Career Path Exploration: College, Trades, and In-Demand Roles like IT Sales & Project Management
Okay, here's the updated analysis based on the new discussion, incorporating and refining the previous findings:
Overall Discussion Summary: The conversation still revolves around the value of a traditional college education versus alternative paths for a 19-year-old looking for well-paid opportunities and a good life, especially given concerns about choosing a specific path and the rise of AI. Community college is often recommended as a low-risk way to explore interests. Specific career paths like trades (notably elevator technician), IT Sales (BDR), Information Architecture, and Project Management are highlighted as potentially lucrative and, in some cases, more AI-resistant. The military is also suggested as a way to gain experience and funded education. While some advocate for college due to higher average lifetime earnings, others caution against high debt and suggest it's only essential for specific fields like medicine.
Hot Skills/Tools/Qualifications:
- Trade Skills: Specifically, skills for an elevator technician (e.g., with Otis).
- Sales Skills (especially Soft Skills): Crucial for IT Sales (BDR) roles; includes communication, persuasion, and resilience.
- Understanding of Information Systems & Processes: Key for Information Architecture and Project Management.
- Problem-Solving & Creative Thinking: Valued generally and mentioned as a transferable skill from arts education.
- Networking: Emphasized as important for career progression, regardless of the path.
- Adaptability & Persistence: General advice for navigating career choices.
- Formal Qualifications:
- College Degree: Considered essential for medical fields. Can be beneficial (though not always required) for roles like BDR (e.g., a computer systems degree can help). The general sentiment is that if pursued, it should be with minimal debt. Statistically linked to higher lifetime earnings.
- Community College Credits: Useful for general studies and exploring interests without high commitment.
- Military Experience/GI Bill: A pathway to acquire skills and funded education.
- Art Portfolio: For those pursuing creative careers.
- AI Resistance: Skills related to managing people, complex human systems, and nuanced communication (as in IA and PM) are seen as less susceptible to AI replacement.
Potential Job Opportunities & Resume Directions:
- Skilled Trades:
- Job: Elevator Technician (specifically mentioned with "Otis").
- Resume Direction: Highlight any mechanical aptitude, problem-solving skills, reliability, and willingness to undergo apprenticeship/training.
- IT Sales / Business Development:
- Job: Business Development Representative (BDR).
- Resume Direction: Emphasize communication skills, persuasion, resilience, any customer-facing experience, tech-savviness, and a results-oriented mindset. A computer systems degree can be a plus but is not strictly necessary.
- Information Technology / Project Management:
- Job: Information Architect, Project Manager.
- Resume Direction: Focus on organizational skills, understanding of systems, ability to manage tasks and people, communication, and any experience with project lifecycles or information organization.
- Military:
- Job: Various roles within the armed forces.
- Resume Direction (Post-Military): Translate military experience into civilian terms, highlighting discipline, leadership, technical skills acquired, and use of GI Bill for further education/training.
- Medical Professions:
- Job: Doctor, other healthcare roles.
- Resume Direction: Requires a specific degree path; focus on academic achievements in sciences, relevant volunteer work, and commitment to the field.
- Creative Fields (with caution for direct high pay):
- Job: Various art/design roles.
- Resume Direction: A strong portfolio is key. School can provide a structured learning environment and a "fall back."
Expected Earnings:
- Overall Goal: "Well paid" and able to "live well."
- Trades (e.g., Elevator Technician): Can be very lucrative, offering high earning potential without a traditional four-year degree.
- IT Sales (BDR): Often has high earning potential, frequently including a base salary plus significant commission.
- Information Architecture/Project Management: Generally considered well-compensated professional roles.
- College Degree Holders (General): On average, earn significantly more over their lifetime, though this needs to be weighed against potential debt and the specific field of study.
- Military: Provides steady income and benefits during service, with post-service educational benefits that can lead to higher-earning civilian careers.
Origin Reddit Post
r/careerguidance
Is college even worth it anymore?
Posted by u/Inevitable-Entry2675•06/01/2025
I am 19 and looking at what to do next. I like a ton of different things and cannot for the life of me pick something and it is really stressing me out. All I want is to be well paid and live
Top Comments
u/AccountContent6734
Yes go for what major works for you nothing worth having will come easy
u/soliase
No
u/Far-Seaweed3218
It’s worth it for certain career paths. I have a degree in several fine arts disciplines. I have used it early in my career. I don’t use it now. But I use the creative process and thought
u/ZeusTrail1
Long term it does.
u/hungry_hippo_1997
Yes. Worth it if you are willing to learn.
u/Far-Seaweed3218
It’s worth it for certain career paths. I have a degree in several fine arts disciplines. I have used it early in my career. I don’t use it now. But I use the creative process and thought
u/fadedsober
Education is always worth it
u/fadedsober
Education is always worth it
u/ZeusTrail1
Long term it does.
u/trinomac448
You will be replaced by AI and it's already here. I've worked 20 years in the tech industry and got laid off 3 times for the last 2 years. People say go to trades but they're already buildi
u/Kangaroo_80
Here's the secret of life. Pick something and stick with it for long enough to do well. It will lead to something else that you find interesting. Then do that for long enough to do well with
u/csgraber
Yes
u/Better_North3957
You need to think about your own personality and ask yourself what kind of environment would allow you to be authentic. I wish I had done that because if I did, I would have chosen the blue c
u/hunglo0
School is worthless. I cheated my way out of that Hell hole and will never go back even if I have a full tuition paid 💀
u/desire2bmore
I’d go to school but build a art portfolio and learn new skills in whatever art you’re interested in. School can be good for a fall back. Don’t let the future scare you in to not pursuing wha
u/fanofbreasts
There’s virtue in education, but in terms of career outcomes, no, education is not worth it in the sense OP is asking. Definitionally, there are poor investments in education meaning the fina
u/Sweet_MolassesTM
Are you my doppelganger? This is quite literally my same scenario, the same age too. Only difference is I work part time. I will be lurking in this thread for advice too.
u/scwolves
For any medical type job yes. For everything else it’s all about networking and experience. If you get a degree you could intern then and build friendships. I am 42 now with no degree and con
u/tch2349987
If you want to be paid well, live well and have soft skills then you can go for IT sales positions called BDR. You don’t need a degree but a computer systems degree can help, If you believe y
u/No_Foundation7308
Trades. Elevator tech with Otis specifically
u/scwolves
For any medical type job yes. For everything else it’s all about networking and experience. If you get a degree you could intern then and build friendships. I am 42 now with no degree and con
u/Wigberht_Eadweard
100% do not do business admin. It's a nothing major.
I'd do community college as others have said.
You can take classes that will be more of a stem or business track, whatever you want to do
u/Just-Staff3596
Join the military and think about it for a few more years. Then when you get out you can get paid to go to school for free.
u/Faceornotface
Long story short - yes. Don’t listen to the doomers. You’ll make (on average) $1mm more in your lifetime with a degree.
But who fucking cares about that? College is also fun! And it’s the p
u/Kangaroo_80
Here's the secret of life. Pick something and stick with it for long enough to do well. It will lead to something else that you find interesting. Then do that for long enough to do well with
u/Educational_Emu3763
Exactly what my son (18) is doing, He is experiencing the world in real time as he is getting his education.
With no loans.
u/Faceornotface
Long story short - yes. Don’t listen to the doomers. You’ll make (on average) $1mm more per year with a degree.
But who fucking cares about that? College is also fun! And it’s the place you
u/The_Sign_of_Zeta
And, speaking frankly, almost any corporate job after a certain level (usually associate-level) will require a degree. And many times an advanced degree.
Most of my team has a Master’s and I
u/Fun-Confidence-6232
As someone in the arts, it’s a scary time. I’m in the ad business or i should say was. Lots of colleagues out of work right now. No one is hiring.
You can learn the arts outside of school a
u/Lagosas
First thing you have to accept is your going to fail, a lot. Its inevitable. Pick something your gonna enjoy, or have a passion for.
I did several things in my youth, trust me a career/life
u/AccountContent6734
Yes go for what major works for you nothing worth having will come easy
u/IWasBorn2DoGoBe
I think do both, go to community college and take some classes- they will go towards your general studies you would need anyway, and the whole point is to see what you like, what sparks inter
u/AfternoonLate4175
It can be. If you can do it with low or no debt, I'd go for it. I don't think it's worth trying to get into top tier colleges or anything unless most of it is paid for.
Take art, for example
u/Just-Staff3596
Join the military and think about it for a few more years. Then when you get out you can get paid to go to school for free.
u/omega_cringe69
If you do college you have to do something that guarantees a return on investment. Undergrsfiate Business degrees are very good once you have about 10 years of corporate experience. Before th
u/Conscious_Can3226
Information architecture or project management are solid fields AI can't touch right now, because both require you to understand and chase down people who don't want to do what they're suppos
u/magheetah
Eh, things like engineering, law, science, finance, all require degrees to get into the market. They can also be lucrative as well. Not just medical.
u/brainblown
No, it’s not worth any more than 10k per year
u/Blondefirebird
Yes, it’s a sad reality that you either learn a trade or two that you stick with for life or you get a degree
u/Ananeos
Unless there's a major mentality shift in hiring practices on the future, all the high paying white collar jobs require degrees. The other option is to do physical blue collar work and do tra
u/IWasBorn2DoGoBe
I think do both, go to community college and take some classes- they will go towards your general studies you would need anyway, and the whole point is to see what you like, what sparks inter
u/hungry_hippo_1997
Yes. Worth it if you are willing to learn.
u/desire2bmore
I’d go to school but build a art portfolio and learn new skills in whatever art you’re interested in. School can be good for a fall back. Don’t let the future scare you in to not pursuing wha
u/ThrowAway1330
Mhmm life is about stepping stones, you just need to set yourself up well enough that you can afford to always keep taking the next step. Never work yourself into a corner getting a MFA in me
u/infuriatedSFer
Yes but tbf you can’t even have fun anymore
- need to get freakishly high GPA on one of 5 employable majors
- need to spend all other time building self discipline (health, money habits, slee
u/Conscious-Quarter423
if you want to be a doctor, yes
u/Wigberht_Eadweard
100% do not do business admin. It's a nothing major.
I'd do community college as others have said.
You can take classes that will be more of a stem or business track, whatever you want to do
u/AfternoonLate4175
It can be. If you can do it with low or no debt, I'd go for it. I don't think it's worth trying to get into top tier colleges or anything unless most of it is paid for.
Take art, for example
u/eveningwindowed
Yep, most people still do well with guard rails so unless you truly have the entrepreneurial gene, just go to college. It’s better to not know what you’re doing in college than not know what