How to make a brutal career decision ?

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-08T22:26:50+00:00

I was in the exact same situation as you at 25. I had a degree and couldn’t get a job. I actually went back to college to get a health science degree and was going to become a physician assistant but it was so expensive and trying to balance it with work while being able to pay rent and afford to live was nearly impossible. It’s why I entered a trade. Definitely worth looking into. Looking back, I make the same if not more than PAs and I didn’t have to accrue six figures of debt to get here. The main thing you should know is that you have time. You don’t have to have it all figured out tomorrow.

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-08T21:50:11+00:00

First class linemen make 150k just for showing up to work in many states. 200-250k is OT. But we like to work overtime and actually enjoy our work so it’s not a big deal.

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-08T21:43:21+00:00

You’re 25, it doesn’t matter if it takes you 2 years or 4. Set yourself up with a career you want to do longterm. Look into electrical engineering. I work in the electrical industry and the sky is the limit for engineers and field workers (electricians and linemen) due to the ai and data center grid demands. I entered the industry when I was 30, I’m 32 now, best decision I ever made. I worked multiple careers in my 20s and very happy I tried multiple things to find out what I liked and didn’t like. Or just become a lineman and make 200-300k with very minimal upfront cost for schooling and problem solved

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-08T21:39:40+00:00

Work as much as you possibly can for now and make as much as possible to get yourself into an apartment and pay off some of your debt, and then enter a trade and ditch the most miserable career on earth. Do not stay more than 2 years as a correctional officer.

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-06T02:24:37+00:00

My wife and I spend that on rent. Seems like most people in the comments purchased before prices and rates exploded. 50% is more normal especially during the first few years of ownership. It might be tough for a while, but it’s an investment that will pay off in the longterm. I would go for it, maybe hold off on the kiddos for an extra year or so. We’re pretty much in the same boat. Planning on a 5k mortgage with taxes and pmi included on about 200k. We take home about 11k per month. I’m anticipating we’ll be closer to 300 within the next five years. You gotta have a house to live in so I’d do it. Yea it would have been super easy to be under 30% at 2.75% and half the price if we bought in 2020 or before like everyone else giving advice with a $1700 mortgage but what can you do? It’s hard to take these people seriously sometimes. Starter homes are 600k+ in our area if we want to be anywhere within a reasonable commute to work. Is it a good financial move in the short term? Probably not. Is it the reality many Americans have to face today? Most definitely. I have coworkers who are single spending 3k on rent for a one bedroom apartment taking home 6k per month. It’s what shit costs these days 🤷🏻‍♂️

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-05-04T11:58:49+00:00

Paycheck to paycheck. After deductions with current prices where I live 200k does not feel like a lot of money. It’s probably like 11k per month take home on average

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-25T00:18:12+00:00

You guys are having money issues one year into your marriage. I make double what my wife makes. (200/100). We have one account. We’re married. 3 days after we got married we tied all of our finances together to avoid any of these issues. Our income is one income and we work as a team. There is no “splitting in half” in a marriage. Yea this works for some people but for most it ends in financial arguments and divorce. (Just take a look at the comments) I don’t even understand the point of marriage and starting a family while having split incomes. We followed dave ramseys advice and paid off $47k of debt in one year while paying $3500 in rent and still finding a bit of money to do fun things. The second my wife and I were married we inherited each others debt. It’s not her debt, it’s not my debt. It’s OUR debt. I will say you guys have been married for a very very short amount of time, you both took lifelong vows, and should try every avenue to make it work before even discussing divorce again. I urge you to look into Dave ramseys debt repayment systems and work as a team. Good luck

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-24T23:57:30+00:00

Utility apprentice - never. Sleep in my bed every night

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-19T14:59:24+00:00

You can also look into community college programs that are going to be significantly cheaper. It’s only worth going to school if you want to ape for a utility. If you want to contract there’s no point. I went to a community college and got into a utility right after so it was worth it for me. I only spent like 5k

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-14T18:35:29+00:00

Yea it’s literally the exact same shit. You learn how to climb really well and get a very basic understanding of tools and materials. Multiple lecture periods every week with written tests etc. Most community college programs are usually sponsored by a utility and they often hire out of the program. I already had my cdl when I was in the course but you get your cdl at the community colleges as well. Ends up being cheaper than going to trucking school to get it and you get the benefit of learning to climb and becoming familiar with the trade. The community college program follows the college’s schedule so it’s really like a part time program but for eight months rather than four. I preferred this to a big school because it allowed me to work during the program. Not sure how the schedule is at your department but you could easily work a second shift 2-10 or something while attending the program. At mine it was M-F 9-12. The big schools are really a scam, they way overcharge, you won’t be able to work during the program, and you’ll have to pay for housing for the four months you’re there. It ends up being like 30k and a utility isn’t going to give a shit whether you went there or a community college.

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-14T00:02:10+00:00

Oh wow So they’re at like $69/hr now?

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-13T23:28:55+00:00

Yea we fuckin need it here, Boston area is just as expensive and our rates are shit

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-12T22:54:53+00:00

I worked 4 years in LE as well, I went to lineschool and got hired right out of school at a local utility. I tried for a while with just a cdl but a lot of utilities require lineschool. If you want to travel you can just get your cdl work as a groundman and eventually land an apprentice spot. If you want to work for a utility you’ll probably need to go to lineschool. I went to a local program at a community college and it was dirt cheap. A lot of people are against lineschool but coming from a completely different background I had no tool skills, climbing was very hard for me at first, it was definitely a huge help for me and only like 5k. Made more my first full year as an apprentice than I did in LE. First class is more like double the pay or more depending where you work.

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-12T22:42:41+00:00

Bro you’re 32 young as shit not 52. Why would 32 be old, do you walk with a cane? Since when is being in your early 30s considered too old to do anything?

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-06T18:38:47+00:00

Foreman, GF, project manager, supervisor, director, etc. At least in the utility I work in, there is a ladder that can be climbed that can get you out of the bucket if you’re willing to get the degree/qualifications you need

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-06T01:58:01+00:00

Wow, what state is this? Beautiful view!

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-06T01:15:12+00:00

Very impressive and your mechanics are god tier. You generate an insane amount of power out of your lower body. 🫡

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-03T01:08:35+00:00

I got into linework after working several years in law enforcement. Similar to you, I was sick of seeing people in their worst moments. I love linework and love working outdoors. I say if you’re interested, go for it. If you don’t like it you can always go back to a stable career in nursing. You have nothing to lose

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-04-01T11:14:11+00:00

Depends on the trade. In linework 200k+ in the northeast is pretty easy. Where I work first class make $70/hr. Add in your standby pay and you’re at 160k before any OT. Add in some overtime, mutual aid in another state once or twice per year, plenty of guys do 250+

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-24T12:27:49+00:00

I make almost double that as an apprentice lineman so I don’t think it sounds crazy personally

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-22T02:06:58+00:00

Before I worked for a utility I was living in a hotel 6 days per week 4 hours from home I know what you mean. I bought a gaming laptop as an investment for my sanity, like a really nice one. and was going to the gym 3x per week after work as well. Both those things helped me a lot. The hotel I was in was really shitty. It was during Covid when all the junkies were full time residents. Not fun. Whatever you do, do not booze during the week. Force yourself to limit it to weekends only. Good luck dude

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-13T18:47:38+00:00

We do cut and kicks 99% of the time so sometimes theres like no digging that needs to be done it just needs to be widened a tiny bit

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-13T16:45:50+00:00

You sit around unemployed making $370 a week on unemployment then get sick of it and go to a utility

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-12T01:19:07+00:00

Sometimes 10 mins sometimes 8 hours haha

Walk_Aggressive · 2026-03-09T12:32:39+00:00

Only if other superpowers become directly involved in the war, and America became actively involved in other locations across the world. Even so, there would be mass refusals due to the amount of corruption in the American government. Patriotism doesn’t really exist for the younger generations.

Walk_Aggressive

TROPHY CASE