Don't go back to school for a degree that offers little no guarantee of employment, no matter what field of study. 

 

You need actual training for a skill that will immediately give you employment that pays the bills.  The problem is always the time and cost of getting that training.
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If you really are stuck in life and need to get out of your financial predicament, then consider these career options that offer paid training, benefits, and sometimes even relocation assistance.

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Given how long I've lived in California, much of my experience looking for work was heavily in that State.  Many of these suggestions are not only for California, but they apply to every other state.  For instance, while there is Highway Patrol in California, there's Highway Patrol in every other State of the Union.

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With any suggestion, do your research, do some soul searching, and ask yourself if any of these roles are appealing to you.

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You need to find employment that will pay you for training, pay you enough, and give you job stability.

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My 5 categories of recommended employment are the following: Law Enforcement, Fire & Rescue, Trades, Trucking, and Military.

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Law Enforcement

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Most Law Enforcement agencies will pay for your training and the jobs all pay a decent wage no matter what your role and agency you work for.

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Police Officer

 

Policing truly is a thankless job with much tension and division.  There's a reason why many Officers are leaving the Force every year.  However, Policing still offers an incredible opportunity for your career growth once you get a few years under your belt.  Different police stations can sponsor you financially through the 6 month police academy to get licensed.  If you are licensed in one state, you can pretty easily transfer to a different department in another state.  We need all of the best people we can get in the Police Force, and the pay is pretty good depending on location.

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During Police Academy, you will be required to be pepper sprayed and ultimately tazered by your sponsoring department.

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One consideration against pursuing this field is the physical fitness testing: Many departments require scaling 6 foot walls, carrying 100+ pound dummies across rooms, and running 1.5 miles in under 15 minutes.  The 6 foot wall scaling alone will hold back many from progressing forward in the application process.

 

University Police Officer

 

If the prospect of Policing for a City District isn't appealing due to safety concerns, then working at a College campus can be your introduction to this line of work without the risks that normal Policing would offer.

 

These University Police Departments can also pay your way through the Academy to become an Officer.

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The pay generally won't be as much compared to working at a local Police Station, but it will still be enough to pay your bills and keep a roof over your head.  The experience alone will afford you career options that will pay more as well.

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Dispatch​

 

The pay to work as a 911/emergency operator is excellent, ranging anywhere from $60-$80k starting out, but the role is much more challenging than it appears.  This job is not for the faint of heart, and requires being extra calm at a critical point where people are anything but relaxed.  This is a job that will have you working overnight hours as well, so take that into consideration. 

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During the application process, you'll have to pass the Criti-Call emergency call simulation test that typically is less than an 1 hour in length.  Police Departments, Fire Stations, and the California Highway Patrol all have their own Dispatch communications departments.  

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The California Highway Patrol Dispatch position is a state job offering state benefits, but you would have to move to Sacramento.

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The CHP career page: Here

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FBI

 

The FBI pays Special Agents $80k starting with federal benefits, so the compensation from the start is solid.  Training is in the Washington D.C. area for 7 months, and then they will ship you to whatever location according to business need.  You will be in a rotation to be on call during certain weekends, so you will ultimately work over 50 hours a week and your work life balance will suffer a bit.

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FBI Career Website: Here

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​DEA

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The Drug Enforcement Agency has offices throughout the country.  Job postings for the "Special Agent" role occur on the first Monday of every quarter.  The position is up for about a week, or whenever the role hits 1500 applicants.

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There's the same long process to apply for the role, including a physical agility test, background check, medical exam, a memory and reading comprehension type of exam, formal interview, and thorough background check.

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The training is also in the D.C. region, but is only around 16 weeks for the DEA Special Agent role, versus the 6+ months for the role of Special Agent with the FBI.

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During the application process, the Agency will give you the choice of one of 3 regions that has openings, meaning you will likely not work in the area or region you want to live in.​

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Keep in mind that like the FBI, you will be on a rotation equipped with a cell phone to answer any type of work calls that come in, which will definitely impact your work life balance.

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DEA Career Website: Here

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US Department of State

 

Diplomatic Security Service Special Agents are federal law enforcement officers that work abroad.

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These roles will require you to serve overseas, so that can have its own advantages and disadvantages.  Your work may involve investigating passport and visa fraud as an example.

 

For the application process, an exam is required among all of the various steps that the Federal Government requires.  The physical agility test is pretty simple, with just a 1.5 mile run required in addition to timed pushups and sit-ups for 2 minutes.

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Steps to become a DSS Special Agent: Here

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Border Patrol

 

The first point of consideration: You may get sent to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, or even up near Canada.

 

They will pay for your training, but they can send you anywhere along the border walls including Arizona, Texas, California, or near Canada.

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Apparently, the pay is not the greatest, hovering around $65,000, but the benefits should make up for that.  Policing absolutely pays more and doesn't require mandatory relocation outside the department you applied for.

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Border Patrol Career Website: Here

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TSA

 

​A very demanding role where you have to play the, "Bad Guy."  You will not get the respect from passengers or upper management.  The hours will be awful and not conducive to work/life balance, and the pay will only hover around $60k starting out depending upon location.​​​

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With that said, it is a federal job with federal benefits.

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For those that thrive on more chaotic, busy, and stressful environments, this is right up your alley.

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TSA Career Website: Here

 

Highway Patrol

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The California Highway Patrol will only hire candidates until they are the age of 35.  They will train you in their facility in Sacramento for 6 months, where they will not only house you for free, but pay you during training.  Those 6 months of training can allow you to stash up some cash or pay off some debts while you work towards completing your training, that is a win-win.  Depending upon how well you do in the academy, you will be ranked among your cohort.  At the end of training, you will have the option to choose various openings around the state.  Depending upon your ranking during training, you may get priority over job placement over other recruits.  Note: You may not get your 1st pick of the opportunities you'd like.  This means you may not be able to initially work in your preferred county.  However, after 1 year in the force, you have to option to transfer to another opening in the state.

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You will be required to be pepper sprayed and tazed during the academy.

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The pay is exceptional at over $100k starting out plus all of the state benefits.  

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This is definitely a solid option if you are willing to live 6 months with a roommate at their facility in Sacramento, and you are willing to live anywhere in the state of California starting out.

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California Highway Patrol Career Website: Here

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Probation Officer

 

Many cities and counties offer Probation for minors, offering a unique opportunity to make an impact for a younger generation that has little hope.

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Think of Probation as Social Work meets Rehabilitation meets Security.  Many of the minors on Probation were determined not a fit to go to an adult prison, so you are the Probation Officer tasked to manage these individuals and make sure they rehabilitate back into society.

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These roles will typically not have the demanding physical requirements that policing, fire/rescue, or Corrections would have.

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The pay will be lower in Probation compared to Parole, Policing, and Corrections, hovering around $60k+ depending on where in the country you apply to.

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With that said, being a Probation Officer can be a rewarding career that doesn't carry the same risks and dangers that Policing and Corrections would.

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Department of Corrections (Parole and Prison Guards)

 

Prison Guards in California get paid almost $100k and have have as much overtime as they'd like, meaning one can effectively make over $200k in their first year if they work every day.  This could be one of the fastest ways to make over $100k without having to invest in a college education or other specialized training programs.  With that said, there's a reason why the job pays so much: You are working in the outskirts of town dealing with criminals for your entire shift.  Risk & Reward is the principle here.

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Both the Corrections Officer (Prison Guard) and Parole Officer positions in California will require you to attend the 13 week Corrections Academy near Sacramento.  They will pay you and even house you for free for those 13 weeks, so there's little invest needed other than travel costs to get your training.​

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Parole Officers oversee a list of assigned individuals that have left prison and are serving parole.

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To be eligible to Parole, one typically needs to have casework experience as a Probation Officer or Social Worker.  Prison guards typically require no specific law enforcement experience.  Many California prisons have premium pay, unlimited overtime, and expedited hiring process for various sites due to extreme demand for guards.

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California Department of Corrections Career Page: Here

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Park Ranger

 

​In California, the Ranger Academy is 7 months long and is located near Eureka, California.  The training is paid.  The hiring process does require a Survival Swim test, so that may be another hurtle to consider.

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The position of Ranger is a law enforcement position where you will be a licensed officer, meaning the role will always involve a firearm in some capacity.  You cannot succeed in the academy and in the role if you shy away from firearms.

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Here is the link for the Ranger Application process: Here

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Fire & Rescue

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Firefighter

 

The fires in California in January 2025 have absolutely shown just how critical our Firefighters are.  Make no mistake: This is a very physically and mentally demanding role, but it's also a rewarding career.​​​  The physicality of the role and the physical fitness requirements during the application process may also be a limiting factor for many applicants.

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The pay will not be as good as Policing, or even Border Patrol, but you do get paid training during Fire Academy, the benefits are solid, and you can qualify for the City pension plan.

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Ocean Lifeguard

 

It's pretty obvious that you're going to need excellent swimming technique and endurance to even pass the testing requirements to even qualify for the role.  You will have to compete with many applicants for any Beach Lifeguard position.  Many roles may only be temporary, seasonal, and part time depending upon location.  

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There is definite career growth if you have the skills, but getting in may be challenging.

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This is absolutely worth pursuing if you are fit, love swimming, and are good at it.  The pay will not be as good as any of the other roles on this page, but the career growth opportunities make up for it.  The pay for the California State Parks Lifeguard is between $21.29-$23.50, so it's only a few dollars more than minimum wage.  Regardless, this role can absolutely be a great stepping stone to a career in helping others.

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California Ocean Lifeguard Career Page: Here

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Trades

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Many unions offer paid apprenticeship programs for various trades like Sheet Metal, Carpentry, Sound Technician, Electricians, and the like.  ​

Given that apprenticeships are paid, they are also extremely competitive to get.

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I would not recommend pursuing a trade unless you can simultaneously learn and make money via an Apprenticeship. 

 

If you are willing to endure the risks of the physical work and you can see yourself commit to building this skill for 3+ years, then absolutely pursue a trade.  This will be a far better investment of your time given that you will get a valuable skill, not get student loan debt, and earn a solid wage while you're building a skill that will actually get you a job.

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Trucking

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There are Trucking Companies that will pay for your schooling to be a Truck Driver, but many of them require you work for them for a specified length of time, which honestly sounds like a trap to coerce you into their scheme.

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Pursue OTR Trucking if you're single and have the knack for this line of work, but maybe just pay your way through to give you the options for a better employer.

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Military

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If nothing else is working out for you on this list, you've got a bachelor's degree, and you're not tied down to any geographic location, then consider joining the military. 

 

If you're getting older, only the Air Force and Navy accept candidates up to the age of 38.  The Army and the National Guard only accept candidates up to age 35.  The Marine Corps only until 28.

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You'll have to get through Basic Training for 9 weeks, but after that you are golden. 

 

If you have a Bachelor's degree, you can immediately become an Officer giving you greater pay, responsibility, and a better overall starting experience.

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Go into any branch of the military having a plan.  Research each and every career tract for the branch you're entering.  Know exactly what every tract does and choose what you think would be the best fit for you.

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