No Degree? No problem 

     Welcome to Jimmy's Career Counseling Center (CCC). 

     You don't need to spend $$$ in college and more $$$ paying off your loans. Become an electrician and make $61,590 per year. Or, for almost as much, you can be a plumber or pipe fitter. 

     The U.S. government, Dept. of Labor, has proposed 779 pages of new rules regarding apprenticeships. Not that apprenticeship needs new rules, but you might join the DOL and get one of these gigs. Salary?

     Jobs in machinery maintenance pay about $61,170. Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn about $57,300. Still looking for better pay? Aircraft equipment mechanics and technicians earn $75,400. Electrical power-line installers and repairers earn $85,420.  

     Still not satisfied? Elevator and escalator installers and repairers earn $102,420. Those jobs have an upside and downside, all day. 

     When your blogger finished college and military service, at age 25 he began his career, earning, oh, about $6,000. Yep. Long time ago.

     White-collar career? Dental hygienist, $87,530; diagnostic medical sonographer, $80,850; court reporter, $63,940; paralegal, $60.970; and sales agent (advertising, insurance, real estate), $56,620-$61,270. 

     More? We need more air traffic controllers: $137,380. Now, top of our list...U.S. congress members...$174,000. No college requirement. We hear the hours are short, and there is no definition of success.

          Jimmy