I’m not the best example, since I’m not a college grad.
I worked in engineering, started on the drafting table, spent time overseas, taught myself to program, and worked myself into a more-or-less senior position.
The neat thing about it is that in my world, there were no arbitrary ceilings.
I did what I did with very little formal education, but I saw others with miscellaneous degrees do the same. Obviously if you don’t have an engineering degree you have a harder row to hoe, but I saw plenty of people do what I did. The key is that if you are willing to go get mud on your boots, you can make a pretty good living and learn as you go. And over time, again and again, you find that you are the go-to-guy people are looking for.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I said it would take you a decade to learn your craft. I began to emerge from the pack at around a decade, when I started taking assignments others didn’t want. I had ups and downs, but I had an interesting ride.
I admire your background, your story is typical of what made America unique and great. I only wish that model still applied. I suspect if one works for a small businessman with vision, it still could. However, anyone who works in Corporate America today unfortunately faces a vastly different environment. They word “Loyalty” is no longer spoken, either by workers or management. Workers spend their days proving their commitment to “diversity” and celebrating deviant sexual lifestyles. Everyone is an instantly disposable commodity. When our islamo-communist-fascist leaders finally achieve their dream of total global domination, this model will be officially extinct, as there will no longer be small businessmen, ambition, pride, work ethics. Only silent compliance, if one knows whats good for them.
Cheer you up yet?