The typical home value in Venice has more than doubled in the last ten years and is now hovering around $2,000,000. Of course, that does not necessarily mean that you need to be a millionaire to live here, but it does mean that you will want to find a job that pays more than most. But things have been tough lately, and many of us have been struggling to find any job at all. But don’t throw in the towel just yet! There are careers out there that you can get started in pretty quickly and that will not saddle you with debt. These 5 careers are very achievable, and will also pay you enough to be able to live and work in Venice.
1. Commercial Driver
The average CDL class-A licensed driver makes over $60,000 in California. That might surprise you, but the demand for commercial drivers is through the roof right now. One of the biggest benefits of this path is how quickly you can get started on it. Most training programs take less than two months! But this job is not for everyone. You will have to work odd hours and long shifts. If you can be flexible, though, this is a job anyone can do and earn a very good living.
2. Registered Nurse
Here is a career where you can really rake in the money. The average salary for an RN in California is over $113,00, and you can bet it is even more in LA. It may seem like a long road to get there, but you can actually finish an ABSN online in one or two years pretty easily. If you are willing to put in the work, you can be well on your way to that apartment you have had your eye on by this time next year.
3. Web Developer
Even small mom-and-pop businesses need to have a website these days, and there simply are not enough web developers to go around. That is great news for those looking to get into the business – they can expect to make over $70,000 pretty quickly. One of the best things about this job is that you will be judged on the quality of the work you do, not on where or how you learned to do it. That said, it can help you get your foot in the door if you have credentials you can point to, and a good place to start is by taking local classes in common programming languages such as CSS, HTML, Python, and JavaScript.
4. Electrician
College is not the only route to a good-paying job. The trades have been flying under the radar a bit recently, and that means that there are fewer electricians out there than there are jobs. You can expect to start at around $30 or $35 an hour in California, but that number can quickly grow to $50 or more as you gain experience. On top of that, the shortage of electricians combined with the growth of the LA area means that baseline wages will only go up in the coming years.
5. Retail manager
There are not many jobs where your time working at Urban Outfitters would count as relevant experience, but most retail management jobs require it! While you do not need a college degree to move up in the ranks to manage a retail store, you will usually need about two years of experience working in one. The great advantage of this job is that you literally get paid to learn how to do it. If you stand out as a star employee and make it clear that you are interested in working in retail for the long-haul, you could find yourself making six figures without even having to get a degree. Of course, a degree certainly does not hurt, but this is one of the few jobs where you can be the boss without having to spend four years in school.
Living in Venice really is possible! Work hard, think outside of the box, and take the plunge into a new and rewarding career – you will be glad you did.