I am at a loss as to how to advise my son (age 22). He wants to go to college, but has no money. I told him that when I was his age (37 years ago), I was thousands of miles from home working my ass off and socking away money like crazy so I could go to college. I told him to find a dirty, dangerous, and difficult job, no matter where he has to go, and sock away as much money as he can. When I was his age, I was working as a cook on an ice breaker in the Arctic. I was earning about three-to-four times what the minimum wage was at that time (with plenty of overtime). All my food and accommodations were included. I even picked up money on-the-side renting movies to the crew. I saved around $30,000 in two years (which would be the equivalent of around $75,000 in today's money).
I got that job with absolutely no credentials or certification of any kind. In those days, if a company could find anyone willing to do a job this shitty, they would hire them on-the-spot.
My son tells me that he can't find any jobs like this anymore anywhere in the world. I find that difficult to believe, but looking around, he seems to be right. These shitty jobs still exist, but they now either require certification or experience of some kind, or they have turned into minimum-wage jobs.
My question for AskTRP is: other than the military, are there any dirty, dangerous, and difficult jobs left anywhere in the world that pay big money and require no prior certification?
EDIT: Location (as requested in comments) is Canada.
dani098 5y ago
I made $80,000 a year as a contractor in a war zone
[deleted] 5y ago
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dani098 5y ago
I didn’t have any military Experience. I went over as a generator mechanic having experience there
VickVaseline 5y ago
Yeah, this sounds like an excellent idea to me.
Atheist_Utopia 5y ago
You must be one of those people that claim muscle cars are still best, despite the numerous technological advancements in cars. Don't do this to your son.
VickVaseline 5y ago
You got me pegged on the muscle cars. Yeah, maybe the contractor work isn't such a great idea after all.
nofilmynofucky 5y ago
Ops next thread gonna be like
honestly dude you need to grow up
VickVaseline 5y ago
Yeah, that is one reason that I was looking for other-than-military opportunities for my son. I thought that contractor work might be a little safer, but maybe not.
nofilmynofucky 5y ago
Excellent point, fair response and my comment was definitely heavy handed
Thing is, you hit the nail on the head yourself already - there are numerous roadblocks in place relating to most jobs nowadays, resulting in required significant prior investment in terms of
To the point where the 'Alexander the Great' method is almost completely extinct. I don't really have any good advice around combating this, simply pointing out that the world has changed significantly in the last 30 years and so much of what were previously very good tactics to assist men in getting ahead/maturing/growing have been eradicated
It's almost like Western society is currently focused on active oppression of traditional masculinity...
VickVaseline 5y ago
I see you understand the situation deeply. Thank you.
StevieWondersHummer 5y ago
Look up Fracking jobs - my buddy who was in the Air Force worked as a Frac hand. He said it was 20 days on and 10 days off with tons of OT. He basically worked in Oil doing grunt work. He was pretty mechanically inclined from the military, but he said most of the other employees either didn't have any experience and some didn't even graduate high school. Said it paid well for no degree.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thank you. When and where was this?
StevieWondersHummer 5y ago
He was working up until 1 year ago, He worked in North Dakota and stated it was in the middle of no where, but he said a lot of places need them
OrzhovPalatine 5y ago
I know a couple of guys who worked in the Canadian Oil sands straight out of high school and made a pretty good living off of it. Don't see why he couldnt go there
VickVaseline 5y ago
I knew someone who made bank in the oil sands straight out of high school too. Things seems to have changed there now, though. It seems the jobs are either minimum wage or require some kind of certification.
OrzhovPalatine 5y ago
well shit...lol
RedKnightTime 5y ago
VickVaseline 5y ago
I should have stipulated: we are not in the USA.
RedKnightTime 5y ago
Knowing your country is going to be a critical piece of information regarding how to get what you're looking for. I would add it in an edit.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Done. Thanks.
[deleted] 5y ago
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VickVaseline 5y ago
My son has never been arrested or charged with anything. He has work experience as a car wash technician, sushi chef, forklift operator, and is presently working in sales at a mobile phone outlet. All of these jobs were at minimum wage.
He has been tested as being gifted, and so all of these jobs are painfully boring to him. He is looking forward to getting an education commensurate with his intelligence. The money he has been earning so far haven't even been close to what he needs to cover a college education.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
Tell him to join military. Could be viewed as “badass and dangerous” in your eyes and also they pay for your college.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thanks. I did consider military, for the reasons that you mention. It's just too dangerous, too much of a time-commitment, and the pay is too low.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
How is it too dangerous? You can select a position that doesn’t even see the battlefield. You know that don’t you? The time commitment is only a few years.
. Hes already wasting time with bullshit jobs so may as well spend a little time to get a huge payout. The pay isn’t “too low” it’s ok but the benefits are great. Plus, depending on his iq, he does have some potential to earn more.
VickVaseline 5y ago
He has been tested as being gifted.
[deleted] 5y ago
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MegladonBass 5y ago
Your not a 59 year old man according to your post history faggot
VickVaseline 5y ago
I don't see what you are referring to in the post history. I have been on Reddit for four years, so I have had some birthdays during this time.
coolredpill 5y ago
if he can get a waiter job at a popular restaurant, im sure he can make at least $200-$300 a night during weekends
some other popular restaurants waiters can make up to $500+ on a busy weekend day
Acerhand 5y ago
Where is the logic in paying off a degree with cash instantly IF you dont already have it? Its not efficient at all. Time is more valuable than money. If he takes 2-4 years to get the cash, he could have had a degree by then. The loans interest will(asuming he lands a good job in STEM) not be more than he can pay off working. If he is frugal and priorities the debt, he is still earning work experience in his field that whole time and increasing his pay prospects. Additionally he could make use of community college and any scholarships to reduce the debt.
Now the alternative is saving up all the money first for 2-3 years, paying for it up front and not getting back to work for 3-4 more years getting the degree. Delaying career progression, and wasting time.
Debts are shit, but sometimes its more logical to go i to debt if you can leverage the time saved. You need to figure out the interest, roughly what you will earn and how fast u want to pay it back. Imo the choice is simple.
Other optios are working such a job while learning to program on the side for 2-3 years, then finish off with a bootcamp and get straight into software development. That would allow him to save a lot of money, accumulate no debts and still land a good career
VickVaseline 5y ago
This is excellent advice. Yes, my son is going into STEM. The amount available via student loans here in Canada just seems so low, though.
Acerhand 5y ago
Its worth sitting down with him and figuring out starting salaries, interest rates and battle plans(does he want to live at home for a couple years post degree to save to pay off debts up front?) or would he rather do something else?
Imo the uni degree, if he NEEDS it, he should try get it faster to save valuable time. The debt if low enough interest can just be viewed as a larger tax for a while.
VickVaseline 5y ago
...excellent advice. Thank you.
mrpoopistan 5y ago
Bullshit.
I've spent my entire life close to the gas and oil industry through family and business relationships. If there are people sinkin' holes in the ground somewhere, there's a job that any able-bodied man can sign up for.
They'll hire any fuckin' idiot. Turnover is terrible because the work is often like three weeks on and one week off, but tough shit. Where there's a will there's a way.
And, yeah, he might get stuck in the middle of the woods in West Virginia in the winter for weeks on end. Shit work is shit work, but it pays well if you don't piss it all away on drugs or strippers.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thank you. How much do these jobs pay?
fuck_everyone__ 5y ago
20/hr plus overtime pay. He’ll get a lot of overtime hours. Make him get his CDL, he will have a much easier time getting a job with one.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Now that is an excellent idea! Thank you!
fuck_everyone__ 5y ago
Also if he works for a municipality and not a contractor he could get a vested pension after seven-ish years, and some tuition kickbacks. They pay for all of the training (huge perk), insurance from local schools, gear, etc. He will not make nearly as much money, but it could be good for school. It all depends on the municipality.
thenewyorkmind 5y ago
Where do I apply
fuck_everyone__ 5y ago
Look online at lineman contractors, municipal websites, oil and gas drilling companies, etc.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thank you.
mrpoopistan 5y ago
Halliburton is all over the planet. https://jobs.halliburton.com/?node-id=hgbr8q6n
My next-door neighbor works for them in the U.S.
My dad worked for them, and the only thing my mom curses him (long dead) for to this day is not taking a job they offered to ship him to Australia.
Hell, a friend's dad worked for them eons ago, and he has fun stories about having to flee Iran when he was kid.
Here's an example of what the jobs entail:
https://jobs.halliburton.com/job/Montgomery-US-Montgomery-Heavy-Truck-Driver-PA-17752/521573200/
In other words, don't be a total retard, and please don't be a pussy.
Whenever I hear someone say they can't find work with a HS education, all I ever think is, "No, motherfucker. You just don't want to do actual work." And these companies have jobs at all levels. I don't give a shit if you have a STEM PhD, they got work for you that will make use of your degree.
I've seen them hire everybody. The smaller operations (not like Halliburton, obv) will even hire illegals.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thank you. This is the best reply.
ajs_rb26 5y ago
Do these jobs require experience? I’ll be graduating in May with unfortunately a liberal arts degree and don’t see myself working a dumb office job for 30-40k. I’ve always liked the idea of hard physical labor and never even wanted to go to college. I’m from nyc so you don’t really see these kinds of jobs over here, which is why I’m asking.
mrpoopistan 5y ago
Experience will move you to the front of the line, but the line moves really, really fast. And they end up hiring people without experience.
Gas and oil people kill me sometimes. They'll hire hillbillies and Mexicans, fly people from Louisiana and Texas to Libya, but somehow they won't advertise in places like NYC where there's lots of people.
If you want a city life and access to these types of jobs, it should be noted that Houston is boomin these days.
ajs_rb26 5y ago
I will definitely look into this then. Texas has always been an appealing state to live in.
cjack95 5y ago
Law Enforcement
Bro-I-Got-U 5y ago
Sales. You can make a lot more than 75k a year if your son works hard at it. I'm pretty fucking young, but I have met some people who are killing it and have shown me the possibilities of making high six figures. You don't need a degree for it and you don't need to be a ''natural'' salesman. If he's willing to bust his ass off, he can succeed. He will start at the bottom of the totem pole but if he doesn't give up, he will eventually succeed.
VickVaseline 5y ago
What kind of sales are we talking about here?
Bro-I-Got-U 5y ago
Enterprise sales (especially software sales). Selling big item stuff successfully will make him earn at least 200K+ after a few years. This isn't some sleazy type of sales jobs, we're talking about the big leagues here, where a huge amount of money can be earned. However, it is very high pressure and a lot of people (note: losers) give up, don't perform. If you want more information, on the sales subreddit.
FixYourselfFirst 5y ago
Legal or illegal?
If you can land a spot on a crab boat, $10k a month as a greenhorn. Dunno if the TV show publicity has made this a hard job to get.
Project_Zero_Betas 5y ago
Literal crabs in a bucket
VickVaseline 5y ago
Yes, I should have stipulated that we are talking about legal employment.
kennycrab12 5y ago
Wondering if you can possibly share me some links for this type of job, Ive looked online but i cant find anything for jobs on crab boats.
FixYourselfFirst 5y ago
Google "deadliest catch jobs".
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VickVaseline 5y ago
I did some reading, and apparently the only way is to go to Alaska and start hanging around docks and bars.
[deleted] 5y ago
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FixYourselfFirst 5y ago
Are you seriously asking on a public forum for a list of high paying crimes?
VickVaseline 5y ago
You will have to make your own post for that. Haha
billybetasnan 5y ago
Welding?
​
I'm going back to college in September to learn welding, I can't get a job either, I'm 25. and I can't work in a job serving customers I have visible tattoos including face tattoos.
I do agree with you though, jobs these days are a fucking joke. Like back in the day it was so much easier.
VickVaseline 5y ago
I love this answer! Partly because I am totally picturing a welder with face tattoos. Talk about bad-ass!
billybetasnan 5y ago
Haha, normally it's "why'd you tattoo your face you fucking idiot".
Cheers mate, I hope it all goes well.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
You need certification for welding these days. Even if you already know how to weld. But then again, you have to know how to weld. This isn’t a job you can start with no exp.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Yeah, that is an excellent point. I did stipulate "no prior certification."
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
Right to reiterate, you do need a cert. doesn’t take TOO long or cost TOO much and definitely pays off. One guy I know was making 60$/hr and averaged 60 hours per week. He got overtime AND if there was no available work he’s automatically paid a 40 hr minimum.
I met him when I was doing Uber, as a side gig for me, and he was super cool gave me a 10$ tip to take him only 10 minute down the road.
mrmaldoror 5y ago
I did a lot of hustling to get to where I am too. (29 now) I always call bullshit on men who say there is no work. I'm a firm believer you can get to any position you want (par exception) by being persistent and cunning. Not ripping on your son though because society at large is treating everyone like their kids and just attempting to extend highschool/college days into adult life.
Instead of looking for job postings, he should look up ice breaking ships, find the crew on LinkedIn and message them.
I had a back packer staying with me recently, when I first met him, I sized him up and realized he would probably put up a pretty good fight and probably beat me in a race. Woke up the next morning and realized he actually had a prosthetic leg. He told me tales of his travels, 3 years on a weed farm, a year on a prawn trawler in Thailand, truck driver in India etc etc, I believe he was turning 30.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
Why were you thinking of racing him?
StevieWondersHummer 5y ago
because he lives his life a quarter mile at a time
blr1998 5y ago
What are you a head hunter for your son? Is he too disabled to join the military? How about apprenticing a local plumber? Everyone needs to shit somewhere. Jobs where people die easily need to be refilled often.. but you already knew that.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Excellent advice.
MegladonBass 5y ago
Why not the military? Benefits are great etc. unless he’s a pussy.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Military pay is too low and the commitment is too long.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
4 years isn’t THAT long. Especially when you can join the reserve. Boot camp and then one weekend per month of commitment plus hella connections to get high paying jobs in the real world.
VickVaseline 5y ago
The reserve is an interesting idea.
MegladonBass 5y ago
Lmaoo there’s 3 year contracts and you pocket all the money as everything else is paid for. I doubt you make nearly as much as an e-1 a month. Your probably just a pussy
VickVaseline 5y ago
Yup, I'm just a big 59-year-old pussy. My son is no pussy, though, so he may go for it.
thewaitinator452 5y ago
Labouring. When I was 17 I was working as a labourer for a fencing company making a solid £400 weekly. Ofc this is based in the UK but all I had to do was get the health and safety qualification (2 days training and £200) and I was set. I’m not sure how it works in Canada but I knew a guy who emigrated over there for a few years to do the exact same work so I doubt there’s a lot of difference. There’s so much work in the construction industry and a lot of the old timers are hesitant to go back after the crash so the work’s there for whoever wants it
VickVaseline 5y ago
How old are you now?
thewaitinator452 5y ago
19, I’m working a shitty fast food job now while I finish my degree to give me more time to get work done. my construction card doesn’t run out for another 8 years so it’s a solid backup if I ever need it. I’m now making in a month what I would make in a week and a half on the sites so I would definitely look into it for your son. It can be VERY lucrative if he turns out to be skilled at it
SeasonedRP 5y ago
He's right that there aren't as many opportunities for high paid work as there used to be. When I grew up, young men who were willing to work hard could make decent money in construction related jobs. Wages in those jobs, adjusted for inflation, are quite a bit lower now than they were in the mid 80s. As a commenter mentioned, the energy industry is probably his best bet. It's cyclical but there are opportunities available now. It's going to take a while to save up enough for a four year degree.
If he's going to pursue a worthwhile degree, judicious use of student debt is another way. In the U.S., there are relatively inexpensive community colleges where one can attend for two years and get many of the general credits out of the way. You can then transfer to a four-year institution to complete your degree. If I were him, I'd work part time, use debt to pay the difference, and go to a community college and finish at a four year institution. Yes, he'll have debt to repay, but that's doable if you have a decent career, and he'll have a degree much faster than working somewhere until he saves up enough to pay for a four-year degree.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Wow. You certainly know what you are talking about. This is excellent advice, and we will keep it.
dani098 5y ago
Send him to West Texas to work in the oil field, or Oklahoma.
VickVaseline 5y ago
I do know that there is more oil work being done in the Texas area than in Canada these days. How much could one earn in West Texas or Oklahoma without prior certification?
dani098 5y ago
Over 100k
VickVaseline 5y ago
Now we're talking!
Ansec 5y ago
Do what my father did. Get him in the car. Drive to the nearest trade school. Tell him to get out and not to come back without an application. Trade school costs less than 10k for a two year degree. Some of them will get you certified. Then drive him to any minimum wage job and tell him too get out and not come back without an application.
He'll learn a valuable trade in computers, machine work, auto work, electrical, pluming etc.
He can pay for it with a minimum wage job.
It's not that hard. People these days are too fucking whiney.
If he doesn't want to do that then tell him how it is. He's a fucking little bitch.
Once he has a two year degree and some certs he can get a job making a bit more than minimum wage. He then climbs the ladder of experience and in less than 3 years he's making 60k+.
From there he should be saving every penny. I was able to keep monthly expenses below $1500. That's an apartment, new car, and yearly trips to Mexico and Vegas. No going to the bars. Never eating out.
Everything else went into savings. After the first year I saved $30K, bought my first rental property and repeated the process. By the time he's 32 he can be making well over $200k a year with just rental income. He can quit his 9-5 and pretty much retire.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Wow. This is much more of a reply than I was expecting. This is good life advice for any man. Thank you.
sixseven89 5y ago
Enlist in military
Angelrun 5y ago
Waiter
VickVaseline 5y ago
Where can one earn three-to-four times minimum wage as a waiter?
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
Papadeaux. A respectable restaurant that hires ANYONE.
ChadTheWaiter100 5y ago
A lot of people from my high school worked there right out of high school and made good money, considering their age and lack of exp. a lot of them stayed for a few years, banked and saved and then took the exp to a better restaurant to make even more money. But there is a lot of drugs in the restaurant world. It’s typically a lower class party life.
VickVaseline 5y ago
Thank you. I did not know that.
Angelrun 5y ago
Well he has no certifications so he just start from the bottom. It’s either that or labor, I’d suggest to your sun to invest in his bar tending license. It’s not bad money
VickVaseline 5y ago
Bar-tending sounds interesting!
jimBean9610 5y ago
Also a young guy. How do you even go about finding those kinds of jobs?
VickVaseline 5y ago
This is the question.