You Can Be ABC's: zip into these cool careers

High school students don't hear this enough, so we're gonna say it loud and clear: Four (or more) years of college isn't for everyone, and a bachelor's/master's/doctoral degree isn't necessarily a prerequisite for a fulfilling career!

So, as we took on this first You Can Be ABC's of our own, we wanted to highlight an alphabet's worth of occupations that require on-the-job training, certification, or licensure. The path toward each of these careers looks different and could involve anything from community college courses to private classes, apprenticeships to examinations. Some take a few months, others take a few years, and all of them honestly sound like a lot of fun—

Let's start with A: AUDIO TECHNICIAN

Become a master in the world of sound

Then onto B, you can be a BUILDING INSPECTOR

Guarantee they won't fall down

You can be a C, a COSMETOLOGIST

'Cause people wanna be beautified

You can be a D, a DENTAL ASSISTANT

Dentists need helpers by their side

Up next is E, you can be an ELECTRICIAN

Bring power and light to the world

And onto F, FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Travel-lovers should give it a whirl

You can be a G, you can be a GLAZIER

Turn glass into creations

You can be an H: HOME HEALTH AID

Caring for an older generation

You can be an I, INSURANCE AGENT

Protect people from financial hardship

You can be a J, you can be a JEWELER

They'll say, "yo, she got some real drip"

You can be a K, a K9 TRAINER

For pets or dogs who work

You can be an L, you can be an LPN

It stand for licensed practical nurse

You can be an M, you can be a MILLWRIGHT

Skilled workers who build machines

You can be an N, you can be a NANNY

For babies or kids or tweens

You can be an O, an OPTICIAN

Find folks the perfect pair of glasses

You can be a P, you can be a PERSONAL TRAINER

Build up others' muscle masses

Make our way to Q, QUALITY INSPECTOR

Your stamp of approval's what they need

And then onto R, you can be a REALTOR

Purchase land, homes, and property

You can be an S, you can be a STENOGRAPHER

Quick typers and truth defenders

How about a T, how about a TOUR GUIDE

You could take people on adventures

And then there's U: UMPIRES

Keep sports games nice and fair

You can be a V, a VET ASSISTANT

Handle routine animal care

You can be a W, you can be a WELDER

Metal and fire and fun

Can't skip X, X-RAY TECH

Need an associates' degree for this one

Last it's Y, YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Downward dogs and sun salutations

Just gotta take that Z and zip into a cool career

With a license or certification!