my family insisted on us kids learning a trade before getting a university degree.
Thus
#1 I’m a journey man shipwright, I worked as a professional boat builder at a yacht manufacturing company before going in the military.
#2 Electronics technician, USAF educated. I worked as an Electronics tech at two different aerospace corporations.
#3 earned a degree, BS Computer Science and became a software engineer at one of those corporations. Most big companies will pay for most if not all of your tuition.
#4 Electroncis engineer at a world class Observatory in Hawaii.
Degrees do work. If it is combined with other skill sets.
How about literature?