Associate degree career

All through high school in his hometown of Huxley, Iowa, A. J. Sabers played drums in bands dedicated to the music of Metallica and Pantera. He also learned to play guitar, and soon he expanded his musical tastes to include jazz and blues. When it came time to choose a career, Sabers knew one thing for sure: It would definitely involve music. He also knew that he didn't want to spend four years in college. "I was getting A's and B's in high school, but I wasn't taking any college-prep courses," he says.

After graduation from Ballard High School, it seemed only natural that Sabers would head up to Red Wing Community College in Red Wing, Minnesota, where he enrolled in the school's one-year certificate program in guitar-building and repair. The cost of the program, including fees, is about $5,000--far less than a year of college. And Sabers, 19, expects his investment to pay off quickly. Experienced guitar craftsmen can earn about $60 an hour, according to Dave Vincent, program director at Red Wing. Sabers also hopes to make connections that will land him jobs playing drums for recording sessions and live performances.

Like many other young people, Sabers discovered that a college degree isn't the only path to a satisfying, high-paying job. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 20 percent of all jobs require a bachelor's degree, but 60 percent require some kind of post-high-school training.

"The key is finding what you really love to do," says Iris Rosoff, editorial director of the Cool Careers Without College book series (Rosen, 2002). "Just because you don't go to college doesn't mean that you have to get a job flipping burgers or working at the mall. You just have to find out what your interests are and then learn about all the opportunities that are open to you." Here are some paths that lead to those opportunities quickly--and inexpensively.

1. APPRENTICESHIPS

Henry Long was the kid who was always fixing things, so after graduating from high school in Yorktown, New York, he set his sights on a career in mechanical engineering and enrolled at Clarkson University in Potsdam. But after a year and a half, he found himself back home again. "I had a hard time sitting in the classroom," Long, 28, recalls. "I really like to get out and work with my hands."

Long got a job with a roofing contractor, making great money but quickly realizing that there was no room for advancement. "It was backbreaking work," he recalls. "My dad said to me, 'You don't see any old roofers, do you?' That's when I started thinking seriously about learning a trade. I wanted a chance to work with my hands, but also to use my head."

In 1996, Long entered the apprenticeship program run by the National Electrical Contractors Association and the electricians' union in Westchester County, New York. The program prepares young people for challenging--and high-paying--jobs in the electrical construction industry. Although the program lasts for five and a half years, participants--called apprentices--go out on the job after only a few weeks of classroom training, putting the theory they learn in the classroom into practice as they help install the power for homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals.

Long worked a 35-hour week out in the field while attending trade school two evenings a week. Classes were taught by experienced journeyman electricians--those who have already been through an apprenticeship and have extensive field experience. This year, nearly 50,000 young people enrolled in electrical construction apprenticeships nationwide, and apprenticeships are run by other trade unions as well, including those representing plumbers, sheet metal workers, and carpenters.

Long completed his apprenticeship in the spring of 2001. Now, as a journeyman electrician, he earns $32.75 an hour, and can expect his paychecks to get bigger as he progresses to the rank of foreman, general foreman, and superintendent. He also receives a full range of benefits, including paid vacation and health, dental, and vision insurance.

Sometimes the job is tough, Long admits. Working mostly on commercial and industrial projects such as hospitals and schools, he is often outdoors in all kinds of weather. But in spite of the drawbacks, he loves his work: "There's an art to being an electrician--bending pipe in a way that it looks nice to the eye but is also functional. It's a great blend, of working with your hands and using your brain."

2. COMMUNITY College

In June 1999, Sarah Snell graduated from Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Wyoming, with a perfect 4.0 average. She had her heart set on a nursing career, but didn't have the luxury of spending four years preparing for it. The mother of a six-month-old baby boy, Snell, needed to get our into the workforce quickly, and find a good job to support herself and her son. So she enrolled in the registered nurse (RN) program at Sheridan Community College. The program combines rigorous coursework in subjects like anatomy, psychology, and math with clinical training at local hospitals and nursing homes.

In June 2001, Snell received an associate's degree and passed her state board exam to become an RN. Now she works for a local ear, nose, and throat doctor, assisting with minor surgeries and educating patients about their conditions. "A good nurse can make a huge difference in a patient's life," Snell, 22, says.

Community college put Snell on the fast track to a nursing career at a time when health-care professionals are in high demand. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than one million new nurses will be needed by 'the year 2010, and the American Association of Nurses reports that nurses earn an average annual salary of more than $46,000 per year.

But community colleges offer much more than just training in fields like nursing. They offer everything from a one-year certificate program in auto collision repair to a two-year associate degree in fashion design. They're affordable, too. The average cost of a year of community college is just $1,500. And that's money well spent. Since community colleges are tuned into the needs of local industries, chances are you'll graduate prepared for a job that's in demand where you live. At Austin Community College in Texas, for example, students graduating from the one-year semiconductor technology certificate program find jobs in Austin's computer industry at yearly starting salaries of up to $40,000.

Community colleges are also accessible-- there's one within a short drive of 90 percent of everyone in the U.S. And if you decide to further your education, most of your coursework will transfer toward a bachelor's degree. "High school students who say, 'A college education is out of my reach' are wrong," says Tom Applegate, president of the American Council on Technical Education. "Community college offers tremendous opportunities."

3. MILITARY Service

After graduating from South Plantation High School in Miami, Florida, Matthew Scala originally planned to develop his computer smarts. But college seemed too expensive to consider without a little help from his favorite uncle--Uncle Sam.

So Scala, who had served in the Junior ROTC and whose father was a military veteran, decided that the Air Force might be the answer. After getting through the rigors of basic training, he was sent to tech school at Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi, Mississippi, for training as a computer systems operations specialist. Now stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Washington, Scala works a nine-to-five job at the base communication center, doing everything from processing incoming classified messages, to working the help desk, to setting up computer networking systems. "I'm doing the same kind of work I'd be doing in a corporate setting," Scala, 18, explains, "and I'm getting great experience." Scala receives a monthly salary of about $1,300, plus free housing and meals, complete healthcare coverage, a 30-day vacation, and free standby air travel to anywhere in the world.

Scala is glad to be putting his computer skills to work, but he's also looking forward to furthering his education later. Through the Community College of the Air Force, he can earn his associate's degree for free at classes on any base where he's stationed, and through the Tuition Assistance Program, he can be reimbursed for 100 percent of tuition at any other college during his military service. And when his four-year commitment is up, he can receive up to $30,000 in education assistance through the Montgomery GI Bill.

No matter what your interests are, chances are Uncle Sam will pay you to prepare for a career. "There are 37,000 job openings in 100 career fields this year in the Air Force alone," says Jerry Thomas, a spokesperson for Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. "We need computer operators, jet engine mechanics, medical technicians, and we hire every day."

4. WORK