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diana
Student
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How can I pursue ?
How can I pursue a career without a college degree?
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13 answers
chen Angela
1
Answer
Updated
chen’s Answer
Practicing is needed if you don't have a degree .
Daniel Chung
Project Manager
35
Answers
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Hello there,
The best advice I can give you to pursue a career without a college degree is to obtain any professional / work experience as early as possible.
Also, you should continue to learn a relevant skillset that aligns with your career pursuit.
Regardless of a college degree, you would have to continue developing relevant skills to your career pursuit because you expect your career to grow with a higher salary.
Another piece of advice I can offer is to navigate positions that are in high demand and don't require a college degree, as you will have a higher chance of accessing more opportunities.
Thank you, and I hope my advice helped.
The best advice I can give you to pursue a career without a college degree is to obtain any professional / work experience as early as possible.
Also, you should continue to learn a relevant skillset that aligns with your career pursuit.
Regardless of a college degree, you would have to continue developing relevant skills to your career pursuit because you expect your career to grow with a higher salary.
Another piece of advice I can offer is to navigate positions that are in high demand and don't require a college degree, as you will have a higher chance of accessing more opportunities.
Thank you, and I hope my advice helped.
Hormuzd Birdie
Lead Architect in IT
11
Answers
Fort Worth, Texas
Updated
Hormuzd’s Answer
Hi Diana,
If you don't want to pursue college because college is not for every one, you still need to learn a trade where you can get certified. The trade you choose will depend on what you want to do in your career. There are lots of trade schools you can go to especially for plumbing, electrician, HVAC etc. etc.
I would also recommend attending community college and get an Associate degree. My son did not want to pursue higher education but I convinced him to attend community college and he loved it. He will be graduating this May with Associate in Radio/Film/Video degree. The main advantages of attending a community college over traditional University is the affordability, smaller classes and quick access to Professors.
Any way I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors.
Hormuzd
If you don't want to pursue college because college is not for every one, you still need to learn a trade where you can get certified. The trade you choose will depend on what you want to do in your career. There are lots of trade schools you can go to especially for plumbing, electrician, HVAC etc. etc.
I would also recommend attending community college and get an Associate degree. My son did not want to pursue higher education but I convinced him to attend community college and he loved it. He will be graduating this May with Associate in Radio/Film/Video degree. The main advantages of attending a community college over traditional University is the affordability, smaller classes and quick access to Professors.
Any way I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors.
Hormuzd
Geetanjali Bhatia
Information Security Architect
3
Answers
Apex, North Carolina
Updated
Geetanjali’s Answer
Identify your interests and try to map them with the market requirements. You can explore the market requirements from forums like LinkedIn. Make connections, learn from the experts, identify the opportunities or the way to prepare for them. I would also encourage eventually having a certification or course around your interests, so it helps you get a stronger hold to it and make a growth chart around it.
Renette Els
HR Manager
2
Answers
East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Updated
Renette’s Answer
Although a formal education (College Degree) is first prize, you may not have the means to achieve it at this point. There are many companies internationally that hired based on experience and whether or not you can do the job despite having the papers to back it. I would recommend finding employment, even if it is at the lowest level and gaining experience and working your way up. Some companies offer paid internships whereby you work , study and upskill or you can study part time to obtain the necessary qualifications you want. Many people don't find their passion in life until they are much older and then wish they had waited before obtaining a degree they weren't necessarily interested in originally
Briana Pelle, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech language pathology
149
Answers
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
Briana’s Answer
Hi, Diana,
There are many career paths that don't require a 4-year university degree (a Bachelors degree).
Skilled trades such as HVAC repair, plumbing, welding, electrician, beautician/hair stylist, tattoo artist, etc. require a trade school certification and/or an apprenticeship, which can take anywhere between a few months to a few years to complete.
There are also technical certifications that take around the same time to compete including xray techs, sonogram tech, and CNAs.
You may also consider going to a two-year college to get an Associates degree, which opens the door to many assistant positions like health care assistants, physical/occupational/speech therapy assistants, dental hygienist, veterinary technician, paralegal, and admin/HR work.
If you don't want to do any further schooling at all, that may be tougher, as many jobs require at least some kind of certification. But you can also look into positions in administration and office work, retail and food service, construction, or factory positions that do onboarding training after you are hired and often don't require more than a high school diploma or GED.
There are many career paths that don't require a 4-year university degree (a Bachelors degree).
Skilled trades such as HVAC repair, plumbing, welding, electrician, beautician/hair stylist, tattoo artist, etc. require a trade school certification and/or an apprenticeship, which can take anywhere between a few months to a few years to complete.
There are also technical certifications that take around the same time to compete including xray techs, sonogram tech, and CNAs.
You may also consider going to a two-year college to get an Associates degree, which opens the door to many assistant positions like health care assistants, physical/occupational/speech therapy assistants, dental hygienist, veterinary technician, paralegal, and admin/HR work.
If you don't want to do any further schooling at all, that may be tougher, as many jobs require at least some kind of certification. But you can also look into positions in administration and office work, retail and food service, construction, or factory positions that do onboarding training after you are hired and often don't require more than a high school diploma or GED.
Daniel Chung
Project Manager
35
Answers
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Hello there!
College may not be the best option for everyone, or you may have decided to start working professionally to define what you would like to pursue in your life or career.
I advise searching your fields via Google and then reading job descriptions. You have a higher chance of getting hired if the position doesn't require a college degree. Many jobs nowadays prioritize specific skillsets and experiences.
You can also search for jobs on Indeed, which will provide lists of open positions with specific skillsets required. Some employers require tests through Indeed to validate your skillsets. Another great opportunity is with Amazon, which provides job training for high school students.
You should attempt to navigate as many options as possible before committing yourself to a specific position. My last advice is to continue working for the same place for at least a year to prove your dedication and willingness to commit until you decide to get a new position.
Thank you, hope you the best of luck in all your endeavors!
College may not be the best option for everyone, or you may have decided to start working professionally to define what you would like to pursue in your life or career.
I advise searching your fields via Google and then reading job descriptions. You have a higher chance of getting hired if the position doesn't require a college degree. Many jobs nowadays prioritize specific skillsets and experiences.
You can also search for jobs on Indeed, which will provide lists of open positions with specific skillsets required. Some employers require tests through Indeed to validate your skillsets. Another great opportunity is with Amazon, which provides job training for high school students.
You should attempt to navigate as many options as possible before committing yourself to a specific position. My last advice is to continue working for the same place for at least a year to prove your dedication and willingness to commit until you decide to get a new position.
Thank you, hope you the best of luck in all your endeavors!
Sakthivelan Miniasphrin
Part Response Team
4
Answers
George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Updated
Sakthivelan’s Answer
Suggest gaining practical experience, showcasing your skill.
volunteer on job training and look for the opportunity which is suitable for you.
try to research job market and identify industries or roles that may not require a college degree but still offer opportunities for growth and advancement. college degree can open doors in many careers, it is not always a requirement for success.
Try to build strong professional network can help you learn about job opportunities, gain insights, and make valuable connections.
volunteer on job training and look for the opportunity which is suitable for you.
try to research job market and identify industries or roles that may not require a college degree but still offer opportunities for growth and advancement. college degree can open doors in many careers, it is not always a requirement for success.
Try to build strong professional network can help you learn about job opportunities, gain insights, and make valuable connections.
Amanda Graham (Taylor)
Principal Engineer- Network Technology
8
Answers
Arlington, Texas
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
Hi Diana! As many have stated above college may not be the best option for everyone. I understand that and would like to first encourage you to consider going while you are deciding what career path you are interested in. Junior college, grants and other funding make most classes more affordable or even free in some cases.
That being said, I encourage you to learn how to code. It does not require a degree but instead you could get certificates from many online and in person options. Udacity is a great choice and there are others. Coding is used across every type of industry and any of us can learn this language. Good luck to you .
That being said, I encourage you to learn how to code. It does not require a degree but instead you could get certificates from many online and in person options. Udacity is a great choice and there are others. Coding is used across every type of industry and any of us can learn this language. Good luck to you .
Alex Belot
Project Manager
26
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Alex’s Answer
Yo have many options available to you without the need to attend college degree classes. First, you need to figure out what you would like to do, next, find out if what you are interested in requires a college degree or not. The other option is to make an online search of career paths that do not require a college degree.
Check out this link for a list of jobs that does not require a college degree, salary included:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-without-a-degree
Hope that helps and good luck.
Check out this link for a list of jobs that does not require a college degree, salary included:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-without-a-degree
Hope that helps and good luck.
Qiaoling Chen
4
Answers
Updated
Qiaoling’s Answer
You can start with those industuries which not require high education, for example sales, assistant, and accumulate the working experice firstly. Working experience helps a lot for most of companies. and after you have some earning, you can develp your interest, and have some training course as well.
david kirk
Retired Computing Manager
480
Answers
Syracuse, New York
Updated
david’s Answer
Hi, Diana,
There are many excellent suggestions already sent, such as trade school or community college. There are also special training classes, often offered by a county or other community. These offer 'certificate training courses' in a variety of areas, such as welding, HVAC, dental assistant, practical nursing, cosmetology, and others. These courses range from a few months up to a year, and generally help get you a job immediately. Look on internet in your area for certificate courses or speak to your guidance counselor. Another positive opportunity is the military. The majority of careers there are not combat-related, and the recruiter would give a pre-enlistment aptitude test and work with you on possible careers to enter. And that includes free training. I took that route and it payed off handsomely in helping me find my interests. All the best to you.
There are many excellent suggestions already sent, such as trade school or community college. There are also special training classes, often offered by a county or other community. These offer 'certificate training courses' in a variety of areas, such as welding, HVAC, dental assistant, practical nursing, cosmetology, and others. These courses range from a few months up to a year, and generally help get you a job immediately. Look on internet in your area for certificate courses or speak to your guidance counselor. Another positive opportunity is the military. The majority of careers there are not combat-related, and the recruiter would give a pre-enlistment aptitude test and work with you on possible careers to enter. And that includes free training. I took that route and it payed off handsomely in helping me find my interests. All the best to you.
Daniel Maynes
Credit Manager
187
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Great Question Diana!
I would encourage you to think about what career path you want to take in life. If you desire to work a skilled labor job such as an electrician, plumber, carpenter, welder, etc. then you don't necessarily have to attend college. You could acquire these skills at a technical school or do an apprenticeship. Once you learn these skills the above jobs usually pay very well.
My cousin is a master electrician and makes over $200,000 a year. It took him awhile to "learn the ropes" and to work his way up at the company but now he is a lead that oversees a team of people. My point is you can make great money without going to college but you have to find a skill, learn it, and work hard to keep it. Not all industries pay this well but there is good money to be made if you do some research/hard work.
Best of luck on the journey!
I would encourage you to think about what career path you want to take in life. If you desire to work a skilled labor job such as an electrician, plumber, carpenter, welder, etc. then you don't necessarily have to attend college. You could acquire these skills at a technical school or do an apprenticeship. Once you learn these skills the above jobs usually pay very well.
My cousin is a master electrician and makes over $200,000 a year. It took him awhile to "learn the ropes" and to work his way up at the company but now he is a lead that oversees a team of people. My point is you can make great money without going to college but you have to find a skill, learn it, and work hard to keep it. Not all industries pay this well but there is good money to be made if you do some research/hard work.
Best of luck on the journey!