I hate to sound like one of those "look on the brightside" jackasses, but here goes. Since you spent some time in the metalsmithing lab, you could easily get certified as a welder. And, because of "No Child Left Behind", there is a shortage of certified welders. It may not be a dream job but because of the lack of welders, according to an NPR report, a man getting out of jail after 18 years already had a welding job lined up that paid 50k a year and a company truck and torch.

Ok but that does sound pretty badass lol