To all the folks in this thread that are concerned about the economy, I can tell you as a hiring manager at a Fortune 200 company, that there are fields still crying for people. I can't get enough people with computer skills, especially UNIX.
Those that I can find (even new college grads) are starting at upwards of $45K. If they have 4-5 years experience, it's a lot higher still. It's almost as hot for NT skills (real vs. paper). And BTW, college degrees are not necessary for these jobs. They help, but the real requirement is the technical knowledge or the ability to gain it.
I've pretty much been where you guys are now, except it was 1980. I'd been out of the service for a few years, newly married, and lost my job with the L.A. School District where I was a limited-credential Drivers Ed teacher. I'd gotten sick and when I was ready to go back to work, the eye standards had changed and my vision didn't meet the new standards. (Interesting side note is that I had a perfect safety record going back 4 years. The sharp-eyed instructor who replaced me allowed one of his students to sideswipe a parked car his first week on the job).
Anyway, I went to technical school for six months to get a certificate in electronics and that got me started. I've never had to worry about a job since (although the higher I go in management, the less secure it feels).
You are right for this type of career if you have all or most of the following attributes:
1.) A strong work ethic and don't mind working nights and weekends when the situation calls for it;
2.) Good problem-solving skills, meaning the ability to think through a problem and break it down into logical chunks, then attack those with the highest probability of success. (You do this with your Mustangs every day)
3.) A willingness to ask for help from others with more knowledge and/or experience (isn't that why you come to the VMF?)
4.) The ability to articulate a problem clearly and concisely to someone with far less technical knowledge than yourself.
5.) A willingness to keep learning new and better technology (in my world, technical skills have a maximum 5-year useful life; if I haven't kept up, I'm obsolete in 5 years).
The world is changing, but the demand for information and the people who can build and support the systems that generate it is huge and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. If you need to change direction, this is an opportunity you can seize now.
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