I was a licensed electrician up until age 27. I was with a large company doing state work contracts, industrial, commercial and residential. Working 40-50hrs/week at a very good wage. One of my last jobs was rewiring a drawbridge control system in which I was the lead. I did go to college, and got myself a degree in mechanical engineering while simultaneously working in the electrical trade and later getting my license a year or so after I graduated college (I often had to use help of ). Don't ask how I managed to pull that off...but I did. Sometimes had to use some help. At age 27, I decided I had had enough and changed careers and got myself a job as an mechanical engineer. I was doing prototype designs for a specific industry and am now a engineering manager 14 years later. I hold three patents.