Good careers

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okcBob

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A lot of the nurse practitioner schools (like NNP) are requiring a PHD now instead of a Masters. I never saw the point, going with a NP or PA is supposed to save money compared to an MD. If you make the requirements similar (excluding residency) there is no point, just get an MD/DO. Degree creep is a pet soap box of mine.
Technically, Its a DNP, not a PhD (from the schools I’m familiar with). It’s still a doctoral level education, but it’s a clinical degree. There are universities out there that still offer a Masters level NP program, but most have moved to the DNP.
 
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jbarnett

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My wife is an RN and I doubt she would recommend it to anyone. Nursing has a high burnout rate.

I started off and worked in automotive for about 10 years. ASE certified in engines and transmissions and worked on most everything else just didn't take the test. After fixing my boss computer I was the new IT guy and worked in IT for the next 20 years. About half contracting and half with Chesapeake Energy. After being laid off I bought an automotive shop and been running it for 2 years now. I did a full 360 back to where I started. Whether it was automotive or IT the best part of my career has been where I was self employed (even though several years I made less). If someone is looking at going into the trades I would say after you get some training and are good at your job be thinking about going out on your own. I feel blessed I am back being self employed with a good crew. My wife has cancer and we go to Houston frequently. I don't think I would have been able to take her if I was still working for a corporation.
 

Yeti695

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As some of you all said a trade is definitely the way to go. I took drafting at a technology center and have done that for all my adult life. Along with my wife we had been able to run a business from our house and are getting pretty successful at this point. I would recommend any computer/IT to anyone looking for a career. One more thing at this point. I would also look into anything STEM. I believe this will be the wave of the future for jobs. One more career which would require a college degree to make a good career would be anything accounting. Watched my wife (before she came to work with me at home) and my mother in-law make a really good living. It was a high stress for both of them, but paid really well.
 

wawazat

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I work in the oil & gas industry. My boy is a senior in high school and will be headed off to college next year.
As much as I have enjoyed my industry and what I do, I have discouraged my son from getting into it. There is just no love in this county any longer for what we do. Everyone wants/needs the products, but hate the producers and the industry in general. Not to mention this industry is all but gone in Tulsa. That all stated, there are still good jobs to be found in oil & gas. If anyone DOES pursue this industry, be prepared for a bumpy road - when the money’s good, put it in the bank, you never know what tomorrow will bring!
I am in the same boat. My wife used to be in the industry too, but it was starting to feel risky having all of our income tied to it. Luckily she got an amazing opportunity to do the parts of her O&G job she loved for a software company instead.

I have been in Midstream Measurement for over 10 years at this point and am now over the Measurement Dept for a midstream company based in Denver. I HATED math all through school and even dropped my engineering degree to get a degree in Employment Law (dumb) because I was tired of doing math. Now that I have found a career path I really enjoy, I have had to self teach myself math a few steps past where I gave up in college. All in all, it worked out like it was supposed to, but I also steer people away from O&G at this point. I have also started looking at other options to apply my experience and add another degree or trade certifications to branch into something else. There is a good chance I can retire doing what I do, but there is also a good chance the demand and opportunities will tank in 5 years too.
 

HFS

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For a career in this day and time:
unless you are self-employed, keep your resume up to date.
Because many employers today will "right size," re-organize, dis-organize, consolidate, solid state, analog, digital and every other word that means "lay your a$$ off."
I believe "long range planning" for a lot of managers means next quarter.
Always give yourself options.
 

TerryMiller

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There are two major theories on picking a career:
1) Choose something that you love doing and you'll never have to "go to work".
2) Choose something that you can do that will earn a good living and lead to a retirement pension.

I also loved photography,,,
I was an avid amateur for 8-years of military.

When I got out of the military I had no idea what to do,,,
Should I pursue my dream of being a professional photographer?
Or should I use the technical training I go in the USAF and become that Engineer/Technician.

The third option was to choose a career that would make me a good living,,,
But might be one of those white collar jobs that bore one to suicide.

Here's what I found out:

I did go to a good community college and obtained an AS degree in Commercial Photography,,,
I found out that nothing sucks the joy out of an enjoyable hobby quicker,,,
Than trying to make a living doing it.

I did this for 13 years and it ruined my love of the art.


Aarond

.

I can't remember the number of times family and friends have stated that I should have made photography my career. I always declined, mostly because I didn't always live where it could benefit me, and I also wanted to keep the "love" of taking photos.

More than once I've stated that the last thing I wanted to do was wedding photography. I can't think of anything worse than trying to please a bride, her mother, and her new mother-in-law. (But, in honesty, I have done two. One for our son and his wife that was in our front yard on 5 acres and the other for a cousin and his wife of 50 years that wanted to renew their vows.)
 

Snattlerake

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Born and raised on farm in Oklahoma. College degree in Law Enforcement. Twenty years wearing badges in Oklahoma and Kansas, running patrols, and investigations. National Guard and reserve Fist Lt. MP School, never in an MP unit. Medical service unit, and Mechanized Infantry.

Retired from that and became a low voltage technician. Moved back to Oklahoma for Siemens and was the only service technician for the state for four years. I was called by the vice president of a fortune 100 company to go to a service call in North Carolina one night. My "flight" was waiting on me at the airport. I got to N.C., fixed the problem with the spare parts I brought with me and was done so fast the sent me to two more calls and was back the next day. My boss called me and asked if I wanted to be their troubleshooter so between the daily service calls I was on a plane once or twice a week fixing stuff.

I got really tired of that and moved back to the farm working for the local electrical co-op as the security manager on a handshake agreement for certain monies that I accomplished but was never compensated for. Well, $4.00 gas with three family members driving to OKC every day and I was done. Moved back to OKC as a project manager for a low voltage company. Quit that and started as an ATM technician but I was always in Arkansas. After 20 years and between all my accumulated injuries surgeries, heart bypass and pain management, I'm DONE!
 

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