If you have a GED or only a High school diploma what are you doing now?

[The Straight Story]

Hey, us slackers needed our own thread to go along with this one:

If you have a college degree, what's it in?
And does it directly relate to your job or did your life take a different path?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3508627&mesg_id=3508627

So if you never did the degree thing, where you at in the work field and what are you doing with your knowledge?

[Droopy]

1. I'm a truck driver

I do have some college experience but I don't have a degree. I never thought of myself as a trucker when I was growing up, but when I hit 24 I found myself yearning for the road. I wanted to see this great country and truck driving was the only way I could think of doing it. Now 8.5 years later I am proud to call myself a trucker.

[The Straight Story]

4. Truckers rock in my book

My first trip alone across country, and the many I have taken since, I relied on trucks and truckers to help me get by. Bad storms? I followed them. Needed some good food, follow a trucker. They have their own thing going on (like the flashing of lights to let you over) and I for one enjoy seeing them on the road.

Always wanted to drive a truck for a year (don't think I could handle more then that realistically). You see a lot. Keep on truckin!

[Droopy]

9. I will indeed keep on truckin'

Thanks for the kind words.

[Floogeldy]

12. Being an independent truck driver is a fantasy of mine.

B-)

[Droopy]

16. Make it a reality

Sign on with a company and drive for them a couple of years. After that buy your own truck and lease it to a company. After a couple of years of that go completely independent. It's a hard life, but I think you will find that it is a great source of pride.

[auntAgonist]

19. You can do it !

I did, learned when I was just 20 years old! Drove for a lot of years with my husband and then ventured out on my own. There is NO life like it.

:hi:

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

2. I have a high school degree and some years of college ...

I thought I had my life all planned out but fate had other plans ... fate is my best friend because I am a better person now .

[mike_c]

3. I have a GED from West Virginia-- now I'm a university prof...

...and research scientist. Dropped out of high school when I was 16. Never got past eighth grade in several subjects. I was a dedicated stoner and JD, back in the day....

on edit-- got GED in my late-twenties, and my first college degree in my early thirties.

[NMDemDist2]

5. GED at 16 three semesters of college several years later

small business owner now

[The Straight Story]

8. GED at 17

Run 4 major data centers for huge bank now. No college, but would like to go and take some math courses for some hobbies I have (number theory).

What kind of business you own - and don't say crack dealer! ;)

[NMDemDist2]

11. espresso/snack counters n/t

[haele]

6. Graduated high school (diploma)

Joined the Navy, went through about 3, maybe 4 years total of school over 20 years, working as a civilian contractor, now an analyst on various military systems.
OTJ training and experiance can be just as important as that 4 - 6 year degree; you just have to insure that you work in the right path to give it to you. If you're stuck in the back room or riding a keyboard, you're not going to get as far up the ladder on OJT as a field engineer, designer, r&d support where you have to know the same theories on your job as a engineer with a masters will learn in the lab.

Sometimes, the degree or the long hours of lab study are important; I wouldn't want an intern that got his/her degree online practicing even outpatient surgery on me, but in other areas, I've experianced that the degree might not be as important as actually working with the subject matter.

Haele

[The Straight Story]

10. Well stated and I would agree (nt)

[qnr]

7. GED. Limited to now? Retired military. n/t

[sasquatch]

13. That's a great movie and a cool handle

B-):hi:

[jandrok]

14. I'm a 9th grade dropout with a GED

I have a couple of years of college, but no degree.

I'm an operations and facilities manager for a large marketing and distribution company in North Austin. I got there by working my way up the ladder, first in a retail setting, and then through learning the wholesale distribution business. I started out in my present position as a warehouse supervisor, then kept getting promoted until I got to where I am now. I make upwards of 50k/yr. It CAN be done, but it's a hell of a lot easier with a degree. Then again, I manage some folks with degrees.......

Still wish I'd gotten one, though. I don't have the time or the patience to go back to school.

[The Straight Story]

21. Well I have seen similar situations here myself

I am in 70k+ range and have people with Master's degrees in computer science under me. I worked my way up and invested my time in my job and it's needs to get there. Not slamming people with degrees either, one of my guys with a degree is quite bright (but has some personality issues which I think will keep him well away from management positions).

A degree shows you know something, what you do with what you know is the key. I still spend hours studying. I own 4 sun servers and some windows servers, I don't have a piece of paper to make me feel at ease so I keep learning and working. My best abilities are in the politics at business, two guys under me with degrees always pass that stuff off to me as I am diplomatic while making us look good even it was us that screwed up something (shit happens, spin is planned).

I still would like to go to college someday and I have the utmost respect for those who have - but in my field I don't see it as a plus, experience is the best thing (we hired an MS in computer science and the guy had almost no clue and had never worked a tech job in his life. I don't care what certs or degrees a candidate has, I want to meet them, see if they are a team player and willing and able to learn).

Again - degrees are a good thing, just not always the only thing :)

[markus]

15. Um, well, I have a bunch of college hours but no degree

But I'm not sure what a degree in English Literature from a state college would get me, except a cuppa coffee together with a dollar thirdty.

I test computer software, after working as a desktop/network support tech, working in the publishing industry (computer prepress/color), public relations (political flack) and journalist (newspaper reporter)

If you notice a disconnect in my careers, or the fact that none involve serving food (which I did in college), it't not about the parchment. It's about continuous learning.

Bill Gates didn't finish college. Neither did my father, who quit after he passed the Louisiana architectural boards and went on to reach the top of this field.

[Jara sang]

17. I'm CEO of Oracle

My yachts compete in the America's Cup. Just kidding...

[Roland99]

18. My ex works daycare at a local branch of the YMCA...she only has her GED

And right now, she's spending the weekend with her latest b-f. I'm guessing this one might actually last a month. ;)

[Kathleen04]

20. Good thread idea

:thumbsup: I'm the one that started the other thread...I'm in college now as I posted. Neither of my parents have four year degrees. My dad is essentially self-employed/family-employed as a property manager..which always made things flexible, like he was able to pick me up from school @ 3 o'clock, etc.

I love the college experience, but I'm also a believer that solid work experience/ingenuity can take you where you want to go.

[The Straight Story]

22. Thanks!

I am sometimes bewlidered by the whole college thing. I would not use it myself for career oriented things, mainly just to learn (but that is just me, learning is a hobby).

One of my engineers has a degree in history, and until I gave him a job he was working at a book store making six an hour. He loved computers and had a passion for them and had done some odd jobs in the field of programming. Despite his lack of degree and certs in the field I brought him on board as I know a good person when I see them. He is working out real well and we are hiring him in (he came in as a contractor). This is one of the things I thought about when I saw your thread - he does not have a job relating to his degree (but it is still a passion of his and he gets involved in it).

Some things I think can be learned as well at home as at college, from math to computers. Some things we would not trust a person without a degree in (doctors for example).

I think the one thing that has stuck with me - do what you love and you can go far with it. I love computers and math. Others love history and writing (another passion of mine - and don't even get me started on text analysis and etymology, I tend to go on and on blabbering).

Again, this thread was in no way a slam on others or their achievements, just wanted people who have not went that route a place to talk about where they are now.

[BamaGirl]

23. Hmm another one

GED and tons of college, but no degree. I was in the Army years ago and have since stayed home with the kids. :P Actually my youngest is going to school this fall so I'm starting to look for a job. I have one step left of an application process for a very well paying security job. ;) (The military police background is actually a bonus to me for once lol!) I should know something about it Mon. or Tues. I'm pretty confidant I'm going to get it but the waiting to hear sucks lol! Geesh, maybe I'm jixing myself talking about it lol. Anyway, currently, I do nothing, but once I do go back to work it will be either corporate security or law enforcement.

[The Straight Story]

24. security is an excellent start

I did that for 5 years in my early-mid 20's. A good way to get know a lot of people and also to see behind the scenes of a company. Good luck!

[RebelOne]

25. I was a high school dropout because I married at 16.

But I am now a copy editor for a very large publishing and media conglomerate. I always received extremely high grades in grammar, spelling and punctuation, though. And I did a bit of writing for a magazine in Miami. So not all high school dropouts are losers.