what is your college major- trained skill- self trained skill....and do you use it..

[Momto5RN]

did you go to college - if so did you complete your degree -
do you have a technical training or a skill - or a self trained skill for work and do you use it for your income .

(i am not of the thought you need a degree - my neighbor is a plumber and makes 80$ an hour unplugging toilets/ snaking sewer lines to houses in our little town because people insist on using the 2 ply spongy TP when the old houses have pipes with roots in them and he says when the spongy stuff dries on a root its like cement !!)

This year my 16 yo is going to be a junior so we are starting the college issue with him . he has been getting tons of college info since his PSATs

he is a math genius - so it comes easy for him - so i figured he would choose something to do with math or accounting like his dad and older brother - no he is thinking fiilm. he had a film class in HS this year really liked it but doesnt run around with a camera etc all day long -although last years christmas gift for him was a handycam from sony ( refurbed- bought at outlet on day all refurbs with an extra % off too ) .

so i say to him what kind of jobs can you get with that he says well working on movies- or news- or commercials i think .

i told him we needs to see what is out there as far as jobs - what the pay is etc .


I an not anti telling my kids to follow their dreams but i dont want them to pay for 4 years of college and then find out they cant get a job doing it -or it isnt enough money tosupport themselves when on their own - i just feel its my responsibility to be realistic too.

- sometimes things are better left as hobbies while they use other skills they have as employment ,,

so we have some research ahead of us

but i was curious if everyone used what they went to school for or were trained for and if not why not - ( and of course for SAHM that is already a given why not - but when your kids are older and on their own would yo go back to that )


thanks !!

[Momto5RN]

oops guess it helps if i answer my own question LOL

I am a RN- i i went to an old fashioned diploma nursing school but the training i came out with as far as hands on care is more than what my neice had when she graduated a 4 year college a year ago.

and basically my 25+ years of experience qualifies me for most jobs i apply for even those that want BSNs.


i went into nursing because i always wanted to be a nurse since i was hospitalized when i was 10- i went to thinking about hair dresser - interior decorating but ended up back at nursing each time. The different hours- ways i can go with my RN and job security are secondary perks

I don't believe a job where you deal with people as closely as one does in nursing - (or teaching also) are the type of jobs once should go into just because of hours and job security . I fully believe from experience that both other staff and the patients can tell within 20 minutes if someone is in it for the wrong reasons. You will burn out also if in it for wrong reasons.

Really have no plans to go back to school because i love what i do dont want the high level administration jobs i need the BSN or Masters for and because of my fibromyalgia and latex allergy i wouldnt be able to handle the in hospital clinicals i would need to do .

[onencgirl]

Out of HS I went to Cosmetology school, worked in that business for about ten years but I didn't really care for it. In my thirties I went to college taking Computer Technology. Am still one semester short of a degree. Dealing with my mentally challenged daughter was too much with college at the time. At this time in my life I am happy being a Paraprofessional in the school system and working in Kindergarten. Also, I work part time in a daycare. If I had it all to do again I would have taken early education as a major.

[ladykemma2]

degrees in biology and applied ecology

emphasis in environmental chemistry, air, soil, and water monitoring, industrial hygiene, hazardous waste, environmental cleanup, hazmat, and related analytical chemistry

i have always been employed, except for a one month gap once and the 4 years i was a halliburton wife. totally useful skills and degree acquired on the job and from the university. NO Regrets.

started out as a national park service ranger, hated it, and went to work in houston in the chemical plants and texas medical center. working now as a high school chemistry teacher. next year will teach environmental science.

engineering? film as a secondary interest. friend of mine's daughter recently graduated with a degree in computer animation and is working at IHOP. much good it did her. i am really harsh on people who get useless degrees.

[ladykemma2]

did
i told him we needs to see what is out there as far as jobs - what the pay is etc .HE needs to see what is out there as far as jobs...not you.

I an not anti telling my kids to follow their dreams but i dont want them to pay for 4 years of college and then find out they cant get a job doing it -or it isnt enough money tosupport themselves when on their own - i just feel its my responsibility to be realistic too. yes

- sometimes things are better left as hobbies while they use other skills they have as employment ,absolutely and you are smart to bring this up. have him listen to dave ramsey when people call in with useless degrees, student loans in arrears, and can't feed themselves...

so we have some research ahead of us HE has some research ahead of him, not you.

but i was curious if everyone used what they went to school for or were trained for and if not why not

thanks !!

he probabaly needs to hears this from someone other than you. Art degrees are not the way to go.

[mauimagic]

I majored in Business Administration and minored in Economics
........for eight years after college I designed computer systems

Then I moved to Maui and...
....created my own design and seamstress business making everything from clothing to airplane covers
...then transitioned to jewelry - managing a jewelry store and making jewelry.

Then my DH to be and I opened our own gift shop and then also opened a wholesale gift business.....

and after closing our shop, we manufactured printed childrens' tshirts

Then when our daughter entered school, I discovered special education!!,......went back to school for two years (while teaching special ed) to get my special ed. certification....

.....and I've been teaching ever since.

The education and experience I have received from every class and job have all helped me in everything I have ever done and boy am I thankful for it all!!

[Momto5RN]

friend of mine's daughter recently graduated with a degree in computer animation and is working at IHOP. much good it did her. i am really harsh on people who get useless degrees.

i sometimes think that people dont realize they are useless- they google it are told you can do this or that -school counselers - colleges say oh you can do jobs in this or that and they never check to see what they can do in their own area job wise .

seems it would be common sense but society seems to have brainwashed parents to think they are bad if they dont encourage their kid to follow their dream irregardless of what end result will be - i would never tell them no you cant do this but i will point out if its not a good investment of time and education .

my oldest son was into astronomy you can google there are jobs etc just very very few in NJ - he could teach
it or physics but he had no interest in being a teacher - so he kepts that as a hobby and went into accounting as he is also very good at math .

oldest dd was between of a socialology ( is that right ??) degree- psychology or nursing when she realized what was out there for 4 year degrees for the first 2 - that to do what she wanted you were looking at 12 years she decided to stick with nursing and will probably specialize in psychology .

[Nana2two]

Lets see. I started going for travel and trade when i was 18.But 6 months into it found out was pregnant, so that trade was out of the question. Because i would on a cruise ship or travel from place to place. When i was 26 i went and took some testing for the State to work with kids and adults with disabilities ,stayed with that for around 7 years. Having a son with Autism and Cp this job helped to understand things that my son would go through. But my Fibro started giving me tons of problems along with back issues.
So now i stay home and take care of the home, cook, clean, solve problems

[Momto5RN]

i think its important we research it together .

people tend to look for things that sway things to their belief when researching - its human nature.


my daughters ...friends.... brother ( lol ) went to same university as my ds did for accounting for film - i am friendly with the mom when we run into each other ... i may call her and see if he graduated - what job prospects are of if he changed his major part way through etc .

[ladykemma2]

i sometimes think that people dont realize they are useless- they google it are told you can do this or that -school counselers - colleges say oh you can do jobs in this or that and they never check to see what they can do in their own area job wise .

seems it would be common sense but society seems to have brainwashed parents to think they are bad if they dont encourage their kid to follow their dream irregardless of what end result will be - i would never tell them no you cant do this but i will point out if its not a good investment of time and education .

my oldest son was into astronomy you can google there are jobs etc just very very few in NJ - he could teach
it or physics but he had no interest in being a teacher - so he kepts that as a hobby and went into accounting as he is also very good at math .

oldest dd was between of a socialology ( is that right ??) degree- psychology or nursing when she realized what was out there for 4 year degrees for the first 2 - that to do what she wanted you were looking at 12 years she decided to stick with nursing and will probably specialize in psychology .

sounds like you have given your kiddos good guidance in this!

[Momto5RN]

. But my Fibro started giving me tons of problems along with back issues.
So now i stay home and take care of the home, cook, clean, solve problems

i was a sahm for 2-3 years when the youngest was born by choice and then aother 4-5 years due to the fibro .

ran an ebay business from home for a few years . ( nothing to do with nursing but being able to multitask came in big but i think that is a mom skill too LOL )
went back 1 weekend a month in an office in 08 and then per deim in 09 .

SO far so good ...for now at least !

[StartingOver]

I did not go to college....school was hard for me and I had no interest in going further. However, I do regret it as I always wanted to be an elementary school teacher...but just didn't want to go to school (go figure).

I work as an administrative assistant. I like being "behind the scenes". I'm real good at making my manager look good I like the whole organizing and schedule keeping, appointments, preparing for the never ending meetings etc....

My son is very good at Math/science/chemistry...and loves it...comes very easy for him. We've looked at different careers that he can utilize his gifts. He at one time wanted to go into Environmental Science, but for the last year he's been talking about being a pharmacist. Who knows........but he definately is planning for college.

[forHISglory]

I have a BSE and MA degrees. The Bachelor of Science in Education was in English Education, with a minor in Speech. The Masters was in English Education. I have never regretted going to school, and I have never been without a job except when I chose to stop for a while. Even after I retired, I had job offers to be an adjunct instructor. And I still teach a couple classes per semester. It pays for the health insurance!!! Hubby has the same degrees, except his are in the science field. Like me, he has always had a job. We enjoyed having the same schedule, same vacation time, and knowing each other's career frustrations and joys. So teaching gave us great job security, but not necessarily the highest paying jobs. Nevertheless, we feel blessed by what we have had.

However, with all that said, I don't think college is the answer for everyone. My son tried college, but his heart was elsewhere. So he does something completely different, but is good at what he does.

And about useless degrees: some in my family went to unaccredited schools and now can't get decent jobs. They paid huge amounts of money for those degrees, with no pay back. Art is not necessarily a useless degree, but I agree that it's not easy to find jobs in that area.

[KeithBC]

I got my degree in Computer Science, and, after a detour into the Air Force, which had nothing to do with computers, I've been working with computers for the last 28 years.

I also got part way through a degree in Religious Studies, but they didn't offer the senior courses as evening classes and I couldn't afford to take a year off to finish it. It was never intended to be a career move anyway, so it was no loss from that point of view.

[sunshine]

Me? I have my degree in nursing, and that's what I've done for the past 30 years. I attempted twice to go back and get my degree in ASL interpreting, but that has failed (school made it impossible to work and attend classes).

My daughter is following her dreams, and YES, I'm encouraging her. She is getting a degree in performing arts. She is also getting a degree in early childhood development (many of the classes overlap, so she's not having to take an entire regimen of 2 degree classes). She's a good dancer- really good dancer. . . and wants to dance professionally like at "Sights and Sounds Theater". . . . My theory is. . . you are only young once - I'd hate for her to be sitting, 30 years down the road thinking "I wish I'd have. . . " or "I wonder what would have happened. . ." The early childhood degree is in thinking that a some point, she might want to open her own dance studio - and the childhood degree will come in mighty handy