I just walked off an 8 year job tonight. Advice needed.

[NWPilgrim]

Congratulations on stepping out of hell! Life is too short and precious to waste on the abusive, stupid or ungrateful.

Talk to a community college counselor about jobs and training. They often have good relations with local trades and companies and training programs aligned with their needs. Many of the instructors are from those companies or retired from same. They also have a good idea where the jobs are and realistic pay expectations.

While the unionized trades may be difficult to get into at your age (just guessing) there are nonunion training programs for trades like mechanics. I know there is a dearth of commercial pilots. If you are in decent physical shape or can get into it the pilot schools cost about $30K, but some airlines will provide scholarships. Corporate shuttle pilots have a set route and pretty low stress job and make about $50k for copilot and $75 for aircraft captain.

Aircraft mechanics seem to have a pretty decent work environment and work around more professional people. Anything aviation is more professional and less BS than most other trade/labor jobs.

I would definitely consider downsizing every way possible. The less your fixed expenses the more choices you have.

Enjoy your new life!

[AndyLate]

Life is too short to spend that much time at a job you can't stand, good for you!

Absolutely take a vacation and relax. Don't even look for work for two weeks - other than some relaxed networking among friends.

I'm your neighbor, so to speak, and there is a lot of work in the area. You also are not tied down and free to move now.

If you are rated at 30% disability or more, the VA will pay for trade school or college. You could potentially apprentice in electrician, plummer, HVAC if that interests you; either residence or commercial.

Andy

[Arik]

Congrats! Sometimes jobs suck so much they leave no other option!

Not sure what your area in this field is like but how about medic. Last I remember schooling was like 6 months if part time. Obviously less if full time. Around here it doesn't pay bad and it's a foot in the door. Shifts vary depending on squad/department but even 12hr shifts are not constant work. It's rewarding and you get to help people!

Is there anything in your Marine service that can directly translate to civilian job?

[jwfuhrman]

I walked away from a 10 year career in EMS last October. Sadly, I have zero skill set outside of that career field these days. Was just so fed up and stressed out. 24hr shifts, and only $12/hr just finally had me done. I’m not entirely sure I want to even look at other options in EMS or healthcare period. So far I’ve only found shit part time jobs. I’m trying to grow my gun business(hurray for growing it enough I can now be a forum dealer sponsor here!) so it can be my full time gig and just have a part time job for extra income.

[GH41]

Downsize as much as possible so you can take a job you enjoy even if it doesn't pay well. I have a friend who is a park ranger at a local oceanfront national park. He spends his day on a fourwheeler warning beachgoers about riptides and jellyfish and telling campers to put their beer in a cup to keep out of trouble. He doesn't make much but he loves the outdoors and meets plenty of women. Moral of this story... Find something that lets you be happy.

[ralph]

Congratulations on stepping out of hell! Life is too short and precious to waste on the abusive, stupid or ungrateful.

Talk to a community college counselor about jobs and training. They often have good relations with local trades and companies and training programs aligned with their needs. Many of the instructors are from those companies or retired from same. They also have a good idea where the jobs are and realistic pay expectations.

While the unionized trades may be difficult to get into at your age (just guessing) there are nonunion training programs for trades like mechanics. I know there is a dearth of commercial pilots. If you are in decent physical shape or can get into it the pilot schools cost about $30K, but some airlines will provide scholarships. Corporate shuttle pilots have a set route and pretty low stress job and make about $50k for copilot and $75 for aircraft captain.

Aircraft mechanics seem to have a pretty decent work environment and work around more professional people. Anything aviation is more professional and less BS than most other trade/labor jobs.

I would definitely consider downsizing every way possible. The less your fixed expenses the more choices you have.

Enjoy your new life!

The Union trades will take you as an apprentice, at that age, by law they can't discriminate because of age, I've seen apprentices in their late 40's... (I'm a retired union pipefitter, with 32yrs in the trade) but, the problem is, at the OP's age, due to his age, he'd never be able to get very much in the way of a pension. Sure, you could learn to weld, and hit the pipelines and make $150,000+ a year, but, in order to do that, you're going to be working 7-12's for months at a time, outside..rain, snow, whatever..Most likely working out of state, away from home.. The pipeline contractors are all the same, they have a job to get done, and it needed to be done yesterday..You'd literally be jumping back into the frying pan.. Looking back at the time I spent in the trade, sure, I had fun, and met an awful lot of good, honest people, and saw things that most people will never see. But there's better ways of making a living..And, if I had to do it over, I would'nt...

[murphy j]

Yes, actually gonna talk to a friend of mine out in around Tulsa, OK.

I grew up outside of Tulsa, but make my home there now. It's great area with numerous outdoor sporting opportunities available. Firearms friendly and a generally good job market. If you're eligible for VA VocRehab, there's a couple great tech schools in the area. Tulsa Tech has a great machining program and Oklahoma State University of Technology has numerous programs from oil & gas to construction and everything in between.

[Caduceus]

What have you done already? What jave you ruled out? What sort of salary are you looking for?

You said OTR, so that's out.

You said generic labor .... construction? Foundry? HVAC?

Personally, I'd take a month of salary and go around the world. School is in, so tourists are down and prices shiuld be cheaper.

Then come back, more relaxed and settled, and reeval where you want to be.

[ralph]

Downsize as much as possible so you can take a job you enjoy even if it doesn't pay well. I have a friend who is a park ranger at a local oceanfront national park. He spends his day on a fourwheeler warning beachgoers about riptides and jellyfish and telling campers to put their beer in a cup to keep out of trouble. He doesn't make much but he loves the outdoors and meets plenty of women. Moral of this story... Find something that lets you be happy.

This^^^ Do a job that you love, and you'll never work again, One's mental health is much more important than how much you gross every year, The happiest day of my life was the last day of the last job I worked..It felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders, I walked away, and never looked back.. OP, maybe take a week or two off, relax, catch up on some things around the house, and think about what you'd like to do for a change...

[TomMcC]

I always thought being CNC machinists was a cool sounding job, making things. I at one time thought being a gunsmith was a possibility, and CNC skills were kind of required. It's indoors and I think it pays fairly well. Don't know about training availability, and might be too factoryish for you.