Is getting an Apple Certified Macintosh Technician Certification (ACMT) worth it?

I guess this is more an opinion-related question than a factual one, so many apologies if it doesn’t belong here, but this is the only place I’d actually trust to ask, seeing that the teeming hordes (not: not teaming hoards) seem to have their axons and dendrites arranged in an exceedingly advantageous manner.

But as an out-of-work, 56 (yesterday!)-year-old male who thinks he’s really good at writing and once made a living as a graphic designer at a major airline (make that the SOLE graphic designer for a very large Canadian airline’s cargo division!) until Osama Been Come and Destroyed Freelance Design Opportunities with large airlines, does anyone think studying for, then maybe acquiring said certificate would help said job seeker get ahead in the world, or just be a colossal waste of time and money?

I love computers, love Apple, am bad at math and have no electronics background whatsoever and would love to make a living tinkering with Rolls Royce Trent engines for 747s but realise this is like wishing Santa was not in gaol on Baffin Island for “committing lewd acts with elves” but am seriously considering making this commitment.

Has anyone ever done it or known someone who did. and possibly write words of sagacity and recommendations or even encouragement upon the subject?

A life may hang in the balance for what the “teaming hoards” have for an answer or opinion.

Moderator Action

Since this is asking for opinions, let’s move it to IMHO.

Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion.

Computer shop owner chiming in.

Just an FYI from a guy who has made his hobby into a business. If you “like tinkering with computers” you can become a decent tech, just realize, one of the fastest ways to start hating it is to monetize it.

I started with all kinds of fun fantasies about building awesome gaming machines and helping people out. Its amazing how fast your world can turn into a morass of paperwork and backordered parts while customers blow your phone up and complain how long its taking and how much its costing no matter what you do to make it as quick and painless as possible.

If you are looking to work for someone else life will be simpler, but I would suspect <brutal honesty moment> not alot of shops are going to be quick to pick up a 56 year old rookie technician.

You might have better luck with doing graphic design work elsewhere unless you hate it. With the volume of experience you have, you might have decent luck with plenty of design related fields as well or targeting a low volume high cost niche like presentation or convention bundles (banners/signage, flyers, brochures, etc all bundled at one package)