So I've pretty much always struggled with poverty to various degrees throughout my life. From literal homelessness or just scraping by working a basically dead end factory job.

I'm a fairly intelligent person, who has spent nearly a decade learning mechanics and related trades in various capacities, but have no formal education or certifications behind me, so have always struggled to utilize them to propell me professionally.

This past year I have finally gotten to where I feel I can potentially life a decent life!

I started out this year having just taken another dead end factory job with a slightly higher pay rate then my last one. I was making $13.50 an hour, and again basically struggling to survive.

So three months back my neighbor bought a used Harley that everyone thought had some serious vavletrain or rotating assembly damage. I was able to diagnose it as a siezed oil pressure relief valve causing said issue. I saved them $2,000 they expected to pay on a rebuild. They and everyone else there were impressed and lead to my name getting out and picking up a bunch of work for them or friends of theirs through word of mouth.

In about 2 months I had over a dozen people going to me for work and am making great money doing, but due to instability couldn't leave my day job at that point. But was making thousands a month on the side on a good month (one month netted $2,600 in a month, not including my dayjobs salary).

I got a job through one of their fathers working on heavy equipment and diesel trucks. Was able to impress them by daignosing and replacing a control board on a boom crane that had a few people stumped. Through more word of mouth I got another job offer starting even higher (I was being a bit underpaid at this job for what I was doing but tool it because the experience would look great on my resume). I went for a interview, they made me an offer the other day starting at $17 an hour, but its a little commute, I was leery of ability to progress.

So I asked for some time to think it over, that was yesterday. Today the plant manager came up to the guy who got me the offer and basically wanted to know why they didn't heae back from me yet, he explained what I just said to them because I told him. They basically told him, that if pay is an issue they will offer me a higher starting. And will give me a raise in 90 days as well as in 180 days, they want me to train me into one of their advanced positions and they will take me despite failing for weed so long as thats all I failed for because they want me so badly.

In a year span I went from being expendable entry level employee, to having employers basically begging me to come work for them. It honestly feels surreal. I have really been busting my butt this past year to finally get out my position but honestly never expected things to be going this well.

I can honestly say I feel truly blessed and lucky.