hep me wit mah edumacashun?

[MrRezister]

Ok since I recently got dumped into the wonderful world of unemployment, I've come to realize that I wasted my youth being a lazy slacker who has never bothered to gain any marketable skills. Yay fer me. So here I am, over thirty, out of work, and dumb as all getout. WHAT TO DO?

Yes, go to school, of course!  Why didn't I think of that? I've got my Pell grant set up and ready to go. I've picked an area of study that I will understand and could conceivably lead to a job that will actually pay the bills. Now I gotta figure out the details - should I go to a technical school? ITT tech has been recruiting me pretty strong, and I've been meeting with them for a while and they've figured out a plan for me that won't cost me any money up front beyond gas money. The problem there is that I will have to take out loans, like over $10k/year worth of loans! Them's big money for us poor folk.

Community college is the other realistic option for me, and I've checked with the nearby ASU campus and found that school is MUCH cheaper this route, as well as producing some credits that transfer to a bachelor's degree. Right now this seems like the best option for me, but I still have to figure out what kind of degree should I pursue? An Associate of Applied Science degree sounds useful, but apparently produces fewer credits that transfer to a higher degree. Associate of Art degrees seem to have less direct job-related relevance, but translate more directly to Bachelor's degrees.

So, what do you smart folk think?

[MicroBalrog]

If you can get a good job later, school loans are well worth it IMO. Remember also that the reputation of the college you went to will often impact the quality of your first job, which in turn will impact the rest of your career.

MicrostudiesinanonmarketablefieldBalrog

[AZRedhawk44]

MrRezister, are you my neighbor?  May I assume that ASU is Arizona State University?

Beware tech schools.

If your intent is to get into Information Technology or Information Systems, look out.  Lots of bodies in the field that actually have experience.  There are EXTREMELY experienced people out in the job market right now that SHOULD be my boss and vastly out-class me in knowledge... and I'm interviewing them to be my subordinate support staff at 1/3 of the pay they merit.

Don't make any assumption that any AA/AS degree transfers in the least to a 4 year college.  A lot of schools like to imply or hint that they do when you apply, but then tear your academic transcript apart so that you're a second semester freshman when all is said and done.

Looking at the job market right now, I'd suggest something other than techie stuff in order to obtain a solid career in the next 5 years.  May I suggest studies in electrical engineering or chemistry instead?

[AZRedhawk44]

Micro, you been hanging with WildAlaska recently?

AZRedhawkhedidsomecustomworkonarevolverformerecently44

[MicroBalrog]

Micro, you been hanging with WildAlaska recently?

AZRedhawkhedidsomecustomworkonarevolverformerecently44

I... know him. Mostly from TFLTHR, back when I posted there.

[gunsmith]

Ok since I recently got dumped into the wonderful world of unemployment, I've come to realize that I wasted my youth being a lazy slacker who has never bothered to gain any marketable skills. Yay fer me. So here I am, over thirty, out of work, and dumb as all getout. WHAT TO DO?

Yes, go to school, of course!  Why didn't I think of that? I've got my Pell grant set up and ready to go. I've picked an area of study that I will understand and could conceivably lead to a job that will actually pay the bills. Now I gotta figure out the details - should I go to a technical school? ITT tech has been recruiting me pretty strong, and I've been meeting with them for a while and they've figured out a plan for me that won't cost me any money up front beyond gas money. The problem there is that I will have to take out loans, like over $10k/year worth of loans! Them's big money for us poor folk.

Community college is the other realistic option for me, and I've checked with the nearby ASU campus and found that school is MUCH cheaper this route, as well as producing some credits that transfer to a bachelor's degree. Right now this seems like the best option for me, but I still have to figure out what kind of degree should I pursue? An Associate of Applied Science degree sounds useful, but apparently produces fewer credits that transfer to a higher degree. Associate of Art degrees seem to have less direct job-related relevance, but translate more directly to Bachelor's degrees.

So, what do you smart folk think?

i say DO SOMETHING, i was in yer boat...now i am in my boat, same deal but now i am pushing 50!
how the hell did that happen?

[Tuco]

If I went to medical school when I got first canned in 90, or the second time in 92, or again in 99, I'd be Dr Soakers now, with the loans paid (mostly) off.

Don't wait.

[One of Many]

Engineering Degrees are no guarantee of a job. There are tens of thousands of highly educated and experienced engineers that have been dumped by the defense and automotive sectors. They are still unemployed years after losing those high paid jobs.

We have become a service oriented society, rather than a manufacturing oriented society. Manufacturing is what drives the need for engineers. Research is being reduced, or dropped completely due to severe budget crunches.

With the government taking an anti-business position, it is likely that your best prospect is to learn what is needed to become a self-employed service provider to the general public. Look for an area that is under supplied with providers, and step into that need.

Even the health care field is under attack, so don't expect to obtain or maintain steady employment in that field. If the government succeeds in the planned takeover of health care, you will struggle to earn a decent living with the wage and price controls they intend to implement.

The one job I see constantly advertised for is over the road truck drivers. That is not a great job, since it keeps the driver away from home, wife and children much of the time. But many people earn their living providing that service to society.

[Fjolnirsson]

Good for you. I wish I'd told my bosses to go to hell back when I lived in CA. If I'd just bitten the bullet and put some effort into searching out grants and such, I'd been in some sort of marketable field by now. I have some skills, but nothing is on paper, so options for job movement are rare. Now I'm paying $74/credit instead of $13.

[MrRezister]

MrRezister, are you my neighbor?  May I assume that ASU is Arizona State University?

No such luck!  My ASU is located in Jonesboro, Arkansas actually.

I'm considering signing up for an associate's degree in Computer science/Network technology but now that you mention it I'm afraid you may be right about the market being saturated.  Unfortunately around here my other choices consist almost entirely of Business, Agriculture, or Healthcare - none of which I find particularly interesting!

[MillCreek]

Two things:

Both of my parents were born and raised in the Jonesboro area: Mom in Swifton and Dad in Jonesboro.  Dad went to ASU on the GI Bill after WWII.

I think that a lot of the tech schools (ITT, DeVry, Crown, etc.) do not enjoy a very good reputation.  I see articles in the local media periodically about graduates not finding any jobs and owing tens of thousands in loans.  Those schools seem to specialize only in enrolling students, getting the loan money out of them and then leaving them high and dry.  In addition, very few tech school credits transfer over to higher academics. 

From a healthcare employment perspective (I am a healthcare executive), I can guarantee that if you are a registered nurse, physical therapist, physical therapy assistant or radiology technician, a well-paying in demand job is pretty much assured.  All of these areas have shortages that will become more acute as the baby boomers both retire from the workforce and start needing more healthcare.

[Desertdog]

Yes, go to school, of course!  Why didn't I think of that?

But what kind of school and what to study when I get there?

#1 - What do you love to do?  If you love your job, you will be happy to go to work. 

If you have ever hired somebody to do your yard you know they don't work cheap.

Technical and repair people are in demand in most places.   

If not too old you may be able to go in the service and learn a trade there.  If you choose this route tell the recruiter what job you want to do.

Truck drivers are in demand at all times.  The larger companies will train you at no cost if you agree to drive for them a certain length of time.  This can work out to your advantage because most ads ask for 2 years of experience.