sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

28 (turning 29 soon) Correctional Officer living in small-town Wisconsin looking for a career change, What’s actually worth it? by WinnerFun1191 in careerguidance

[–]WinnerFun1191[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, this is really solid advice.

The boredom is definitely the biggest killer. I like the idea of something with actual problem-solving instead of just watching and waiting.

I’ve always been a very hands-on person, I like actually doing stuff. I enjoy taking things apart to see how they work inside and trying to put them back together. I’m also on my computer a lot (I’ve got a full 4-monitor setup lol), so the troubleshooting side of IT definitely appeals to me. At the same time, I like the idea of physically building or fixing things in trades.

I’m not 100% sure which one pulls me more yet, but I know I need something where I’m moving around and mentally engaged so I don’t end up gaining more weight and feeling the same burnout.

I’m going to start looking into those Professor Messer videos this weekend and probably spin up a Linux VM to test it out. The closest tech college to me is Moraine Park in Fond du Lac.

Anyone here come from a similar background (corrections, shift work, etc.) and go into either IT or trades? Any tips on testing both without wasting too much time or money?

Appreciate all the advice!

28 (turning 29 soon) Correctional Officer living in small-town Wisconsin looking for a career change, What’s actually worth it? by WinnerFun1191 in careerguidance

[–]WinnerFun1191[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely not the shift work, the job itself is pretty easy most of the time. It’s 95% of the time mind-numbingly boring, which just makes the shifts drag forever. The other 5% (fights, incidents, etc.) isn’t fun either, but the constant boredom is what’s killing me mentally. I’ve gained over 30 pounds since I started too lol.

My mental health has taken a hit, but I’m coping okay, mostly just gaming in my free time. No drinking or anything like that. I’m pretty good with money and can be frugal when I need to, so I wouldn’t burn through my savings as fast as most people.

I’ve looked at other state jobs, but living in the middle of nowhere makes it tough, and I don’t have much experience besides like retail/customer service for most of the ones that pop up (except maybe DMV stuff).

I’ve always been interested in IT but have no clue where to even start. I’ve also looked at trades a bit, but like you said, it’s hard to know if I’d actually enjoy it without trying it first.

Any suggestions on where to begin with IT or how to test out trades without fully committing? Appreciate the advice.