More people are choosing not to go to college to pursue a four year degree. For some, it’s because they lack the resources. Others lack satisfactory high-school credentials.
This doesn’t mean it’s the end of life. There are many other paths you can take to a fulfilling career. Choosing vocational fields is one of them. Here are some fields you can pursue instead of a four year degree.
1. Airline Pilot
If the term ‘ aircraft hoseclamp‘ rings a bell, then you know this technical field mainly involves operating an airplane. As an airline pilot, you’ll transport cargo and passengers from one location to another. You can pursue this vocation instead of a four year degree.
Pilot training only takes six months to two years, two to three years less a four year degree. You’ll learn to take off and land a plane in its desired station on time. This will involve performing pre-flight checks of instruments, engines, and fuel and ensuring all safety systems work correctly. You’ll also learn how to plan the best route based on weather reports and other information from air traffic control, follow airport approach and landing guidelines, and evaluate flight data.
Once you become a pilot, keeping passengers and crew informed about the journey’s progress will be part of your job. You’ll also compile flight reports after landing, including aircraft or flight path problems. The salary is excellent.
2. Roofer
With buildings always coming up, consider working with a roofing company as a roofer instead of a four year degree. As a roofer, you’ll be in charge of constructing or repairing roofs, advising customers on the best quality roofing materials and when it is best to improve their roofs. While roofing work isn’t a tidy job, it can give you a lot of satisfaction in your life and career.
If you’re good on the job, it can open many doors. You’ll get a lot of referrals from your current and past clientele and the other professionals you work with, for example, plumbers, electricians, and masons. It’s also helpful to know the latest trends in roofing.
Besides, you can combine being a roofer with a salesperson for roofing materials with many companies. It’s a great way to earn extra income. You may work for many roofing companies and become a sought-after roofer. This will make you climb the corporate ladder, and who knows? You might even form your own roofing company one day.
3. Mechanic
In mechanics, there are various fields to choose from instead of a four year degree which can limit you. One can become a vehicle, aircraft, heavy equipment, bicycle, or industrial mechanic. As a mechanic, you don’t need a post-secondary degree., but you must be skilled.
The job will involve working on everything from the manual transmissions components to the engine. Like roofing, to be a successful mechanic, one must be excellent at work to get good referrals. So always put your best foot forward when working on projects. Many reputable local and international car companies are always looking for mechanics they can train how to repair their brands specifically. This includes Toyota and Mercedes.
Once such a company has trained you, you become their brand ambassador. You can access world-class training that would be more valuable than a four year degree. Research has shown that getting a new client takes seven times more effort than retaining a current one. Once you get a client’s trust, they can let you repair their vehicle or equipment without necessarily being there. Becoming a mechanic requires problem-solving skills, communication, and attention to detail.
4. Mason
Being a mason involves building things with bricks, tiles, and stone. This skilled work can involve performing everything from masonry repairs to installations, as and when required. Of course, becoming one doesn’t look as prestigious as one who has studied for a four year degree, which is mostly tailored to white-collar jobs.
You won’t be sitting in a big office giving orders by phone. Instead, you’ll be ‘out there.’ Being a mason isn’t necessarily a clean job. Whereas an individual who has studied for a four-year degree can spend years looking for the ‘right’ position, masons quickly get hired in the ever-growing building and construction industry.
All you need as a mason is creativity and knowledge of the latest trends. This way, you’ll have something always working for you. Like the skilled jobs mentioned above, being a mason relies greatly on goodwill. All you need is to be excellent in your work. A mason can go further and establish themselves as a carver.
5. HVAC Technician
HVAC technicians are in great demand worldwide. They’re skilled professionals who install, repair and maintain heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems that control the quality and temperature of the air inside residential and commercial buildings.
With climate change and fluctuations in temperature, people need air conditioning now more than ever. Becoming an HVAC technician requires specific skills and competencies but doesn’t necessarily require a four year degree. It requires certification from one stage to the next. You can have theoretical knowledge, but if you don’t know anything about AC repair and installation, you’ll find it difficult to get jobs in this niche.
However, it requires a lot of practical training. The good thing is you can also learn HVAC work through apprenticeships and internships. An HVAC technician can live and work anywhere. An office job does not limit them.
6. Landscaper
Do you love outdoor spaces? If yes, becoming a landscaper is another option instead of a four year degree. A landscaper can offer a design service for gardens and other outdoor spaces. Imagine designing for Bill Gates.
A landscaper is an artist. They can design big spaces like themed parks or just someone’s compound. The beauty of landscapers is that they know how to play with different spaces. A landscape design service aims to show outdoor spaces as attractive and natural.
Many landscapers have mastered their art so well that you can be left wondering whether the garden they designed is the same one or they added their own space. Becoming a landscaper will require knowing how to test the soil and create an attractive garden. Becoming a landscaper can also grow from a hobby of liking the outdoors and eventually become a fulfilling career path.
7. Insurance Broker
Becoming an insurance broker is one of the easiest jobs to venture into. An insurance broker works with many insurance companies, among the car insurance companies. They typically don’t work with one insurance company. Still, they earn a commission, which is a key motivator.
Why spend four years in college for a degree to become one, yet one can get into the system after getting a secondary certificate? Many insurance companies worldwide are always looking for good and credible insurance brokers they can partner with. With recent global recessions and uncertainty in the labor market, being an insurance broker is an excellent fallback plan.
Becoming an insurance broker requires a lot of networking and good communication skills, but it’s highly fulfilling. Many insurance brokers live very comfortable lives. They drive big cars, live in good houses, and their children go to good schools. They are also able to afford a holiday. Most get multiple incomes from the various insurance companies that they work with.
8. Local DJ
If interested in electronic & dance music, become a local DJ. This work entails playing recorded music for an audience. If you have good taste in music, this is your job. It doesn’t require you to go to college to study for a four year degree. You may find this a waste of resources.
A DJ has a variety of opportunities: They can work at a nightclub one day and a wedding on the next. The work of a DJ requires a lot of creativity to mix up the right tunes and assess your audience to ascertain their level of interest in the music you’re playing.
A DJ can electrify their audience and bring good business to an establishment like a club. Thus, an individual must be very versatile. Of late, DJs have aroused interest. Some have even found their way into radio studios.
9. Real Estate Agent
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a millionaire? You don’t have to study for a four year degree. Consider becoming a real estate agent. Getting your client’s rental houses and houses to purchase, collecting rent on behalf of a client, and selling a house are the primary things your job will entail.
You’ll get a percentage of the property’s sale price when you sell a house. Becoming a real estate agent requires knowing your job well. Know your area well and your client’s preferences. This way, you can advise them on the properties and financing available.
You can advise them on purchasing, leasing, and renting options. You need to keep up with the real estate trends around the world. The easiest and most effective way to do this is by networking with other real estate professionals.
This job can be very fulfilling and open many doors for you. It’s good to get a professional license. You need hard work, dedication, and discipline to become a successful real estate agent. Always go the extra mile to stay ahead of the competition.
When you set a goal, you must have a clear plan. By creating a real estate business plan early on, you can achieve your goals and successfully navigate the early stages of your real estate profession. A plan can help you expand your business
A plan can help you expand your business, keep up with current market trends, and give you quantifiable metrics to monitor over time. Your plan should contain your guiding principles, strategies, and personal mission and be specific to you. You can also use it to define your target market and how you’ll reach them. The document can guide your business growth and ensure you stay on track to achieve your goals.
If you’re accustomed to working in huge organizations or large teams, you might be shocked to discover you’re now your boss after becoming a real estate agent. Many people enter the real estate industry to run their own business, but it may be scary if you don’t know what to anticipate. If you’re willing to take on the task, you’ll get to work your desired hours, establish your objectives, and make the decisions. Remember, however, that this also entails handling the time-consuming aspects of managing a business, such as taxes and other administrative tasks.
10. Plumbing
Like roofing, plumbing can be a very fulfilling job that doesn’t require a four year degree. Offering plumbing services can come in handy for many people. Many people don’t know what to do when water starts flowing uncontrollably from their kitchens or bathrooms, and they’re uncomfortable when they note such.
Becoming a plumber requires comprehensive knowledge in fixing plumbing materials and troubleshooting problems quickly before they occur, e.g., noticing a leaking kitchen or bathroom. As a plumber, always aim to prevent loss. You want to gain a lot of credibility to win clients’ trust.
As a plumber, know what’s happening in your industry. Always look for new technology that can make your work easier. Learn your clients’ houses to know what to connect where. If and when possible, work together with other professionals. Always have your kit ready whenever called upon by a client.
Strive to give the best service always. Give your contact to the clients, so they know where to get you. If there’s a need for certification to practice from the local authorities, get it. The last thing you want is to be on the wrong side of the law because you’re operating illegally outside your jurisdiction. One can learn plumbing through an apprentice or even a high school diploma.
Whereas everyone can’t go through a prestigious institution of higher learning, pursuing other vocations that are not necessarily a four year degree is possible. Nobody should feel left out of the educational system. Sometimes, people who have studied other vocations employ those with degrees. This read provides some great alternatives to a four year degree.
They only require basic certification for those practicing them. These people can live comfortable lives. Note that you’ll need good networking with other players from the industry and communication skills. No man is an island. No one can work alone.
