update

[Mazin]

don't forget to get your merchant Guard License

[hurley842002]

You have the whole Arkansas River valley to find a place to live. Unless you want to live in the city of course. I knew some guards 20 years ago, that just sat in a tower with a rifle all day. Other guys are on teams that hunt escapees. I never ever heard of a layoff. The US marshals handle all the federal prisoners transport, and I see the convoys rarely. Colorado DOC does their own transports. I hope this information helps. Good luck with your search!

You are correct with the DOC information, not quite with the Federal transport. I do agree with you on the OP considering prison work, especially Federal (if he can get in), it?s likely to be one of the highest paying entry level (i.e. no education, not super competitive) jobs in Colorado. I heard the DOC got a significant pay raise, putting them closer to the BOP.


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[Bailey Guns]

I think if I had it to do all over again and didn't want to necessarily go to college, I'd try to get on as a lineman with a power company. I new more than just a few guys in the Bailey area that had been with the local power company for 10 years or more and were all making $100k+ per year. Not bad for a job that's all on-the-job training.

[BushMasterBoy]

You are correct with the DOC information, not quite with the Federal transport. I do agree with you on the OP considering prison work, especially Federal (if he can get in), it?s likely to be one of the highest paying entry level (i.e. no education, not super competitive) jobs in Colorado. I heard the DOC got a significant pay raise, putting them closer to the BOP.


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I lived in Florence from middle 90's to the end. I was there before SuperMax was even finished. I do remember the riot on Bill Clintons birthday and the sound of gunfire. They had rioted before, but no shots fired. I know high profile prisoners are flown in. I have seen prisoners being transported by private companies, so that job possibility is an opportunity too. I would not recommend Florence or Canon City as places to live. I am just saying that's the way it was 20 years ago. The valley has some of the most beautiful scenery.

[FoxtArt]

Fremont County (with Florence and Canon City and Penrose) has something like 16 prisons - # is probably off after all these years - and more than 50% of their economy is based on those prisons. AFAIK the state DOC isn't paying awesome their either, and the local LEO's were having starting wages of $15.75/h last I checked (~ 3 years ago). You might have job security there, but it comes at a bad price. It makes things very abnormal when half the town is quite literally a prison guard, and another huge portion is families of incarcerated - the result is not cliche Colorado small town life. ETA: There's also a long history of local corruption in the press there if you do your google searches. Some of it is more than just foam on a beer - botched homicides, deputies absconding with murder evidence, threatening locals if they report to CBI, stuff like that...

[BushMasterBoy]

FoxtArt is dead on with the "atmosphere" of the cities near the prisons. I'm trying not to bash the area.

[hurley842002]

Fremont County (with Florence and Canon City and Penrose) has something like 16 prisons - # is probably off after all these years - and more than 50% of their economy is based on those prisons. AFAIK the state DOC isn't paying awesome their either, and the local LEO's were having starting wages of $15.75/h last I checked (~ 3 years ago). You might have job security there, but it comes at a bad price. It makes things very abnormal when half the town is quite literally a prison guard, and another huge portion is families of incarcerated - the result is not cliche Colorado small town life. ETA: There's also a long history of local corruption in the press there if you do your google searches. Some of it is more than just foam on a beer - botched homicides, deputies absconding with murder evidence, threatening locals if they report to CBI, stuff like that...

I couldn?t recommend anything in the ?East Canyon Complex? for precisely the reasons you mentioned. Florence/ADX is better, and the bulk of those folks live in Pueblo West or South Springs, never stepping foot in CC.

Prisons in metro areas are a completely different dynamic, and much more recommended.


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[Irving]

I think if I had it to do all over again and didn't want to necessarily go to college, I'd try to get on as a lineman with a power company. I new more than just a few guys in the Bailey area that had been with the local power company for 10 years or more and were all making $100k+ per year. Not bad for a job that's all on-the-job training.

This. ^^
When ever there is a hurricane or similar windy storm, linemen come from all over the country to make double over time for a week, then go home and buy boats. Plus you get to learn a tangible skill set.

[The Norseman]

Don't rule out the small towns away from the metro for work. Including west slope, southern Colorado (mostly Durango), steamboat, etc.

There's a ton of reasons to be avoiding the metro Denver area in late 2020 / 2021.

Durango area (even up into Silverton) is as expensive if not more so than front range for real estate prices. Jobs are all service industry unless you can telecommute. Don?t come here, there?s already too many and the out of staters coming are going to make it suck worse...


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[fitterjohn]

Also, keep in mind that the trades always need dudes. They're the best kept secret that several generations of "Muh college!!!!" by HS guidance counselors have screwed a lot of guys out of, who are now in office jobs and hating life while making less money than an experienced tradesman. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten into plumbing or specialty welding.

Unless one has a very specific reason/path in mind, a degree really means jack other than a mentality of going with the flow and being willing to put on massive debt with very little return versus other paths.

Gotta plus one this. I?m a college drop out with a 2.8 hs gpa. But I?m also a pipe fitter and clear 80-100k ( before taxes) every year since I was in my early 20s. They start you at a highish hourly(I think 16 and full medical ) on day one, you don?t pay for your education, they find you the job, the raise in pay is late out for you over 5 year apprenticeship, you can do it anywhere and can?t be outsourced, get a pension still, and the medical insurance covers all your dependents and doesn?t come out of your hourly wage. Oh and if your a service tech you take the company truck home with the company gas.