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Maybe where you live. But move out into rural America and you will find that there are many jobs available in ALL these fields (granted, they are not going to be as high-paying as they would be in the big-city).
When I was a waitress (and a lousy one, at that), I brought home $200 a night in my pocket in tips. You do work your butt off (literally!) but for a young person with lots of energy, it's a GREAT job.
If I were 35 years younger and just starting my way into the working world in today's economy, I'd consider work as an electrical technician specializing in DC power systems for telecommunications and computer data centers. There is a huge global demand for power technicians who know about setting up backup generators, standby battery power stacks, and installing power cabling to large power distribution cabinets in telecommunications and data equipment centers.
The more information and bandwidth that flows through data and telecom networks, the bigger and more powerful the backbone routers that run these networks become and the more power they need to operate and the more backup power they need in case the main commercial power fails. And these skills transfer easily to other power related trades like commercial building electrician or working for an electric utility company or power generating company.
The opportunities are out there, but they require a lot of training and hard work. The pay is very good, much higher than many people with college degrees working in typical office jobs in the "service sector".
This sounds like a GREAT IDEA! You're right, the demand for upgraded telcom wiring, generators, etc. will not be going away anytime soon. It will be factored into any new construction, and certainly still is a strong factor in remodeling commercial buildings or incremental system upgrades.
I can imagine that it would still be travel intensive, but I would still think that you would spend more time on the road doing smaller one or two day projects, vs. being assigned to the wiring of an ENTIRE hospital, etc. that would put you on a job site for an extended period of time.
Is it any easier to get into a Telcom Electrician Apprenticeship then it is to get into in a Residential or Inside Wireman program?
My Dad is an electrician in a factory and has been all of his life so I'm familiar with the field. As I've alluded to several times in my recent postings, I'm getting to the point where I'd rather get into a trade at this point then another degree if I can't get my career back on track. I can’t justify another $20K in the hole if it doesn’t almost GUARANTEE me work. I’d rather get into a trade instead. I look at all of my friends that went straight from HS into a trade and they are doing GREAT. Building their own new houses, driving new cars, buying toys like snowmobiles, etc, married, starting a family. I have no home, a used car I took too big of a loan out for, $35K in debt, and NO JOB to show for my degree. If things don't turn around for me in the next 6 months to a year, it's time for a change.....
Skilled trades require good training, and it can take a few years to get started in the right direction. I don't see your location displayed, but I'm guessing it's somewhere up north. If you are in a metro area, you will need to find a place that offers training related to industrial electronics. This is somewhat different than traditional electronics training that tends to focus more on the AC powered world and deals with the more common residential and commercial AC wiring. Industrial electronics deals with generator motors and power generation systems, backup battery systems, DC power, DC cable installation.
Here's a real, current job offering I stumbled on in Monster dot com that gives you an idea of what I am trying to describe.
Strong Electrician - Systems Testing Analyst - Battery Load Testing - Job in Houston 77033, Texas US (http://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=91641218&AVSDM=2010-10-22%2010:15:00&WT.mc_n=RSS2005_JSR - broken link)
There is such a shortage in this job field that as recently as 4 years ago, I would see crews of technicians that were flown over to the US from Korea or Taiwan as short term contractors to perform DC power installation jobs at telecom company sites, including the place where I work.
THANK YOU!!! This is exactly what I am going to do. I can honestly say that I was letting a lot of the "there are no jobs anywhere" comments get to me. Thruthfully, it gets a little depressing after awhile so I am trying to avoid those comments.
I refuse to believe that success is no longer possible and I am now spending time talking with successful people and gaining advice from them.
There are plenty of good paying jobs available (at least here in Boston), it just takes a mix of luck and timing to get that first response from a hiring manager or recruiter. Remember, they do NOT look at all resumes, usually just the first few they get. Don't get discouraged, don't blame yourself, just keep at it.
It's tough for folks like us to survive in this new economy, when we've been used to better times and good jobs. I've never had trouble finding well paying office jobs, until now. We set up our present lifestyle in the country years ago, anticipating a comfortable retirement. We're spoiled baby boomers who had a rude awakening. I, for one, was ill prepared for this.
I've thought long and hard about your suggestions, and they are good ones. I'm not adverse to alcohol and bars - if I were single, I would consider it - but my husband would sell his own plasma before he'd see me work in a bar.
I enjoyed working part time at a neighbor's farm this summer, picking vegetables, even though the bending caused pain in my back and knees (I have mild arthritis). If I were a little younger, I definitely could get into doing that full time, seasonally.
I lasted three days at the local Dollar General. I wasn't equipped for the physical tasks, and there were many. It is so much more than just running a cash register (which I've learned to do). After watching my pathetic attempts at lifting, stacking, and stocking, I was told I wasn't cut out for it.
Cleaning - well, to be honest, I've never been much of a housekeeper, either. I'm not bragging, but when I had decent paying jobs, and times were better, I had someone in once a week to do the floors, windows, bathrooms, etc. I don't mind having to do that stuff myself now, but I doubt if anyone would pay me for what passes, to me, as clean.
Childcare - my kids are long grown, and I'm out of practice. I haven't taken care of a little one in over 15 years, and even then, I really didn't do all of it - the babysitter, and later, the preschool did, while I worked. Other people's small children get on my nerves, and like I said, I'm too stodgy and out of practice. Thank God I haven't got grandchildren yet.
The delivery service idea though, THAT SOUNDS GREAT, I'm going to suggest it to my husband (he has a large van for the small business he started in his retirement). I don't know how to drive the van, but he can. He can help me with the lifting, too.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Mrs. Skeffington, the problem that you have is that you are putting limitations upon yourself. You have a bad case of the "I can'ts".
Do you think that America became a great country because people insisted that the "CAN'T" do something?
I'm so sorry Mr. Gates, but I simply CAN'T write a new computer program. DOS is going to have to do.
This country and all that is great about it resulted from people saying "I CAN AND I WILL" do it.
As for your physical condition. I don't know how old you are, Mrs. Skeffington, but if you are under 90 then you need to get some exercise and a better diet. You should not be in such a poor phyisical condition that you cannot do basic, meanial tasks like lifing a box or stocking shelves.
What if the Dollar Store offered to pay you $250,000 to stock their shelves? I bet you could do it then.
If you WANT to work, then your excuses mean nothing. There are people without legs and arms who are blind or seriously handicapped do not complain about their condition but get up and get moving with a determination to do something and to succeed.
I'd suggest you not believe all the fear mongering about gluts or outsourcing, pick something that interest you, and try your best.
I would suggest they believe it, I can only comment on IT field though. Outsourcing is real, I would tell any U.S. citizen to avoid a degree in Computer Science, MIS, IS right now and into the future, unless of course you are a top 5 institution. I would advise same for anybody going into law that is not in the T14.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Braunwyn
Anyone would do better working breakfast at a diner. That's really sad.
breakfast diner back of house jobs are done by illegal immigrants for 3-4 dollars an hour here.
As for your physical condition. I don't know how old you are, Mrs. Skeffington, but if you are under 90 then you need to get some exercise and a better diet. You should not be in such a poor phyisical condition that you cannot do basic, meanial tasks like lifing a box or stocking shelves.
What if the Dollar Store offered to pay you $250,000 to stock their shelves? I bet you could do it then.
Maybe she has injury. My mom really messed up her shoulder and per doctor's order is no longer allowed to lift anything above about ten pounds over her shoulders. Some people literally cannot do physical labor.
I don't agree that everyone is going into Physical Therapy Assistant. It's a very, very, very hard 2 year degree to get. Not many people stick with the program. It's good pay for a 2 year degree and a low cost investment. But it's not a good life. Very stressful. Emotionally demanding. High burnout rate. You CAN be small and do it though. You do not have to be big.
This sounds like a GREAT IDEA! You're right, the demand for upgraded telcom wiring, generators, etc. will not be going away anytime soon. It will be factored into any new construction, and certainly still is a strong factor in remodeling commercial buildings or incremental system upgrades.
I can imagine that it would still be travel intensive, but I would still think that you would spend more time on the road doing smaller one or two day projects, vs. being assigned to the wiring of an ENTIRE hospital, etc. that would put you on a job site for an extended period of time.
Is it any easier to get into a Telcom Electrician Apprenticeship then it is to get into in a Residential or Inside Wireman program?
My Dad is an electrician in a factory and has been all of his life so I'm familiar with the field. As I've alluded to several times in my recent postings, I'm getting to the point where I'd rather get into a trade at this point then another degree if I can't get my career back on track. I can’t justify another $20K in the hole if it doesn’t almost GUARANTEE me work. I’d rather get into a trade instead. I look at all of my friends that went straight from HS into a trade and they are doing GREAT. Building their own new houses, driving new cars, buying toys like snowmobiles, etc, married, starting a family. I have no home, a used car I took too big of a loan out for, $35K in debt, and NO JOB to show for my degree. If things don't turn around for me in the next 6 months to a year, it's time for a change.....
Sure that is Great Advice (the above) IF you are say 20 something or just out of high school. All of these jobs in the 'trades' require specific experience which is next to impossible to get if you aren't the age of the 'fresh faced' college or high school grad... We constantly hear the media spiel (mostly from rags like CNN & USATODAY) that talks about this supposed shortage in xx (select one from the above post) trade BUT in the real world all I hear are people who did retrain and couldn't even get an interview let alone a job.
I am not talking about people in their 50's & 60's but say in their 30's & 40's (those who people in their 20's now call 'middle aged') who are unemployed and listen to the media and politicians who decide to retrain in one of the trades and then find out that a job is as elusive as the magical unicorn & rainbow.
That is why talking about the best, hottest, most 'in demand' jobs & careers are a moot point for most people who already have years of experience in an existing career. You have to utilize & leverage what you already have & that experience not listen to pie in the sky rhetoric & BS from the media...
Guarantee you work?? Pardon me if this comes off the wrong way but isn't this huge 'sense of entitlement' what is killing this country?? Is anything 'guaranteed' in life except for death & taxes?? Do people still have this idea that a degree or training in xxx is a golden ticket in itself??
At least this is what I keep hearing from informational interviews and the indeed forums. I want to work and don't want the government taking care of me. I am just starting to feel hopeless due to the bad economy. I honestly think if I have to stay on unemployment much longer I will be forced to see a counselor because I feel so hopeless. Living off unemployment is like being in a prison and there is no escape.
Its not hopeless you just have to have a thick skin and understand that alot of this advice about the best careers may exist only in fantasy land & the land of make believe. Unfortunately when you are unemployed, the fact that you are unemployed and may be older than regular just out of college entry level limits your options because of peoples stereotypes
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