<prompt> Human: Im 35 years old and have been working factory jobs for the last 10 years but in 2012 I was let go from one factory due to down sizing then in 2015 a factory I worked for shut down after being brought out in the process I was injuried on the job and was out of work for a year went back to work in June 2016 and had a great job was there for over a year working 80 plus hours a week to back on my feet I got sick and had to be in hospitalized and off work for over a month and they let me go. I am now working at a factory that is only paying 13 dollars per hour with little overtime and they dont really give raises . I have my current wife one child and one on the way we have been able to pay all our debts besides our and have like 3 month of emergency cash We have very little in our 40lk and retirement funds but I want to be able to make more money and this is a job that is currently in demand in my area and has been for some time now and it pays pretty good.  <response>: I had never heard of CNC and not familiar with the industry. I would defer to the commenters who know more about it to know if CNC specifically is worth it. Since you mentioned youre 35, I just wanted to address that piece. I didnt get my bachelors until I was 30. Going back to school when youre older can be intimidating. Its easy to feel like youre already set in your ways and have missed your chance. You havent!!! Im not going to lie; its not easy. I dont have kids, but even with just a husband I felt like I was missing so much. Between working full time and going to school, I couldnt spend as much time with my husband, friends, and family as I wanted to. It sucked, but it was worth it. Much better job security and pay now. A few years of discomfort is worth it when you still have 30 years until you retire. Especially since it seems CNC will only take 2 years and can probably be done relatively inexpensively. Also seems like current situation is bad for your health and not sustainable long term anyway. My only other advice about committing to going back to school is dont be afraid to change industries. Change is hard especially the older you get. But do you even like manufacturing? Would you be happier with a different trade or a 4 year degree in something else? I ask because I completely changed courses and dont regret it. It would have been so easy for me to stay in the same field, but I like what Im doing now much better.I mean still be smart about it. Wouldnt recommend getting an art history degree just to follow your passion, but also dont limit yourself unnecessarily. Good luck!!! 