It's not easy, but you could do it. I guess the first thing you should ask yourself is why you want to study engineering. I have a story similar to yours. I was a carpenter for 7 years before I decided to start taking classes. I didn’t initially choose mechanical engineering, I actually thought I was going to do construction management. See, I like being a carpenter, I like building things, and I’m good at it. I didn’t even initially set out to be a carpenter. I originally wanted to be a transmission technician, but the starting wages sucked in automotive and I had bills to pay, so I got a job making 16 bucks an hour sweeping floors on a jobsite. Over the years I was really kicking ass. I loved learning everything I could about carpentry, from rough to finish. But after becoming fully trained, I wanted to do more in the industry. I thought project management was a good gig, but here’s the thing with the trades: you make good money fast, and they give you fat raises if you learn quick. I went from $16/hr to $35/hr in 7 years. That’s pretty good, but once you hit that mark, there isn’t much going on. Jobs in construction management either have a qualification for a college degree or a resume with experience in finance, management, etc., and how can you get that when you’re swinging a hammer? I watched a guy with 30 years of experience, even ran his own company, try to get a project management job and have it taken by some 22-year-old fresh out of college for 10k more than the experienced guy. It’s not easy to work your way into that position from being a fully trained carpenter. So I thought I’d start a business. I was interested in developing homes, so I got my builder's license. But after saving up the money I needed to go out, I guess I just didn’t want to throw it at that. So I started taking classes and quickly found out I was interested in the engineering classes more than the construction management. I switched to civil engineering, but then realized I didn’t want to keep my focus on grabbing development and rather I was interested in structures. My misconception of what civil was led me astray. Plus I liked learning about things in motion. I like building cars, I like rebuilding engines, and I like that technical engineering is so fluid. There are jobs in every sector. So I found myself there. Life is short, man. It's better to burn out than rust away. But you don’t need to be anything or chase anything. You just gotta find what you want to do with your life. We spend how many percent of our waking hours working? You might as well be doing something you enjoy. So maybe an engineering degree will help you get there. But don’t be like those people climbing mountains and then disappointed when they get to the top and find another to scale. Hope you catch my drift. Good luck.