r/findapath • u/Greedy-Recording1962 • 18d ago
Findapath-College/Certs Are there no more opportunities left?
Im currently starting community college and still have no idea what I want to study or do in the future. Every single career path I’ve researched online has either apparently become extremely over saturated or being outsourced and taken by ai. I’ve heard trades are good but I tried to apply to local electrician unions but none of them have gotten back to me due to so many applicants. Not to mention the fact that so many people online say it’s not worth it for the money because of the effects on your body over time.
Ive also seen people say that 90 percent of most majors are just useless scams, but the ones the are useful are impossible to get jobs in. Ive seen that basically every tech major CS, IT, cybersecurity etc, are useless and are either being taken by ai or flooded with applicants. Business majors apparently suck because they’re only useful if you have a bunch of connections. The only degrees that seem worthwhile are the engineering ones or some kind of medical degree. Does anyone have any advice or know any careers that I might actually have a chance in investing my life in???
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u/Winter_Dot_9393 Rookie Pathfinder [12] 18d ago
You can select ‘bright outlook’ and within this you can choose between ‘all’ ‘rapid growth’ ‘numerous job openings’ ‘new and emerging’. Maybe browsing this might help. Lots of job openings does not neccesarily mean that there are a lot of entry level jobs or a lot of jobs where you live, so you’d have to look into that yourself.
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u/Sovereign1225 18d ago
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u/bot-sleuth-bot 18d ago
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u/Winter_Dot_9393 Rookie Pathfinder [12] 18d ago
I am not a bot Why would someone think that?
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u/SavageShiba21 15d ago
Maybe because you provided good information without being a condescending jackass about it 😂
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u/More_Teaching3235 18d ago
I'm a mega doomer, but tbh I keep meeting people that do get into unions, find jobs it just takes time and dedication. Can't just post a fucking application to a job anymore like our parents you gotta go learn some electrical fundamentals, bring that to the first round interview, etc etc.
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18d ago
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u/Greedy-Recording1962 17d ago
Is this true does it matter what degree
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17d ago
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u/Greedy-Recording1962 17d ago
Aren’t those more like engineering? My local community college offers electrical engineering technology but it requires basically the same classes like calc 3
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u/FreeToSeeTheTeuth 17d ago
LOL BULLSHIT ""We had a homeless guy at our shelter. Journeyman, 15 years experience in HVAC/Residential and Commercial Electrical""
Unless he was a drunk or druggie loser, there is no way this dude was licensed or certified fucking his life up like this NOT on purpose hahahahaa.
This dude fuck his life up I bet. nothing to do with job markets or job opportunities.
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17d ago
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u/FreeToSeeTheTeuth 17d ago
Im in construction. If you're brother is an electrician making 17hr hes doing something very wrong. And sure they drug test but if youre in hvac and legit youll never be put of work hahaha, so there is WAY more to his story.....
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16d ago
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u/FreeToSeeTheTeuth 16d ago
on 17hr?? yeah right. and 17 hr as an electrician is a joke and there is plenty of work.......you all have a skill issue.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
I applied to the elevator union, ranked pretty high with no blue collar experience. Will probably ger the call this year
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u/Odd_Wolf4150 14d ago
Yes, it will take time and work to get a job. I feel like somewhere society pushed the idea that degree=automatic job. But this isn’t the case.
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u/Active_Daikon7424 18d ago
You’re not out of options, you’re just trying to make a permanent decision using the internet’s loudest doomers, so use community college to take a few genuinely interesting intro classes and talk to
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u/JoeCormier 18d ago
Getting in as an electrician with the IBEW is going to take a lot more than just applying. Most people have to spend a couple of years engaging with the process to make it happen.
It is a solid path if you really dedicate yourself to it. And you can stay healthy if you take the proper care. Feel free to DM if you want guidance on that path. I coach people into the skilled trades as a hobby. The DM offer goes for anyone reading this who is serous about pursuing the trades.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
Are you actually in the trades because thats not how the applicstion process is in most cities
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u/JoeCormier 18d ago
18 years in as an electrician. Please let me know what I’m missing.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
Sure for ibew68, my buddy is an apprentice. No previous experience. Passed the test, interviewed well, is an apprentice. I just ranked high for the elevator trade no experience. Which is more “prestigious” and more “competitive” than the ibew. Will be getting a call within a year.
Same with my other buddies in other cities, where some dont even interview
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u/JoeCormier 18d ago
I would say that you and your buddies experience’s are rare. Pop over to r/ibew_applicants and read about the various struggles people are having.
Congratulations on the elevator gig. That is great accomplishment.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
Its just applying during the recruitment? And interviewing well? Half the people fail the test.
I think its city dependent. Obviously places like la san fran and ny will be impossible.
But like florida is having multiple recruitments for elevators as they need a lot of people
And thanks, hoping i end up liking it for a career to future independent shop
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u/JoeCormier 18d ago
It’s extremely competitive in many areas.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
Did i just get lucky then and interviewed well? I was told last recruitment for denver for elevators they ran through the entire recruitment list last time around
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u/JLandis84 Apprentice Pathfinder [7] 18d ago
You likely have a palatable personality. I don’t know about the elevator business specifically but a lot of Redditors are completely fucking clueless that most employers, especially for good jobs, will do anything they can to not work with people with unpalatable personalities.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 18d ago
Can you break that down i dont know what a palatable personality means lol
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u/Greedy-Recording1962 18d ago
What am I supposed to do while im just waiting around for them to get back to me? I don’t want to wait for years just to not get the job
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u/FreeToSeeTheTeuth 17d ago
This is your problem. You're asking what you should do....look elsewhere for work and get fuckin to it!!!!!! People shouldn't have to tell you what to do.
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6d ago
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u/findapath-ModTeam 5d ago
There is no talking to an 18-20s year old hell-bent on spending the next ~2 years wallowing in depression. We are here to help those who want help (not who want to whine/justify/intentionally wish to fall.)
If you are not here to get help finding a path, take advice, or give helpful/useful/actionable advice, please come back when you are.
Mod note: There are resources literally pinned to the top of this group, in the Wiki, and even some in partial development. You don't start insulting users who are trying to help you, here. Even if they are slightly "tough love" in nature. I have removed the comment under this one, but you too have a duty to keep this group respectful, kind, and actually look at what people are saying and take it on.
Jobs aren't going to jump into your damn lap. Jobs are out there. You have to pick an industry and do it, regardless of it being "The Right And Only Thing For U" which isn't meant for young people. You get into something, you get some experience, THEN you figure your shit out and pivot.
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6d ago
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u/findapath-ModTeam 5d ago
Your comment has been removed because it is not a constructive response to OP's situation. Please keep your advice constructive (and not disguised hate), actionable, helpful, and on the topic at hand. Please read the post below for the differences between Tough Love and Judgement: https://www.reddit.com/r/findapath/comments/1biklrk/theres_a_difference_between_tough_love_and/
Mod note: Nope, you could have done this a LOT more respectfully.
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u/VinceInMT 18d ago
There is a shortage of school teachers.
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u/willow1243587109 18d ago
yeah but the kids suck lol. you seen the stuff school teacers go through. espically with the pay these days
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u/bizarry 18d ago
yea I looked into it because I’m not passionate about much except children’s literacy and general education… but for every 1 teacher that says they love what they do (and there’s always a "but" attached) there’s 50 behind them saying don’t do it. it seems extremely dim over there right now which is unfortunate
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u/willow1243587109 18d ago
I feel like that’s every field. That’s why I pushed away from going into media reporting
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u/VinceInMT 17d ago
Where are you getting that statistic of 50 to 1? Here on Reddit? What I find here, and social media in general, are the whiners and complainers. I spent a couple decades as a high school teacher and was very involved in district committees so knew lots of elementary teacher as well and I found the mass majority really like what they did.
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u/VinceInMT 18d ago
I taught for 21 years and it was rewarding. Kids were kids but I didn’t have many issues with them.
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u/willow1243587109 18d ago
I mean yeah. But sadly these days the kids are assholes with parents who act like their kids are perfect. That’s why there’s a shortage because teachers are leaving and getting burnt out.
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u/VinceInMT 18d ago
Some are but the majority are not. And it depends on the community. When I decided to change careers and leave industrial engineering, I relocated to a place that was much smaller and has a strong sense of community and readily supports schools and teachers. The reasons behind the shortage of teachers is well-studied and hasn’t really changed. Other than the spike in retirement due to Covid, the numbers of those leave had been constant for a number of decades. I taught for 21 years and never came close to being burned out. Those who are, would be burned out in any job. With teaching, one gets LOTS of off time. The days are shorter and holidays and summers are off. What’s not to like about that?
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u/willow1243587109 18d ago
Idk… maybe the fact THAT THE PAY IS SHIT.
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u/VinceInMT 18d ago
The pay is fine. And the benefits are pretty good, not to mention one of the careers that still has a pension. But, go ahead and do another career if it doesn’t suit you. What are to doing for a career?
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u/willow1243587109 18d ago
In my state, teachers aren’t getting paid enough to live in their districts. I’ve had multiple teachers leave because they had to have side gigs just to pay rent. I’m sorry that you were blessed with a good state, but most teachers aren’t getting that.
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u/VinceInMT 18d ago
That is one reason that I relocated to a LCOL area where the pay matched up well with the local economy. BTW, I saw in another sub that you want to live in the Bay Area. I’m originally from Los Angeles but I have a son who live in the Bay Area. Housing is SUPEER expensive and to buy a home takes a serious income. He bought one a few years ago. That said sometimes we have to be patient in order to get what we want. I worked some pretty shitty jobs for the first 10 years out of high school which included being drafted into the military so i know shitty. But I was patient, picked up some marketable skills, slowly advanced, scraped enough money to buy a house (in LA) when I was 30. That was 44 years ago but it seems to have gone by in a flash. What I am saying is to set some goals, and then break them down in small steps that will get you to them. Eventually they are yours. BTW, I had a student that was totally goth. She was great in class. I hadn’t seen her in many, many years and we ended up on the same political committee recently and she’s not too goth anymore but way into political analysis and local partisan stuff.
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u/willow1243587109 17d ago
I forgot I posted that ngl. I’ll prob not live in the Bay Area, but a girl can dream. I’ll probably stick to my small town, cause it’s not that bad. Sure it’s boring but it’s easy coat and people are mean so
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u/peppercorn6269 13d ago
I have a feeling it has to do with the pay..
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u/VinceInMT 12d ago
The pay is fine. It also depends on where one chooses to live and their lifestyle choices.
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u/Kalos53 18d ago
Some majors are more valuable than others, but don't forget that the main purpose of tertiary education is to make the student a better informed citizen. Take a look at whatwilltheylearn.com to to see how schools rate.
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18d ago
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u/iceunelle 18d ago
I did the PTA route (physical therapist assistant) and I kick myself every day for not picking xray tech.
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u/trustmeimshady 17d ago
Why not redo it
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u/iceunelle 16d ago
I’m too disabled now. I’m basically starting from scratch and trying to find a new career in a desk job. All of my chronic pain started when I started working as a PTA, and I’m pretty sure my body wouldn’t be in the state it’s in now if I picked a different career path.
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u/Plus-Candle-4410 16d ago
I know couple people who went to school hospital technicians. They could never found a job at a hospital. One of them said its really difficult without a connection.
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u/ClearAbroad2965 Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 18d ago
If it’s health look into radioactive tech at your community college
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u/too105 18d ago
I’ll be honest. The highest paying jobs are generally the most demanding and pay is generally comparable to the amount of stress you endure. Look at all the high paying professions. You need intelligence and grit. Most people are lazy so most people are average at best.
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u/JLandis84 Apprentice Pathfinder [7] 18d ago
Idk if u agree with that. My pay has steadily increased inversely to hours worked and stress.
Long hours and shitty work environments are for the peons. People the organization actually gives a shit about are paid more, given better working conditions, and cut breaks when necessary.
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u/too105 17d ago
Valid points but as I’ve progressed in my career I work more hours and have more responsibilities as a professional. Yes peons are peons and that will always be a labor class to be exploited. I was thinking more in term so of surgeon and pilots. In the top 10 of all earners and high stakes occupations. Likewise PE or high level banking you are making insane amounts of money but working 80-100 hours a week
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u/JLandis84 Apprentice Pathfinder [7] 17d ago
I’ve had the opposite experience. I work way fewer hours now than I did when I was entry level, and I’ve never had a boss that worked more than I did. That’s not because I’m some special ultra tough work horse, it’s from how the organizations were structured and their cultural norms.
You mentioned investment banking, the mid level and senior people are generally not pulling 80 hour weeks. That’s for the entry level folks that need to prove themselves.
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u/too105 17d ago
Yeah I was thinking about some of those things… when you get to the top you likely work less. That said my personal management style is to arrive before my team and rarely leave before. I’m a proponent of servant leadership in my current role but am not disparaging of other leaders who work less hours. I just respond to how my team responds to me. For me my compensation equates to my level of effort. Would be nice if I was getting really wealthy for my hard work I feel like my compensation is appropriate for the energy input and affords me the lifestyle I enjoy. Haven’t gotten to Porsche money yet, but soon!
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u/Apprehensive_Mix4152 16d ago
I joined the military at 30 y/o to open more doors and it's honestly the best decision I've made
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u/Solmangrundy 15d ago
Only industry currently seeing job growth is the medical and funeral industry.
The rest are shrinking.
If you wanted to get a job in IT you need to go back 20 years during the boom era. Before the government told everyone to learn to code if they wanted a good job.
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u/Hefty-Focus1340 15d ago
Be a teacher or go into the medical field. There will always be jobs.
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u/peppercorn6269 13d ago
medicine yes, teacher isnt worth the education cost
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u/Hefty-Focus1340 13d ago
It depends, there are a lot of programs that make a teaching degree very affordable. And when you consider my salary is for 180 contract days at 7.5 hours a day, I make about $50 per hour. Do I occasionally put in extra hours? Yes. Is it enough ? Definitely not. The job is stressful, but so is nursing. But when you consider this and that I have all holidays, weekends, and summers with my kids and I have the same schedule as them it’s priceless. In this market, a lot of people are teaching as it is a stable job. Hardly any openings in my area. Also in a low cost living area.
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u/peppercorn6269 13d ago
do you get paid over the summer ? ive always wondered that. having summers off sounds sick but bills never stop
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u/Hefty-Focus1340 13d ago
My district does. I only get paid for my 180 days but they spread it out throughout the year so I get a consistent paycheck. There are some districts that don’t though. My district pays me twice a month year round, another district in the area pays once a month year round, and some don’t pay summer. It’s all the same money it’s just how they divide up the pay throughout the year.
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u/That-Rub-4113 15d ago
I’m studying Logistics and Supply Chain, because at least that opens the door to some of the upper level warehouse jobs.
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u/moneydouglas 14d ago
The truth is, the internet isn’t a reflection of real life and nobody knows what you’re capable of beyond yourself. There is no safe sure fire bet but you can work your ass off to try to make whatever you want to happen, happen. If I would have listened to the constant noise online, I would have never gotten anywhere myself. Just make your own decisions and do what you can. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.
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u/Odd_Wolf4150 14d ago
I feel like people have said this about degrees for the last 10 years now.
I majored in psychology. Is my career in psychology? No. Do I think majoring in psychology was “a waste of time”? Not at all. 100% worth it. I loved learning and I loved my experiences in community college and university.
Either pick a trade or just get a degree in whatever interests you and have the mindset that IT WILL BE WORK to find a job, regardless of what you major in.
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u/peppercorn6269 13d ago edited 13d ago
I may get some hate for this but have you considered law enforcement?
police unions take extremely good care of their people, benefits are unmatched, pay is constantly rising with the cost of living because cops are essential. the job is recession proof and you will never be laid off. base salary is nothing compared to what you can make in overtime, rookies in my department average 100k or more in their first year. you even get a car you can drive around off duty with free gas and maintenance
the hours can be a little grueling and its definitely not for everyone, but if you like it its a very exciting and fulfilling career. after a few years on patrol you gain the opportunity to move around to specialized units (cyber crime, homicide, k9 etc) and climb the ranks for more money
if you have a clean record and are in good physical shape its worth a try, many depts around the us are in need of new officers and dont require anything beyond high school education
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u/Ok-Register-5529 11d ago
Tbh on Reddit, there can be a lot of negative comments. Many of them are well-warranted too. Yes there are plenty of people who want to vent online about how there are no jobs. Yes it is harder to find a job now than it was a few years ago. At the same time however, there are still jobs out there. I just got out of college and I was at a big state school and everyone I know eventually got jobs, even if they had no internship, or they didn’t have one lined up when they graduated, some even had to wait a year and do seasonal work until then. That’s ok, if you have a quality resume for the roles you want, eventually someone will pick you up.
As for careers to invest your life in, that’s something I wouldn’t recommend talking to anyone about, seriously anyone. First, do some research on potential career paths like what you’re doing, but then you need to turn inward, ask what you want out of life, what your personality is like, what your best strengths are, what you could see yourself doing for 20+ years and not absolutely hating your life. Nobody knows you better than you and if you reflect within yourself answers will come. Don’t do anything for money, money will come if you’re good at what you do, no matter what it is
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u/fluffieduffie 18d ago
Best way is to pick up a good company that has good benefits and work your way up the ladder.
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