I want to make more money. What is out there? (debt, interview)

[Valker]

I don't know what to do. Everything I look into has doom over it.

I did have an interview for an electrician apprenticeship last week, but I had no luck. Even if I did get into the program, so many of those guys/gals are laid off (economy?).

I do not inspire to be an automotive technician; the pay seems lousy, and I don't like overcharging and ripping people off. Cars are becoming more and more reliable, so I wonder what the future holds. I would much rather go into diesel, but that doesn't seem glamorous either.

CNC Programing looks dead, and from what I read they pay less than what I make working my warehouse job ($11.86 / hr). Heck, we are starting to loose even more high-tech manufacturing to China.

I use to have a second part time job at Walmart, and a shopper had a "Honda" logo on his shirt; turns out he works with the robots at the Honda Civic assembly plant in Indiana. How do you get a job like that? I know Wichita Technical College has a robotics program, but really I just wonder if colleges are just businesses in it for profits.


I suppose I should just keep my warehouse job; the pay is not that great, but I live in central Indiana which has relatively cheaper part of the country. It has benefits, and the company is growing (they are building a 4th warehouse in Arizona). Besides that, I have little confidence and anxiety issues. I'm not smart, and a brain injury makes it difficult for me to do anything like engineering; I always wanted to be an engineer as a kid One side of me thinks I'm not capable of success or doing anything positive, but the other side of me wants to live a stronger and happier life. I don't even care to be rich, just make a decent income for my living area, save for retirement, and it would be nice if I could move out of this car garage.

I feel ashamed, because I'm just sitting here with no direction. A unused G.I. Bill and willingness to go to anywhere in the country for schooling because in the end - even if I do have that piece of paper (Associates Degree) in hand I have a feeling I STILL will not be able to get a job just because of who I am.

[Alphalogica]

Become a correctional officer.

Not a great job in terms of pay, but it's easy (esp. if you get assigned to a better unit), steady and a good fit for someone who is prior military. I'm one in Texas and the starting pay here for someone who is prior-service is in the area of around $16 an hour. A (barely) livable wage in rural West Texas. With overtime, I've heard (from reliable sources) that CO's can make in the 70's/year, but one has to be at the right unit at the right time to get it.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by Alphalogica

Become a correctional officer.

Not a great job in terms of pay, but it's easy (esp. if you get assigned to a better unit), steady and a good fit for someone who is prior military. I'm one in Texas and the starting pay here for someone who is prior-service is in the area of around $16 an hour. A (barely) livable wage in rural West Texas. With overtime, I've heard (from reliable sources) that CO's can make in the 70's/year, but one has to be at the right unit at the right time to get it.

Just my uneducated opinion but I think his warehouse job with a company which is expanding offers far more than that of a correctional officer. The pay is not so good right now (but with the company expanding there may well be advancement opportunities) but it has to be a lot safer and less stressful than working with inmates.

[TRC2k11]

Originally Posted by Valker

CNC Programing looks dead, and from what I read they pay less than what I make working my warehouse job ($11.86 / hr). Heck, we are starting to loose even more high-tech manufacturing to China.

You've read wrong.

I make $24... and take home about $800 a week for a straight 40 hours. I regularly work overtime though and generally take home anywhere from $1000 to $1300 a week. There are guys with more experience than me making $30 or more... my friend in Georgia I used to work with that runs a CNC lathe makes $28.

CNC work is far from dead... They may be paying the monkeys that don't do anything but press the start button less than what you make... but for actually doing what I do (setup, CAD drawing, programming) it's a pretty nice living... at least for a single guy like myself with no debts and no baggage to speak of.