When you have your sights set on a career from a young age, the usual course of action is to go to college, get a degree and then head on to university. Once you’re done with university, you can start looking for a job and if you’re lucky, you can get a salary and start paying back all of your student debt. It’s not a fun prospect, but it’s perhaps the most common way to get started with a career. However, there are alternate solutions and you don’t need to drown yourself in debt to reach it.
Going the freelance route
If you have the skills to pay the bills, then why not consider a career in freelancing? Not only does it offer you freedom and a lot of flexibility, but it’s also a career that doesn’t require you to have lots of official certifications and college or university degrees to get started. In fact, most people who look for freelancers are only interested in their portfolio and not their qualifications.
If you can prove that you have the necessary skills to fill the client’s needs, then they won’t ask you for your university qualifications or experience. Starting off as a freelancer can be daunting and you’ll need to put in a serious amount of time and money investment to get started, but once you’ve broken into the industry, it’s easy to stay in.
Studying online instead of a traditional school
The internet has opened up a lot of opportunities to us, offering us ways to study and learn online without needing to attend a physical school. Sites like Find Your Context can give you a good start and help you find your way around all the different courses that you can take online. If you have an idea of what career you want, then they even have degree guides that will outline a simple path for you to take in order to achieve your goals.
In addition, there are hundreds of online communities that specialize in things such as online learning, support groups for people who are struggling with their studies, and even groups dedicated to helping you find your calling in life. It goes without saying that the internet has empowered learning, and you only need to browse a couple of online communities to discover the options there are.
Apprenticeships and Internships
Growing a career doesn’t mean you have to have lots of experience and qualifications before joining a company. In fact, there are many internship and apprenticeship programs available for people to join. It offers companies a cheap and easy way to hire new staff, and it offers you a chance to remain at the company and turn it into a full-blown career.
Apprenticeships don’t have to be based in the office either. They can be in workshops working with carpenters, on the road with truck drivers or electricians, and even based in music or art studios where you can learn how to turn your creative passions into money.
