I had a conversation with my youngest daughter not too long ago where she asked if there was an alternative to college. She is eighteen years old and just finished her Freshman year at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (that first year is often the toughest). My answer was yes, there's always an alternative to anything in life, the key is that no matter what you choose to do with your life, you must put the work in to make it a successful one. And then I sat at my trusty laptop and researched a few options for her. 

Surprisingly, there are several career paths available that doesn't require a person to spend years in college mastering a skill. Now if you decide college is the path for you, by all means, seek that path and put in the work to make it successful. It is the path I chose and it was a good decision for me. For those of you pondering the same question my daughter had, maybe these five options may peak your interest:

Real Estate Agent. Real Estate Agents earn an average $83,000+/- the first year on the job and after that usually double their income as they become more familiar with the process and industry. Real Estate agents help people buy, sell, and lease houses. There isn't any college requirement but you must meet a state's prequalification requirements and pass the exam. Real Estate is indeed a commission-based job and you should be a go-getter as this job requires you to cold call, network, and build relationships in order to grow your career. There are a few agencies that will hire and offer base pay but most are commission-based. Real estate is a long game but well worth the time and investment as the potential income well exceeds the first year's estimate. 

Flight Attendant. Flight attendants typically earn around $59,000 annually depending on the airline. This job is projected to grow by 31,000 jobs by 2030 according to businessinsider.com. Flight attendants make sure passengers and crew are safe during flights. It is a career that affords you to travel all over the world. This job only requires a high school diploma but some airlines may also require you to have customer service experience and some college. 

Insurance Agent. The average first-year income of an insurance agent is around $52,000 annually, this is only an estimate and like real estate agents, insurance agents' earning potential is limitless. Insurance agents help people choose insurance products that best fit their family's needs. You only need a high school diploma and be able to meet a state's pre-licensing requirements and pass the state exam. After which you can shop around for an insurance company to produce for. 

Mail Carrier. As long as the world goes round we will need mail carriers. This solid career offers benefits and good pay! The average annual income for mail carriers is around $72,000. Just in case you didn't know, mail carriers are the awesome men and women who deliver our mail to us each day. In order to apply, you must be eighteen years or older and be able to pass the postal service exam.

Chef. If you have a passion for cooking and don't mind working your way through the ranks, then Chef may be the career path for you. The average annual income for chefs is around $53,000 and up depending on the restaurant and your skills. There are culinary art schools available if you wanted a foundation but the old-fashioned way of working your way through the ranks is still viable as well.

I hope you found these alternatives to getting a college education helpful. Just remember, no matter the path you choose, it is up to you to put the work in to make it a successful life.

If you'd like to learn more about stress-free jobs or other job stuff, please stop by my YouTube channel! Here's the link https://www.youtube.com/user/cherilrenee/featured.