Bad News

^^Agree with Matt and Bob.Ran, dont know how relevant this is to your situation, but I (like Rivet) went back to college after many various unskilled jobs and finally got a degree (fine art).  But never used it and instead got into the industry I worked in (temping) to fund my degree (nursing/support-work).  After ten years, got fed up so self-funded some Drystone-walling courses whilst honing my work shifts around them.  The recession hit 6 months after qualifying so just went for the first job offered (green-keeping).  I've done many other odd jobs both in the UK and spent years working abroad doing various seasonal work after buying a one-way ticket somewhere with the determination to fund-as-I-go travel.  It can be done.Self-belief and graft and the willingness to push yourself a little further than the next guy are the things that will get you there.  What have you got to lose?  

Thanks Andie, appreciate it. :) Not gonna let this get me!

thanks for the encouragement and advice guys. means a lot to me in this situation im in right now.

i would really love to take up a proper degree but education is crazy expensive without a grant. eventually i will get down to doing it either part-time while working concurrently or to quit a job and do it full time (easier said than done). my options now are pretty much limited to either taking up a loan for a couple of years to fund further education or work a couple of years to see what i really want to do down the line, with me being more partial to the latter. the diploma i have now is somewhat similar to a college degree but to climb the corporate ladder, most companies MNC's or established local firms prefer those with bachelors. in addition, it seems to be getting and more expensive to live in singapore with the cost of housing at an all time high.

having said that, i appreciate all advice given by all you folks here. might decide to move out of this hole i am in one day and maybe seek greener pastures elsewhere but i am pretty clear that i need to work on/fulfil my short-term objectives before anything else. thanks for hearing me out guys.

Ran, I am only 26 so my advice should be taken with several grains of salt... but get out there and cut your teeth, pay your dues. Take a job that you wouldn't expect yourself to do for 'work experience' and look for other work.  I don't know how many of my friends took temp work, and surfed job sites WHILE THEY WERE WORKING at those BS temp jobs and landed jobs. 

Also, get that piece of paper. It's the difference between a job and a career.

A girl I know got a degree in Native American Studies, she got a job in HR for target and makes 45k a year with 3 weeks paid vacation, a 401k with matched contributions up to 11% of her annual income, and on and on and on.

Just don't settle, and if you can get back to school as soon as possible. The longer you stay out the harder it is to get back.  I graduated high-school in 2004, I am still 'working on college' at least that is what I tell concerned family and friends.

Life only gets harder with out a degree.

I don't know if there are trade schools out your way, but that's where I am headed once the wife and I have moved back to Oklahoma. People always need plumbing, electricity, et cetera.

If you can't find a career, find work ... sometimes the career finds you.

^^^