When the topic of successful careers comes up, the images that it creates are of hours and hours of toiling over books, endless exams, five and six years of study, and a whole lot of bother in general. Think doctors, engineers, architects, scientists, lawyers and programmers. ‘Grueling’ is the word that is most often used to describe these conventional career paths. We treat stories of shortcut, quick-fix careers that require a year or a little more of training or study as the exception, rather than a rule, an occurrence that happens rarely, and has a lot to do with luck.

That’s not really true, though. Today with the sheer amount of diversity available in terms of career options and amount of limited, focused study required to execute these jobs means you can gain specific, almost blinkered training that just teaches you how to ace one specific job in a short span of time and then you’re on your way. Here are few career options that do just that.

Five Quick-launch Careers

Network and Computer Systems Administrator. Communications are a vital part for the operation for firms big and small the country over, and a lot if not all of it happens over the Internet these days. A network and computer systems administrator makes sure that whether it is hardware or software related, nothing trips up the workplace’s Internet and intranet networks. In terms of pay, USA News – money reports that the median annual salary is $74,000 for network and computer systems administrators. Depending upon the size of the firm and the job at hand, qualifications can range from a certificate degree to a bachelor’s program.

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairer. When it comes to high skill jobs like that of mechanics, installers, and repair personnel, there’s always one person overseeing the operations. That’s essentially what the job of a first-line supervisor entails. Planning and overseeing the execution of mechanic, installation, and repair jobs. The mean pay-packet according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics is $63,490 as of 2013, and the educational qualification is a high-school diploma and certificate course in the profession.

Medical Transcription. Doctors have to see a lot of patients in a very small window of time. This means that despite the need for it, doctors just can’t find the time to write or type out lengthy medical reports for each of their patients. So, to save time they make audio recordings of all the details that need to go into a patient’s medical records, and the job of turning these recordings into legitimate, typed-out medical records is called Medical Transcription. Career Step says that the middle 50% wages of medical transcription... ranges between $27,240 and $39,820 a year. The education required? A simple certificate course that can be accomplished within four months of full-time study and can even be taken online.

Media and Communication Equipment Worker. Very few events of any note are not broadcast live or at least recorded for later publishing these days, YouTube is proof enough of that. This means the requirement for highly specialized individuals who have the technical knowhow and artistic knack required to run these equipment is increasing every day. As a media and communication equipment worker you will be expected to use the plethora of A/V and digital devices used to record these events, whether they be music, sports, weddings or corporate events. You need only have a high school diploma, because everything else is taught on the job, and the mean pay is $66,570 as per the BLS.

Environmental Engineering Technician. An interesting job for the outdoorsy type. With the focus on the environment and corporate social responsibility being as important as it is in modern times, the job of an environmental engineering technician is very important. You have to make sure that all the plans of an environmental engineer are physically enforced, and collect pollution data among other things. Salary.com says that the median pay for an environmental engineer is $42,015. An associate’s degree is required to qualify for this job. 

For those who want to build a well-paying, career without putting in all those extra hours of study into it, these are some of the lucrative options you can pursue. You can choose to become a network admin, or undertake medical transcription training, the opportunities are out there, as long as you know where to look.