Are you working (earn most money) on the field of your original education? Take Two lol

Agreed.

I'm a diesel mechanic.

Have loved doing this for 35 years.

At my age, the money doesn't matter.

Undergrad degree ... nice job offers in my niche undergrad field but turned them down to go to grad school. Since graduated from grad school have did a couple of things related but not the direct degree item.

Glad I did since when I went back into the specific field I got the degree in my experience in the somewhat related areas paid off big time ... knew more and know more than those who did the strait and narrow transition. Been now doing the same stuff for 40 years. Cut back on how much I work, probably by about 75%, but still making nearly as much money and like my work. Intend to keep doing it as long as someone will pay for me to do it. (planning on working until 80ish - retirement? that is for wimps!!)

Worked in the oilfield as a Mud Engineer for 15 years now I work from home repairing motorcycles.


Much better work but I miss the money.

Yes I have an IT degree and for years managed a large brokerage dept. When I got laid off and the kids moved out I found an IT job so I could work remote, snowbird and ride motorcycles year round.

Last Edited by Miss Scarlett In The Library on 08/23/2022 08:40 PM

I have an art degree but I don't like selling my paintings. I would much rather paint them for myself.

I have a studio and I make a few painting each year. But I don't want to paint to sell. Makes me feel like a prostitute.

We need a handyman, but they are all basically
unlicensed construction workers. Wont work for
our measly few hund or a thousand, they want
big projects at thousands per day.

I have an IT degree, majorly business management and networking, and a nanotech certificate, 1 semester.
Too old and too caucasian for California, ended up
making min wage as a caregiver.

No degree. No debt. Started out as a hotel maid. Now I am a stay at home wife and mom that homeschools the kids. So kind of…

I never had a formal education beyond High School. My High School screwed me out of graduation credits, so I told them to FO and walked out. Got a GED a month later.

I tried to join the Army, but at that time (1980) the US Gov would not accept a state-issued GED.

I learned at a young age (like 9 or 10) how to build thing and how to fix things. That is what fed my family over the years and paid off my home. Eventually, I moved into work that was easier on the body. I was basically 'the' IT department in a small rural school district for about 17 years. If it had wires or a network connection, it was my job.

Everything from workstation diagnosis and repair to pulling cable, running a backhoe, engineering and building camera systems, etc.

It was a good fit, decent pay and good benefits.

Then the district got some new administrators. They refused to follow existing policies and as such, were preventing me from doing my job. Why is it always the admins that fuck things up...I was stressed out every day and angry all the time. You can't live like that.

I retired a little over four years ago. I have a small pension, but am broke most of the time. Much less stress, though.

It seems the NO-s are in majority, even if we add Kinda-s to the Yes people.
Sad, that a lot of families spend all their life's savings to send their kids to university....

It seems the structure of higher education is outdated, needs something better. The money could go straight to the educators, they could work as independent professionals renting premises, laboratories and whatever else they need. Students could choose their subjects and their professors. Part of the classes could go online for much less, without the administrative burden. There were less chances for brainwashing as well.