REI Adjacent Career as an Appraiser?

[Caleb Williams]

Hope this is relevant to the forum and please tell me if it's not: Curious if anyone is working as an Appraiser in addition to investing in real estate or other career? 

I'm a new investor with a 2 year goal of replacing half of my W2 income with cashflow from my properties. Meanwhile, I would love to build bridges to other careers to transition out of my current W2 (only after I grab my 1st property I've been pre-approved for based on that W2). I realize that on the surface the most practical solution is sticking out my W2, but I'm finding it has been very limiting in terms of the dulling mindset I'm surrounded by (yet I can't listen to podcasts, read, take phone calls, etc), the pay is only average, and love learning new things and have been with this company for a collective 13 years since shortly after college. I'm ready to mix things up. 

I would love any opinions on how being an Appraiser mixes with other jobs and works/doesn't as a side-gig. From the little I know, it seems to lean heavier towards a full time role, especially in the trainee period which would be 2 years in the wonderful state of TN, which from what I could tell would be under my current pay. For these reasons, I'm thinking it may hinder my overall goals, but don't want to completely rule out the possibility if folks out there have found success.

As far as why I'm drawn to the career: flexible schedule, weird love for numbers, driving for dollars between jobs, general REI adjacency, daily variety of location, outdoor/indoor, relatively active (on my feet), potential for solid income after certification (especially on the commercial side).

Thanks!