[annzabelle]

I have a friend who got an English and Creative Writing degree from a liberal arts college, and then immediately went back to trade school for band instrument repair. It's not particularly lucrative, as trades go, but it does seem a lot more future proof than most careers.

[hn_throwaway_99]

I recently left my career as a software engineer to train to become a violin maker. Couldn't be happier.

[coldpie]

Also looking to leave software, lots of options in front of me. Are you still in training, or are you making a living from it now?

[hn_throwaway_99]

I'm in training.

[LzeYing]

Haha, so you're going to do something AI can't replace, right?

[annzabelle]

Thinking about it. I'm pretty attracted to the idea of a career with some kind of protectionist licensing system, like doctor or actuary, but that may just be staving off the inevitable. Might teach high school.

After I got laid off in the US, I moved to a mountain town in New Zealand planning on being a ski lift operator while I think about the future, but got a software developer job by accident instead.

[loloquwowndueo]

Taxis had a protectionist system. Took a single competitor with deep pockets and disregard for the system to upend the whole thing.

[selimthegrim]

I still get emails from NZ begging for people to come fill IT jobs

[annzabelle]

It's great for a couple years, but compensation is so much lower here I wouldn't do it long term, except if you marry a local or are independently wealthy.

I make a third of what I did in the US, and my job in the US was in a medium cost of living area and wasn't a startup or big tech. Housing costs about the same amount.

[selimthegrim]

I had the opportunity to take up a working holiday visa 10-12 years ago and never used it.