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I'll check with the electricians, carpenters, plumbers and auto techs I know to see if they think one needs a BS/BA to get a job in DC, then I'll get back to you.
No you do not need one. I wouldn't recommend it thought, but contrary to what you have heard, there is huge working class in the DC metro (not necessarily dc, but its suburbs). Sure, most of them are recent immigrants but they count
Location: YOU are NOT a Washingtonian. YOU are a GENTRIFIER from the CVS, Whole Foods, Starbucks & Condos era.
367 posts, read 642,428 times
Reputation: 148
Quote:
Originally Posted by North Beach Person
I'll check with the electricians, carpenters, plumbers and auto techs I know to see if they think one needs a BS/BA to get a job in DC, then I'll get back to you.
I'll check with the electricians, carpenters, plumbers and auto techs I know to see if they think one needs a BS/BA to get a job in DC, then I'll get back to you.
The original poster asked about "no college degree or EDUCATION." I would assume that an electrician, carpenter, plumber, or auto tech would have some "education" (whether through formal training, on-the-job training, some other method by which one acquired a specialized skill).
I would say yes, there certainly are jobs that one can have that don't require a college degree such as those that were mentioned above, but if one doesn't have some sort of skill/plan/education/talent/etc, one would have a very difficult time.
If you walk into any business anywhere branding yourself as "uneducated" you'll QUICKLY hit a brick wall. If you're also unskilled and inexperienced you wont find a job in ANY city.
The OP needs to be more specific as far as the field, skillset, and experience.
Yes and I am proof. I make great money and live well. As long as you have marketable skills, a degree is not required.
True story, the person who held my job before me had a Masters in Internet Marketing from some stupid online college and couldn't even figure out how to post to Facebook. A degree does not automatically mean you have any idea what you are doing.
I learned an MBA's worth of knowledge by working closely with my boss in my last job and have always been a voracious learner. Sure if you are a couch-surfing loser without a degree you might have some trouble but if you are motivated, intelligent and determined, you can do fine.
I agree with you. Yet, I don't think the value of a degree should be dismissed. On the other hand my opinion of online colleges like the University of Phoenix is pretty low.
A couple friends mentioned moving to the DC area and I discouraged this because of their lack of education. While I am very thankful for my degree maybe I shouldn't have been so discouraging. Then again the DC area isn't for everyone.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,015,678 times
Reputation: 794
Quote:
Originally Posted by terrence81
I agree with you. Yet, I don't think the value of a degree should be dismissed. On the other hand my opinion of online colleges like the University of Phoenix is pretty low.
A couple friends mentioned moving to the DC area and I discouraged this because of their lack of education. While I am very thankful for my degree maybe I shouldn't have been so discouraging. Then again the DC area isn't for everyone.
I guess I should qualify that by saying I do have a few years of experience in my specialty and a proven track record of delivering in that area. My last two employers have valued the fact that I did not take on insurmountable debt by getting a degree in an unemployable field - it shows that they can trust me to run their business efficiently and do it creatively - but I will be the first to admit that I am the exception to the rule given that I sought out mentors in the field I wanted to specialize in and took the initiative to teach myself what I needed to know.
So yeah, there is definitely a value to a degree, I just so happened not to need one and taught myself what I needed to know through experience. If you are uneducated, inexperienced, unskilled AND unmotivated, you're screwed.
It depends on what you mean by livable wages and what type of jobs you are talking about.
One of my best friends makes 6 figures and she doesnt have a college degree (she lives in NY) -- she does advertising sales. I'd imagine it is also possible in other metropolitan areas like DC. Though if you didnt have one, you might experience higher barriers for jobs that traditionally require one.
Not necessarily. A lot of GS 4 and 5 positions only require the specialized experience which can be gotten from other jobs. (Trust me, I apply for at least 5 GS-5 positions every week.) From there you can work your way up, with experience. Education can be substituted for experience but not required. Your chances are better if you enlisted in the military right after HS and did the full 4 years since you get the veterans preference. Same thing with the peace corps.
This is true, however, most government hiring managers will only contact people with degrees for the interview. There's a big difference betweeen making the 'cert/eligible list' and actually getting the job.
I'm a GS-13 (on leave today, not blogging from work). I relocated to the DC metro area and entered government on a career ladder, (GS 09/12) after completing my graduate degree at a prestigious university. In two years, I was at the GS-12. After I reached the GS-12 career ladder and completed 52 weeks in my position, I applied for a GS-13, step 1 position and was selected.
I am sure there were many people who qualified simply based on having 1 year of experience (without a masters) at the GS-12, since technically you don't need a masters or any college education, if you have the knowledge, skills and ability acquired by successfully doing a job at the next lower grade (or equivalent) for at least 52 weeks.
I'm simply pointing out that my 1 year experience at the GS-12 and my masters/undergrad degrees certainly helped. It gave me the credibility factor. Senior management respected my credentials from top schools. After I complete 1 year at the 13, I will be looking to make inroads into a GS-14 position.
I'm presently thinking about pursuing a phD at a well known prestigious university (on a part-time basis). Education certainly matters.
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