Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm 20 years old, went to a university for 2 years, and took a year off, trying to figure out what to do. I've come to the conclusion that I have no passion other than to move out of this state and get married. That's all. I have no desire/pull to make a difference in the world or anything like that, like some people might look for in a job.
Basically, my least worst option for schooling that's available in my area seems to be a physical therapist assistant program just for the fact it's close, affordable(ish), and a career that doesn't require a bachelor degree and pays over $30K.
However, I'm having a few issues. One of them is that I have chronic pain due to auto-immune disease (the markers aren't high enough for it to be diagnosed as Lupus yet). I struggled a lot with pain just from working at McDonald's, I don't know if I could handle being a PTA forever or not.
My other issue is that the wait list is long (by my standards). One or two semesters of pre-requisites (depending on how many credits I would be able to handle), then 3-3.5 year-long wait list, then finally 2 years of clinicals, then exam.
I just--- Really. Really. REALLY--- Don't want to be in this state for so long. But then again, I don't know if I can have financial security to be able to live in Palm Beach County of FL unless I have some career like that. Would rather work retail/office forever if I was able to pay rent with that, to be honest. Still looking for ways to make it work while I figure out if I should be a PTA or not, for financial security only; I have absolutely no interest or passion in the field.
Last thing is, I'm not willing to get a bachelor degree. I'm just not. I won't allow myself to get into debt, and I hate the fact you're trapped there for an unknown amount of time, since I know you don't always know how long it'll take you to finish all the credit requirements.
Tl;dr: Should I become a PTA for financial security/small(ish) amount of schooling, or avoid it because I have chronic pain and I have no care for the field?
From what I have heard, PTA is a physically demanding job. Also, there is no reason to spend money on a field that you don't really want to pursue. There is no career path for a PTA, unless you go back to school for a BS and to graduate school to become a PT.
How much can you really make as a PTA - you say "over $30k - I'd do more research because I doubt it is very much more and you probably get stuck doing the most demanding work.
Find something less physically demanding - you're already worried - this stuff rarely gets better with age.
I think you should really figure out what you want to do. Since February you have " been interested in the hospitality industry, no other industry to be honest" and being a massage therapist " It's my dream job."
I wouldn't bother spending money to train for a job when you don't know what you want to do.
I think you should really figure out what you want to do. Since February you have " been interested in the hospitality industry, no other industry to be honest" and being a massage therapist " It's my dream job."
I wouldn't bother spending money to train for a job when you don't know what you want to do.
I'll be honest. I've given up on that. I just don't think it's going to be realistic for me to start my own massage business or make enough money being employed somewhere as one. And I know massage therapy has a high burnout rate in general, even worse for someone like me. So, I've lost interest in that area.
I'll be honest. I've given up on that. I just don't think it's going to be realistic for me to start my own massage business or make enough money being employed somewhere as one. And I know massage therapy has a high burnout rate in general, even worse for someone like me. So, I've lost interest in that area.
And in bartending/serving.
You should do something that you have at least a passing interest in, and you don't really seem to know what that is right now. It's ok to not know.
Since you aren't going back to college, maybe try seeing if you can follow someone that is in a job that may interest you, I did that back in high school senior year. Turned me off of being a vet like I had planned.
I wouldn't dump money to train for a job that you really don't want.
How much can you really make as a PTA - you say "over $30k - I'd do more research because I doubt it is very much more and you probably get stuck doing the most demanding work.
Find something less physically demanding - you're already worried - this stuff rarely gets better with age.
I would really be surprised if most PTA actually make $30,000 a year. The ones that I know make about $12 an hour and are not able to find full time jobs.
Plus, it is a VERY physically demanding job. Perhaps, not as physical demanding as being a construction worker or a longshoreman or some other types of manual labor, but it can extremely physically exhausting.
While the job requirement probably says "be able to routinely lift and carry 50 pounds" when you are alone and you need to move/carry/position an 85 pound child without using a lift, BINGO, you are it!
You should do something that you have at least a passing interest in, and you don't really seem to know what that is right now. It's ok to not know.
Since you aren't going back to college, maybe try seeing if you can follow someone that is in a job that may interest you, I did that back in high school senior year. Turned me off of being a vet like I had planned.
I wouldn't dump money to train for a job that you really don't want.
I think that too, my family is really pressuring me to do it anyway though.
I wouldn't say I'm losing interest in bartending/serving, I'm just looking at other areas to see what other people have to say about them. I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket.
I would really be surprised if most PTA actually make $30,000 a year. The ones that I know make about $12 an hour and are not able to find full time jobs.
Plus, it is a VERY physically demanding job. Perhaps, not as physical demanding as being a construction worker or a longshoreman or some other types of manual labor, but it can extremely physically exhausting.
While the job requirement probably says "be able to routinely lift and carry 50 pounds" when you are alone and you need to move/carry/position an 85 pound child without using a lift, BINGO, you are it!
That's actually really helpful. I know sources online say they make a national average of $52K/year, and by sources I mean school website and bls, etc.
This is why I post and ask real people online like this, to hear these sides.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
