Best way to get a career in contracting?

[Tyler VanZile]

Hi I'm Tyler, I'm currently 16, nearly 17 and live in Texas. It's always been a dream of mine to pursue a military career but unfortunately I've had asthma since I was born and while I can run a 8:30 minute 1.5 mile and it is easily managed, it's still a permanent disqualifier at the moment. I'm hoping that by the time I graduate college there will either be a cure for asthma, lessened restrictions on asthmatics (non combat and such), or I can at least get it waived. I signed up on this forum to ask anyone who's qualified and experienced in the contracting business what would be the best way to find a career in contracting without military experience say things don't work out? I've heard becoming an EMT would be an option due to the need for those who are experienced in the medical field but I don't know for sure. I've also heard law enforcement agents are usually accepted, which field would get me the best training/advantage in the hiring process? Thanks and God bless.

 

[TLDR20]

Gain relevant life experience.

Contracting should be a means to an end. It isn't/ shouldn't be a career.

For most of us that do/did it, it was as a means of getting out of debt, saving money, and bridging the divide/easing the transition to civilian life. It makes it much easier to go to school with 80K in the bank....or so I've been told.

ETA:
This doesn't apply to things like comms, or instructing, which can be permanent. More so the shooter jobs type stuff.

 

[TLDR20]

Honestly kid your chance of doing PSD in a high risk area is almost zero. Plus your medical history would preclude you from doing any kind of mobile and probably static security.

Your asthma will act up breathing the air in the places you would go...

 

[AWP]

Your Post

I've contracted overseas for...far too long. I can't speak to shooting jobs or the like, but you need to consider some things:

- This is an uphill fight as most contractors are former/ retired military.
- You need to bring a BUNCH to the table. An EMT probably won't cut it...
- I work in IT/ electronics. The guys without a military background had a few things in common. They were in the right place at the right time, they had a buddy who would vouch for them, the industry was hurting for bodies so hiring managers had sketchy standards, and they had a ton of experience on paper at least. Take IT for example, we have a guy with about 5 or 6 certifications and no military experience BUT he had 10+ years in the corporate world and got his foot in the door when hiring was through the roof due to the commitments.
- The market is SATURATED with guys trying to go back or looking to break in. This goes back to my earlier points. Support gigs are hard to find, but shooting jobs? I doubt that's happening. Too few for too many all around, regardless of the field.

Pick a field and make a run at it in about 15 years OR do that in 10 and pray for a really, really big war. Oddly enough, the most non-prior military I've seen were HVAC technicians and I wouldn't want that job at all.

 

[Tyler VanZile]

Thank y'all for the advice, I'm not really looking for a shooting job in specific, just a job in contracting in general, or a way to support the military and anyone involved in helping them in general. I do actually have a long time friend who's father is a retired contractor who told me he could help get my foot in the door but he told me I needed a lot of experience in order for him to work something out. He referred me to a program in Florida that he worked for but I can't quite remember the name of it right now. From what I've read above it seems that my only real chance is a non combat job, which is fine, but what would be the best choice in that field?

 

[AWP]

From what I've read above it seems that my only real chance is a non combat job, which is fine, but what would be the best choice in that field?

I can't speak to every support role, but IT, HVAC, vehicle mechanics, welders, and trades such as electrician or plumber. Unless there's another scenario like we saw from 2006 - 2010, you're looking at 10+ years of experience and industry certifications or catching a break.

 

[Dame]

Tyler, I don't usually respond to kids but I may have something that will suit you. How are you at math and electronics?

 

[Gunz]

What are your college plans, Tyler, where do you stand with that?

 

[AWP]

What are your college plans, Tyler, where do you stand with that?

Depending upon the job, that goes a LONG way. Thank you for bringing it up.

 

[Kheenbish]

You could also try your hand at law enforcement, I've known a few officers that were able to go through an academy with an inhaler. Possibly even Border Patrol.

 

[minydoom]

May I suggest looking into a state guard, I know Texas (Where I live) Has it's own guard aside from the National Guard and a friend of mine dips joining to due to hereditary disqualifiers