Career experts, aviators, psychiatric technicians, fitness trainers, Teachers/Coaches and anyone else with first hand knowledge in these respective areas, this is for you.

I am 29. I have a 10 month old baby girl. I recently passed the GED test with my scores in the top 86%-99% rank, meaning in the top 1%-14% in each of the subjects given. I spent 10 years as a critically successful artist. However, due to the financial aspect(I refuse to go commercial and I have a family to feed), and the fact that I'm burned out, I would like to take full advantage of my recent layoff from my "day job", and find a new passion/career and excel in it, both for myself and my family.

After an entire year of 'deliberation' with myself and my wife, I have formulated a plan to obtain a vocational certificate while I am unemployed, and then to get a better job than what I had before, so that I can realistically pursue my degree.

However, I have had a great deal of stress stemming from my background, which is where you guys come in:

- Ages 15-18, I had spent some time in two private psychiatric facilities on four different occasions for depression/suicidal thoughts. Two of those were for documented 'attempts'. I was just crying for help and going about it the wrong way.

.Obviously, I dropped out of high school. I now have a GED.

.I have a misdemeanor "hit and run (property damage)" on my record(2004).
-4 years probation for this incident, 3 years for the hit and run, and 1 year for driving without insurance.
-I spent a night in the holding cell (2004).
-4 days in county jail as a result of a "failure to appear" stemming from that same case (2006).
*Apparently, if this charge isn't already, I can have it exphunged.

.The car that I had was repo'd due to the fact that it wasn't insured on the night of the accident.
-that has account has been settled and taken care of, monetarily anyway.

I ran myself into $3,000 in credit card debt with business that I started in 2006 and incorporated in 2007. One of the reasons why I am burned out.

I know that this is a train wreck, but I need another shot. Question is who'll grant me that opporitunity? The choice in certificate will also effect what degree that I major in.Here are the vocational fields that I am considering:

.Aviation certificate- civilian or military(Pursue an Aviation, Science, or Psychology degree after)
.Psychiatric Technician certificate (Psychology)
.Fitness/Athletic Trainer certificate (Kinsieology, Psych, definately a teaching credential)
.Health Care certificate- Psych(as mentioned), EKG Tech, Dental Asst, etc.
I also like LAW, and I think that I would be good at it.

I've researched ALL of these to DEATH. I can repeat the cert guidline info backwards and forwards, I do have an interest in ALL of them with the execption of Health Care other than Psychology. But, which is the more promising field? Who will hire me?

I'm going to exphunge my record, but how far will that stretch on my record?

I'm going to clean up my credit, but I need a better job, and how far will that stretch on my credit report?

What should I do?

i also have a misdemeanor. Hit and run w property damage but they only gave me 1 yr probation to maintain good record which it was easy for me to do because all my life i had clean record. I dont even have parking tickets. Anyways, I just got enrolled in a school. I'm taking Respiratory therapy. Its not as strict as nursing. I called the state board to ask if I can obtain a state license eventhough i have a misdemeanor and they told me yes. It will take awhile to get my exam date because they have to verify my record and get an explanation from the court. They said as long as theres no person, drugs, robbery, criminal charges involved I should be fine. But I have to finish my probation, any obligation to the court and fees/fine before I can take my state exam. Eventhough I will expunge my record they will still see it because state licensing is strict and they do extensive background check up but as for applying a job, once i expunge it they wont be able to see it…

You should try Respiratory therapy or Radiology technology because I called the state licensing place and I got a thumbs up.

Goodluck…

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