Looking to move to Washington within the next 2 years. I could use some help.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Doickls

Thank you all for the responses, I'm going to try and take them into consideration.

[cite]CrazyDonkey[/cite]



Man, that would be the smart thing to do? Wouldn't it? So, how would I go about that?

Is there a reason you couldn't get an AA degree at home, where you live? Why would you have to head out west to go to community college? If you leave your home state, you probably won't be able to attend community college for virtually free until you establish residency in WA. So you'd have to spend a year crashing in a shared household with roommates, working as a coffee barrista, or something. Which, in Seattle is a valid lifestyle for young people, but still--it could be very tight financially.

So, you need to figure out what kind of skills/trades you're interested in that are also in demand. Construction is something people fall back on, but it goes through boom and bust cycles, so it's no guarantee of employment UNLESS you take some engineering classes, as well. What about tech? Some friends of mine have kids who took 2 years of computer programming in community college, and immediately got very cushy jobs. One ended up doing the programming for the college he attended, as permanent staff!

Think about where your interests and talents like. Don't make any sudden moves. (I guess you have 1-1/2 years to go of HS, anyway, right? Lots of time to think this through.) Try spending the time you have left in HS exploring different fields. For example, take shop classes to see if you like construction/carpentry. You may find you don't have a knack for it at all. (It involves math.) Take whatever IT classes your school offers. Look for volunteer opportunities that would allow you to explore different fields.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by Doickls

My plan for after I graduate from high school (I'm currently a Junior) is to move out to Washington, and join the workforce.

I assume that "join the workforce" is a code for "smoke all the weed I want".

[Indy1982]

Landing a good job with only a HS diploma isn't impossible though. College education is a plus, but there comes a point when higher education becomes redundant without a clear career direction. Doickls, you haven't said what you'd like to do in the workforce. That would help determine what extra schooling you might need and where you might want to land in Washington.

If you're interested in being a farmer, then some schooling the agriculture and then moving to the Columbia basin in eastern WA would be a good bet. If you want to work in some techie job, then at least an associate's or better a bachelor's then move to the Bellevue-Redmond area. Bellevue is a nice city, but very expensive to live in. You will be renting at no less than $1,200 per month plus utilities.

Another possibility is getting a job at Boeing. They're currently hiring off the street with only a HS diploma as a requirement. Cost of living in the Everett area where they have their biggest plant is still expensive, but doable until you get a few years of seniority and build up a savings. Same thing with Microsoft, though they're not hiring at the same high rate that Boeing is.