I’m a 24-year-old Mechanical Engineer, and I’m looking to get back into freelancing after being away from it for around 1.5 years.
Previously, I freelanced on Fiverr and Upwork, mainly doing AutoCAD drafting and related work. However, I don’t want to continue in the same domain. I want to learn a new, future-oriented skill that can potentially help me build a freelance income of around $1,200–$1,500 per month.
I’m not expecting to make that amount immediately. My goal is to gradually build towards it over the coming months by learning, practicing, building a portfolio, and acquiring clients.
I can consistently dedicate around 2–3 hours every day to this. I have a good internet connection, I’m comfortable learning new tools, and most importantly, I’m willing to put in the work.
Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot about:
• AI Automation / AI Agents
• Copywriting
• Other AI-related freelance services
AI automation in particular has caught my attention because of the growing demand for businesses to automate repetitive tasks and workflows.
But I don't want to blindly jump onto a trend. I want to choose something that has real demand, good earning potential, and can realistically be learned and monetized alongside a full-time career.
So I’d really appreciate some advice from people who are already freelancing or working in these fields:
If you had 2–3 hours a day and wanted to build towards $1,200–$1,500/month in freelance income within the next several months, what skill/domain would you choose today?
And if you’re already making money through AI automation, copywriting, or another online service, I’d especially appreciate hearing about your experience.
What should I learn, how long did it take you to become competent, and most importantly—how did you get your first few clients?
I’m genuinely willing to put in the effort and learn from scratch.
Looking forward to hearing your advice. 🙌