School is giving me purpose, but the future scares me

[SnowLeopard21]

I'm currently attending a course at a local technical school to learn how to become a marine mechanic, and it's the most fulfilled I've felt in 17 years. I'm successful in my schoolwork, retaining the information, assisting my instructor with projects outside of class, and even making some social connections. This is fine and I'm grateful for the opportunities that are being presented to me, but as I talk to my instructor and my classmates they don't have the same kind of lofty views that I have for what I want my career to be and where I want to go. They seem content with living out the rest of their days in the back of some pleasurecraft boat dealership or a local marina instead of wanting to ascend beyond the fundamentals.

Now I'm about halfway through my schooling on a 3-year technical degree and I'm genuinely worried I'm going to get locked into a humdrum domestic career instead of being able to find work on a larger ship and get to see the world. I'm a young 30 and I am not ready to settle down yet. The thought of the 9-5 both bores and terrifies me, and if I get shuffled into that slot I'm afraid I'll never break free of it. Does anyone else feel this kind of career paralysis as they get closer to the end of their education?

 

[timf]

One of the difficult things to deal with in life are youthful aspirations that even if realized may not provide the same satisfaction that was anticipated. Also circumstances can change such that one might find oneself married and desiring a 9-5 job. One might find an ideal job, but with a horrible boss. One cannot know the future. However, being able to accept whatever comes across your path in combination with being able to look far afield can give you options if you should encounter an unsatisfactory situation. It has been said, "Do not worry so much about the future that you miss being able to enjoy today".

 

[SnowLeopard21]

One of the difficult things to deal with in life are youthful aspirations that even if realized may not provide the same satisfaction that was anticipated.

This isn't what I'm worried about so much as it is that despite all the effort I put in towards chasing a dream, I'm worried that I'll fall short and never be able to climb my way back before I'm too old.

one might find oneself married

Highly unlikely. I may have lofty aspirations but I am being realistic about them.

 

[Trismegistus_13]

People who don't have high aspirations in their careers are great because they will fill out the workforce needed at lower levels. That will give you and others the opportunities to move up in your career field you desire. I know next to nothing about being a marine mechanic, but I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities if you want to move onto larger boats. Do your best to find a good mentor and network to get your foot in the door for more major companies.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

About worrying about the future in general, one technique I've seen online and have used myself is to set a certain time where you can worry and then remembering that you have that time to do it when the thoughts come during the day. I'm doing mine for around an hour in the morning whilst having a cup of coffee, and I also include things like regretting the past and less productive thinking/analyzing/worrying/etc in there.

 

[chester]

There are plenty of people who work in jobs which aren't closely related to their education, myself included. Education can give you a pretty good starting point though. You might as well give it a go and see how it plays out. There are always skills you can learn, courses you can do, which can allow you to work somewhere else. You can also use your expertise gained from working as a mechanic to become a subject matter expert somewhere. Or you can save some money and start your own business. There is a variety of options. It's a good thing though to have a starting point that will allow you to make a living, and it seems you'll have one soon. Everybody needs to start somewhere, I never expected to end up where I am now, there was a lot of random events that led to it, but I think it played out quite well for me career-wise. If I were to give you one advice, be vigilant for opportunities, they might be easy to miss and seem unlikely to work out, but every now and then they do.