Gen X trucker whose dream was to go back to college in his 40s to study political science reveals why decision was a terrible mistake

A man who decided to quit his trucking occupation to prosecute his dream of going to assemblage has since regretted his choice. 

Kenneth Ferraro, now 46, changed his life drastically successful hopes of landing a amended occupation aft going backmost to schoolhouse astatine nan property of 40. 

The Texas man drove trucks for decades, and though it provided him pinch a generous income, he was successful hunt of thing overmuch much - getting a degree. 

But now that he has his bachelor's grade successful governmental subject from New York University, Ferraro has struggled to onshore a occupation successful a caller field.

'After each my difficult activity and sacrifice, nan only activity that I person been capable to unafraid is nan aforesaid type of activity that I person been doing my full life,' Ferraro told Business Insider.

After precocious schoolhouse he was not capable to spend college, truthful he hopped consecutive into a career. 

In 2018, he attended a organization assemblage part-time and instantly enjoyed his experience, starring him to driblet his trucking profession and attraction connected his future.

After getting his subordinate grade he went connected to complete his bachelor's, but he's only been capable to onshore a transportation driver position aft racking up $100,000 successful student indebtedness debt. 

He admitted that erstwhile he embarked connected his acquisition journey, he knew that it would beryllium 'financially crippling,' but he was consenting to return nan risk. 

His mother, Lynn Ballester, posted a image of her boy successful a headdress and gown successful 2022 astatine his assemblage graduation arsenic she shared really proud she was of him. 

'So proud, he was driving [a] motortruck and making a ton of money. Then 1 time he said I americium quitting my job, trading my location and going backmost to school!' 

Ballester added: 'Then to use and beryllium accepted to NYU pinch 1 of nan toughest curriculums and competition, I knew he [was] meant to succeed!!' 

Ferraro said that he thinks his property has played a immense domiciled successful his full-time master occupation search. 

He recalled applying for a occupation moving for a authorities charismatic successful an entry-level position that he primitively thought would beryllium nan 'perfect' fresh for him. 

His position changed erstwhile he went for an in-person question and reply pinch nan hiring manager. 

'As soon arsenic the hiring head saw me, his full demeanor changed. He ran done nan questions and ne'er genuinely engaged pinch me,' Ferraro said. 

He later discovered that he was not chosen for nan position - thing he thinks was decided based connected his age. 

'A man successful his forties, who is nan cleanable campaigner connected paper, consenting to work, consenting to learn, and consenting to use himself to immoderate task, is still a man successful his 40s.

'Therefore, not a valid candidate,' he added. 

Men successful nan US person struggled to find employment, arsenic statistic from nan Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis revealed that arsenic of June 89 percent of males are actively looking for a occupation aliases person one. 

In 1950, 97 percent of American men aged 25-54 had a occupation aliases were connected nan hunt for one. 

According to nan National Center for Education Statistics, 44 percent of organization assemblage students and astir 34 percent of assemblage undergraduates are 25-year-old aliases older. 

In November 2023, nan unemployment complaint of US assemblage graduates aged 22-27 roseate to 5 percent, compared to nan country's wide complaint of 3.7 percent. 

With financial and affectional burdens weighing down connected him, Ferraro went retired to look for jobs successful his aged field- thing he thought he would ne'er person to do again. 

Just erstwhile he thought it was going to beryllium easy to hop backmost into nan trucker life, he was stunned to find retired an ironic facet that was holding him backmost to getting connected nan roadworthy again. 

He noticed that including his acquisition acquisition connected his resume was really making it harder to unafraid a occupation successful nan field. 

'I did not commencement receiving interviews until I removed nan acquisition conception connected my application. My grade was holding maine back,' he said. 

Just earlier he started schoolhouse successful 2018, Ferraro secured a driving position that offered him 20 percent little than what he made earlier ditching his profession for education. 

'This business is very frustrating. It feels for illustration I americium putting successful truthful overmuch effort, without immoderate return,' Ferraro said. 

Presently, Ferraro is backmost to driving trucks during nan day, and attends postgraduate schoolhouse astatine night. 

He is moving toward his adjacent degree- a master's successful nationalist administration. 

Although he openly admits regretting going to college, he is hopeful that his degrees will 1 time salary disconnected and onshore him a occupation he's ever dreamed of.