Getting a job does not always require you to have a bachelor's or an associate degree or have specialized skills you can only get in college or university. There are many well-paying and rewarding jobs that provide employees with training while on the job instead of school education. Understanding your qualifications and the job's primary duties can help you increase your chances of getting hired. In this article, we discuss the top 10 jobs that only require a high school diploma, list their national average salaries, and define their primary duties and applicant qualifications.
Top jobs that only require a high school diploma
Jobs that only need a high school diploma offer opportunities to those who move straight into working after graduating from high school. The employment opportunities only require training, and employers require no specific skills or knowledge. One of the essential quality’s employers may need for jobs that only require a high school diploma is the ability to learn quickly. The following are the jobs that do not require any additional experience or education to work in:
1. Dispensing optician
National average salary: $14.98 per hour
Primary duties: Dispensing opticians work as assistants to optometrists to take care of clerical or administrative duties in the office. They schedule appointments, answer customers' inquiries, help clients select the best fitting glasses or contact lenses, and inform them of the price of services. They also advise customers on insurance premiums. You can become a dispensing optician by gaining on-the-job training and acquiring a license from some provinces. Another approach is to become an apprentice to gain knowledge and skills.
2. Gaming manager
National average salary: $16.38 per hour
Primary duties: Gaming managers oversee dealers, tables, and customers at casinos. They ensure employees and customers adhere to the casino's rules and each person plays fairly. They manage cash transactions, coordinate security activities, serve customers, ensure the establishment is up to standards, handle customer complaints and conflicts, and inform clients if they have inquiries. You can become a gaming manager by training with an experienced supervisor.
3. Mail carrier
National average salary: $18.43 per hour
Primary duties: Employers assign routes to mail carriers to deliver letters and packages. They prepare, sort, and document mail and help people send out deliveries along their pre-established route. As they deliver items, they may collect payments and signatures where necessary. As a mail carrier, your work setting may be in private delivery companies or with Canada Post.
You can become a mail carrier after obtaining a high school diploma, getting a valid driver's license, and getting clearance after a background check. Employers may also ask you to pass an entrance examination before you start working. This job requires excellent organizational skills and time-management skills.
4. Driver
National average salary: $21.33 per hour
Primary duties: Drivers operate vehicles such as trains, subways, streetcars, buses, and trams to pick up and drop off passengers, whether on private or public means of transport. As a driver, employers expect you to set, display, and uphold decorum to ensure the safety and comfort of your passengers. If working in the public sector, local authorities can classify you as a civil servant. You may become a vehicle driver after completing secondary school and getting a driving license.
Ensure you understand the different licensing regulations in your province. For example, in Ontario, drivers need class B, C, E, and F driver's licenses, while all the provinces require a type 2 license. If you seek to advance your career as a driver, you may seek an air brakes endorsement, a three-year program leading to the certified professional bus operator (CPBO) designation, and a first-aid certificate.
5. Hotel manager
National average salary: $22.90 per hour
Primary duties: Hotel managers oversee the general operations of hotels or bed and breakfast establishments. Their work is to greet and check-in guests, respond to emails and phone calls, manage hotel staff, and ensure guests enjoy their stay in the hotel. They may also set employee shift schedules and develop hotel events to entertain the guests. You can become a hotel manager with no necessary qualifications. A significant benefit would be to have a background in business, marketing, and hospitality experience.
6. Farm manager National average salary: $23.58 per hour Primary duties: Farm managers supervise the daily activities done on agricultural property. Farm managers ensure they achieve the best yield by deciding on crops, managing livestock and production, planning farming activities such as harvesting, weeding, tilling, and irrigation, supervising farm staff, marketing and selling farm produce, and documenting various farm finances. They also oversee the maintenance of farm equipment, machinery, and farm buildings. Farm managers can also purchase farm implements and supplies such as seeds, agrochemicals, and livestock feed.
They may begin working as farmhands or seasonal employees and then use their experience to apply for jobs up the career ladder. This is a great career, especially if you love working in the outdoor environment. They can work with hydroponics establishments, fish, crops, fruit farms, poultry and livestock farms, and vineyards. Most employers prefer employees with agricultural-related degrees or business management degrees. Still, you can start as a lower-level employee and work toward becoming a farm manager, especially if you're persistent, have excellent leadership skills, and possess an exceptional work ethic. 7. Community healthcare worker National average salary: $24.35 per hour Primary duties: Community health workers create a significant link between the community they serve and the health or social services office. This helps increase community capacity by improving health knowledge and self-sufficiency through outreach, informal counselling, social support, community education, and advocacy. Employers may expect you to have a greater understanding of the community you serve. Employers task community healthcare workers with educating the public on health and self-care matters. You may work with the social worker's office or with private organizations to counsel individuals within communities. You can become a community health worker by completing a specific certification program offered in your province and gaining job training through shadowing or mentorship. 8. Industrial mechanic National average salary: $31.29 per hour Primary duties: Industrial mechanics troubleshoot, repair, maintain and move industrial machinery. They disassemble equipment to locate the issue and then reassemble the machine. Their work involves calibrating and testing machinery to attain maximum efficiency. Industrial mechanics also clean equipment after use, lubricate moving machine parts, and adjust machines. They also inspect machinery to observe signs of tear and wear before the machine completely breaks down. They may also perform few administrative functions, such as ordering materials and parts to service machinery when inventory goes low and documenting maintenance activities for future reference. Employers may expect you to lift heavy components and machinery and have excellent vision. You can become an industrial mechanic by acquiring training in electronics, mechanical drawing, and computer programming. 9. Plumber National average salary: $31.86 per hour Primary duties: Plumbers create pipework, repairing and maintaining water or gas pipes, waste systems, and fixtures. They design plumbing systems for newly constructed houses and buildings, repair damaged pipes, and install or replace fixtures such as sinks, bathtubs, and toilets. They work with other construction workers to perform their duties. Plumbers may find work in private residences, construction projects, public water or gas institutions, oil companies, and waste management firms. They handle problems that come from leaks, flooding, and decreased pressure in water or gas. This field employs a lot of mathematical calculations throughout your career. You can become a plumber by completing an apprenticeship at a local company, joining a union membership, or taking the certification of qualification examination. You can also take the red seal plumbing exam given by the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA). To prepare for this examination, you can use a national occupational analysis document to know which tasks you may perform during the examination. 10. Police officer National average salary: $78,383 per year Primary duties: Police officers oversee the security of the public. They maintain laws and regulations within their jurisdiction. Their work involves pursuing and apprehending suspected criminals, filing reports on broken laws, and maintaining public order. They may drive specialized vehicles and use tools such as handguns, communication devices, batons, and handcuffs to do their work. They also oversee the daily operations of police cells and offices. As a police officer, the employer may require you to work in shifts during weekends and holidays. Great discipline, readiness for physical work, and firearm handling are factors you may consider in this line of work. You can become a police officer if you're above 18 years of age, possess a valid and unrestricted driving license, and spend 26 weeks at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy (RCMP) training depot in Regina, Saskatchewan. The training includes physical exercises, criminal law lessons, and firearms training. RCMP holds recruiting events all over the country that you can use to get into the police force.
Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organization and a candidate's experience, academic background, and location.
