How exactly am I supposed to get a decent job?

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Ever since I moved out on my own at 17, I've been stuck working dead-end jobs, because that's all I seem to qualify for. I know I could do something that requires more knowledge or skill as I am pretty intelligent (not trying to brag, please don't hurt me). The problem is, I can't afford to go to school to get that knowledge, because I'm in debt from the first few years of floundering trying to live on my own.

I very fortunately came across a job that pays me $14/hr plus overtime, but even so, it's going to be at least a couple years before I'm debt-free (that's assuming I keep my job, but the way the company is doing, I'm not so sure I will). And it's just depressing, the idea that the second I become debt-free, my next thought has to be, "Time to pull out some student loans." And for what? So I can make more money, to pay for the expensive education that allowed me to make more money? It seems kinda pointless.

If I could do something more along the lines of an apprenticeship, I think that would be a lot better, because I could be working AND learning a new skill. Or if there was some online program that was actually useful for getting a job that is cheap enough for me to afford it.

But it seems to me I'm stuck with the choices of fast food, Wal-Mart and labor jobs. I got lucky with a higher-paying one at least, but if I get unlucky, I have barely gained any useful experience at this job and will probably have to go back to working at fat fast food places. Am I missing something, or am I really this screwed?

You are missing a hell of a LOT that can be done better. Schools are also typically scams so don't bother. You would be better off learning from the Entrepreneur/Financial-Section via reading books out of a Public-Library. You can still get certifications/degrees, but if you insist on obtaining Paper-Qualifications, know that you can actually take on-line courses for FREE from reputable institutions that will send/mail you an official/sealed diploma/certificate upon successful completion, even from MIT; They even have post-graduate-level (400s) courses, did I mention, that are FREE for you to learn from in case you did not know about such resources yet ?

Also, grab yourself a shovel, and scan Google-Earth-Maps for a remote/quiet location where you can dig a giant underground facility for yourself to save from having to waste money on renting rooms or apartments (lest we otherwise have to live in our Moms' Basements ;o). Also, become debt-free as SOON as possible, and do NOT get back into debt, otherwise you are making a HUGE Financial-Mistake. Stay. OUT. Of. Debt. PERIOD. You can also learn PLENTY of USEFUL skills from You-Tube (for FREE), such as how to collect seeds from your fruits, growing your own food, heck, even CASTING YOUR OWN METALS... here... I will get you started on something USEFUL... (make SURE you watch this ENTIRE video to get an idea of how to be able to manufacture things for yourself... then you might be able to come up with something useful that you can sell and eventually grow into your own company and say, the hell with and screw getting a job, I have just learned the essence of the job-creation process, and will need to find qualified people to hire to make this a success)...

When I say useful, I mean that it will actually contribute something to the maintenance or advancement of civilisation/society, unlike the vast majority of existing so-called jobs that are semi-available. Most work in America is actually fundamentally useless such that you may as well be paying people to hold up a telephone-pole that would stand up on its own anyway (regardless of how much the job pays, unless it is conducive to the needs of maintaining or advancing civilisation, the job is fundamentally useless and therefore unimportant, useless jobs being things like lawyers or bankers where it's about transferring wealth rather than creating or producing wealth).

You're really screwed. Staying in school is the key to success for most people, unless they develop something on their own like Windows or Facebook and sell it to the masses.

Apprenticeships are for people who don't mind performing physical labor - same for military service. If physical labor is not your thing, then you're stuck with fast-food and retail jobs.

Seriously, without that secondary education, your choices are limited.

Why can't you go for Speech Pathology?

Don't preclude yourself from going for it just because I advocate it.

I think you'd do well in it.

Parts of the major are intellectually stimulating, too.

Part of it deals with ethics issues, which are a part of philosophy.

You can always take philosophy courses, or you could have philosophy as a minor.

He can't go into Speech Pathology because he can't afford to go to school to get that knowledge. He's in debt from the first few years of floundering trying to live on his own.

When he gets out of debt, then he can go for it. He might be approximately 24 years old by that time. 24 is not a bad time to start college.

Perhaps, before he resolves his debt, he can go to a state university, and probably get Pell Grants and all that based upon his low income--which might pay for most of tuition. These wouldn't have to be paid back.

He should also research the possible scholarships he could get. Research them thoroughly.

He should, at least, fill out the FAFSA. See where he's at. He has a better chance at grants, based on his independent status.

Either way. He's a young person. Hope is not exactly lost. He has no criminal record.

Think again. Many people don't pay off their debts for decades, if ever at all.

Try to not think like an over-privileged first-worlder, and try to think more like a person who has crushing debts, no disposable income, little or no secondary education, and no safety net to fall back on whatsoever.

A 21-year old person may have more options than people in their 30s, but those options usually involve working more than one job in fast food, retail, and/or blue-collar labor. The military may also be an option, but if a person can not handle the pressure, then their military career won't last long.

I don't want to go into debt for college. Being in debt sucks, and too many people with degrees end up going back to jobs at Wal-Mart anyway, with only mountains of debt to show for it.

I don't want a fancy career, I just want a job that pays the bills and where I can be reasonably confident I won't be laid off. I have yet to find that job.

It's a combination of networking, degrees/certifications, luck, good interviewing, luck, place, luck etc...

when I figure out how to get hired with my Masters Degree in IT Management, i'll let you know...

You could try doing something on your own and/or starting your own company instead...

Where, in what I wrote, did I advocate you getting in debt?

The Pell Grant is something YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK..so you wouldn't be in debt as a result.

There are free grants for people with low incomes. Which don't have to be paid back.

I wish you could visit the "financial aid" office of your state university. See what they say.

And fill out the FAFSA. You can do it now.

I am writing this as someone who has won several tickertape parades, consecutively, and who has national, academic honors.

The shortest answer I can think of, is that stocks, certificates, and diplomas will usually have to be backed by a subsidy or govt program.

When that loses funding, highly-educated people will fall from grace.

I have oriented several, into menial labor positions.

I am not a role model.

I am generally in favor of practicing altruism and self-sufficiency, in my informal life, and gaming the system, in my formal life.

Legal qualifications are arbitrary, political, not a measure of morals or intelligence. Many, if not all, rich people are deeply flawed, irrespective of their status.

You do need education if you want to do something more. That's just how it works, now.

I think Kraftie has it right; financial aid is the way to go. As he said, you do not need to pay back government grants. Many colleges offer online or hybrid courses, if that's easier on your schedule. I will add that there are a lot of shady colleges out there. A good rule of thumb is that any school that advertises is not one you should take classes from. For-profit schools just want your money. Do research, and find a good regionally accredited, not-for-profit school.

You might also have a look at DVR. It couldn't hurt.

You should save up for college and develop skills on your own in your areas of interest in the meantime.
College seems the most viable option to get out of the current cycle.
You should not overanalyze what specific job you will get after college.
Instead, try to find something you like to do in college, then pursue jobs in that area during/after college.

But, you said your main goal was to afford living essentials, nothing more, nothing less.

Do you find fulfillment in work, or does some trade represent a niche interest of yours?

I didn't mean literally the exact amount I need to survive. I want to be able to survive and have a reasonable amount of extra money to use for things I'm interested in. Once I'm out of debt, what I'm making now might actually be ok, but like I said I have not learned much in the way of marketable skills here, and I don't like my chances of keeping this job.

What I'm looking for is something that will give me qualifications for better jobs. Like being an auto mechanic or something. That requires skills that will get you better pay, but you don't have to complete a bachelor's degree to learn what's required. That's just an example, but I could probably do that. I'm just trying to get ideas.

How would you feel about being a truck driver? There's lots of openings for truck drivers nowadays. They make decent money.