Carpentry is the way to go, you can design and build your own house then. People with trades are doing mighty fine these days, especially in the Territory, it's so hard to even get someone to come and do some work they are so damn busy!

I had aspirations of becoming an electrician when I was growing up. I lived in a rural town so there was more than enough work to justify my trade. So I decided to speak to a few of the locals, ask them if they would ever hire a woman, and the unanimous answer was laughter, first of all, then an apology, and then a 'sweety, why'd you wanna do that? There's men to do that sort of thing. You go be an accountant, or work in a office, let them handle the sweaty jobs."

The moral comes in two parts
1. The market is very difficult for a woman, things will not change in our generation.
2. Stick it to the fuckers and follow your dream, be a part of the solution.

Plumbing? I don't know how things are in your hemisphere but in the UK plumbers are making more than phds.

My friend loved her jewellery. She was particularly impressed by the quality of the workmanship because she used to make her own and she recognises the skill and care that went into the pieces.

Tradies are so hot right now.

Here in WA if you're a skilled (or even largely unskilled but able to walk upright without dragging your knuckles too much) worker you can pretty much walk into a job anywhere and be on excellent money.

Carpentry is a sure thing as most chippies can go from housing, to furniture to cabinet fitting almost at will. (Which is good, because it's usually done indoors in new homes with aircon.) Plus, in carpentry you don't have to worry about electrocuting yourself. And have you ever tried to get mate's rates off an electrician? It can't be done - because sparkies don't have friends.

The only draw back is carpentry leads to marijuana use....or it might be that marijuana leads to carpentry...I forget, but the point is, I have a wicked bookshelf to keep my albums on now.