Finishes

      1. Metal stud framing

      2. Drywall hanging

      3. Drywall finishing

      4. Plaster

      5. Stucco

      6. Painting

   9. Specialties

      1. Bathroom accessories

      2. Toilet partitions

      3. Wall protection

   10. Equipment

       1. Food service equipment sales and installation (commercial cooking equipment, coolers, freezers, stainless steel furnishings, casework/cabinetry)

       2. Manufacturing equipment sales and installation (assembly lines, conveyance systems, robotics, material handling)

   11. Furnishings

       1. Commercial office furniture

       2. Hospital furniture

   12. Special Construction

       1. Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings

       2. Greenhouses

   13. Conveying Systems

       1. Elevators

       2. Conveyance belts

   14. Fire Suppression

       1. Building fire protection

       2. Ansul systems (food service)

   15. Plumbing

   16. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

   17. Electrical

   18. Data/Communications

       1. Internet

       2. Phones

       3. Audio / Visual

   19. Electronic Safety / Security

       1. Security systems

       2. CCTV cameras

   20. Earthwork

       1. Equipment operator

       2. Truck driver

   21. Exterior Improvements

       1. Landscaping

       2. Irrigation

       3. Water features

   22. Utilities

       1. Chilled water & heating hot water (chillers and boilers)

       2. Electrical duct bank (medium & high voltage)

   23. Transportation

       1. Highways

       2. Bridges

       3. Tunnels

       4. Railroads

   24. Marine Construction

       1. Ports

       2. Docks

       3. Marina

       4. Dredging

       5. Salving

       6. Oil Rigs

   25. Power Generation

       1. Solar

       2. Nuclear

       3. Dams

       4. Wind Turbines

   26. Pool construction

       1. Excavation

       2. Rebar / Rodbusters

       3. Shotcrete / Gunnite

       4. Coatings / Finishing

       5. Decorative Concrete

       6. Brick Pavers

2. Real Estate - Most states only require a short course and passing an exam to become licensed to follow any of the following career paths. No degree required, although business classes may come in handy.

   1. Real estate agent

   2. Real estate broker

   3. Mortgage consultant

3. Shipping / Logistics - CDL, forklift certification

   1. Long haul truck driver

   2. Local delivery driver

   3. Warehouse equipment operator

4. Timber / Silviculture / Land Management -

   1. Equipment operator

   2. Truck driver

   3. Certified arborist

   4. Tree Trimmer

   5. Stump Grinding

5. Insurance - Most states require a course and exam to become licensed, no degree required, although business classes may come in handy.

   1. Health

   2. Personal (auto, home-owners, renters, life, etc.)

   3. Business (general liability, professional liability, auto & equipment, worker’s comp, health, life, etc.)

6. Martial Arts - Require no degree, although business administration knowledge will certainly be valuable if you start your own academy. Most martial arts allow you to start teaching classes as a lower-level belt so you can make money while you continue to gain experience on your martial arts journey.

   1. Grappling Sports

      1. Brazilian Ju Jitsu (BJJ)

      2. Ju Jitsu

      3. Wrestling

   2. Striking Sports

      1. Muy Thai

      2. Boxing

      3. Kick-boxing

      4. Karate

   3. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) - self explanatory

7. Military

   1. Air Force

   2. Army

   3. Coast Guard

   4. Navy

8. Manufacturing

   1. "Made in America" is a huge (and still growing) selling point! If you've ever wanted to make something to sell, or you see some hole in the market that you are passionate about, there has never been a better time to figure out how to make it and mass-produce it in America.

To be continued...