those looking at the first rung of the ladder should really be considering which is the best ladder for them.
Dentistry!
Dentists are second on the list just behind doctors, but doctors spend seven years qualifying, for dentists its just a three year degree (in England) followed by one year's vocational training. Easy-peasy! Once you've done your time as an associate in someone else's practice you can start your own and earn even more money than a Plumber!