Senior Citizens: How far did you get in school and did you end up working in a similar field?
g asked:
Do you think it’s important to get as much schooling as possible or are you glad you started working when you did?
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Do you think it’s important to get as much schooling as possible or are you glad you started working when you did?
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July 2nd, 2011 at 6:51 pm
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Us `Senior citizens` (I`m 75) did not get the opportunities that today`s youngsters are offered. Many of us had to leave school to help with the family income. Wages were pennies in those days.
The mantra (from our parents) in those days was `it`s about time you got out there and found a job. We don`t intend to keep you for ever!`
So we took whatever job we could find, any job that was available. It was a simple matter of survival.
Most of us didn`t get far in school, and our future was all a matter of luck (or not).
July 3rd, 2011 at 4:11 am
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I’m 66 and after the Navy got my BS on the GI bill. Later received an MBA. Most of this was night school while working. Education is a tool to open doors, nothing more or less, but it never hurts.
July 3rd, 2011 at 12:31 pm
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I got a B.S. and an M.S. and I taught school for several years. Then I went into the health field area and became a professional mental health/mental retardation specialist and ran a day and residential program for senior citizens who were MR/MI . I loved both of my jobs!!
July 3rd, 2011 at 6:52 pm
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I have a degree in Ed. I never used it because I made more as a mail carrier. No lesson plans, grading papers…..all the unpaid overtime.
July 5th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
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I got a BA and taught for a while and then got an MBA, MSW and MSGero. I’ve had three careers in three different fields and I’ve used my degrees in all of them. I think that without the schooling, I wouldnt have been able to get the jobs that I’ve had.
July 7th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
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I think you will be successful if its your destiny, schooling or not.
My daughters are successful in business. It was through hard work and determination that got them good paying jobs not a piece of paper.
Our son has a Bachelor’s and was out of work for months. He is in debt up to his ears with student loans and credit cards that helped keep up with life. He had to go to a debt consolidation company and work with another company with the student loans.
If you can’t get a grant(which you don’t pay back ) I don’t see the need to get yourself into debt for a job that you will never stay in past 5 years.
July 8th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
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I did not want to go to college, but I did want to be a nurse. In those days there were many programs that were just specific to that profession. When we graduated, there was a diploma, no degree. To become registered we took the same boards as the people who chose college for their nursing education and did graduate with a degree.
Yes, my education prepared me for my career.
July 9th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
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After high school I went to a business school to up my typing and shorthand. Then I worked in a small office for a few years until I got tired of doing this type of work. I worked at local department stores as a window dresser, I loved it. Later on I worked at a yacht company that built yachts. This too was fun. I do not regret not going to college. I always found interesting jobs that appealed to me. I even worked as a mail carrier for 2 years. Poppy
July 12th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
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i quit school in 11th grade due to having to help with the family finances , i got a job in a factory and helped at home . yeras later i got my ged and got a job working arc with hanicapped children til i retired.
July 15th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
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I have a BA in English and Art History. Ended up as a computer programmer. Apparently language skills translate to an aptitude for programming. I got the best of both worlds.
July 18th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
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I eventually accumulated 44 college units with night classes and such but I wish I had been able to get at least a 2 year diploma and degree. But I couldn’t afford it. I had a loan for the first full year and it took me years to repay it. I had to get back into the workforce at age 51 when my husband died and it was really hard to find people to hire me. Now that I am 63 and have gotten some experience working on computers it isn’t as hard except that there aren’t that many jobs in any field right now.
I had to go back to work after my first year of college so I could live on my own instead of living with my parents. My first real job was in 1960 and I made $1.10 an hour.
July 19th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
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graduated from high school then went into the service. went back to trade school after I got out of the service and ended up as a auto body designer. Now a days you need a good education to get anywhere
July 20th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
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I made it to recess. Does that count for anything…?
July 23rd, 2011 at 10:02 pm
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Graduated h.s. fashion illustration; attended college for advertising design and layout; meanwhile worked in retail, got discouraged.
Didn’t know how to type/steno, but taught myself (typing) and took courses, as well as court reporting. Back then, figured I didn’t want to work retail the rest of my life. Worked secretarial in the investment banking field.
Got tired of the arrogence (I wasn’t about to change my personality, or sell my soul), no job security even if you work 10-12 hr. days, and demanded overtime, went the civil service route as a word processor for the city, then as steno for the state judiciary until I retired.
I don’t regret not getting my AAS degree because Fate dealt her cards in my favor. Just understand the days of working for one company until retirement (unless you’re civil service) went out with Woolworth’s. Expect, and plan on making career changes throughout your life no matter what kind of degree you hold. Our parents for the most part, worked the same career for the same company until retirement. No more.
All the best.
July 25th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
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Masters Degree in Clinical Psych. Currently working security in a Museum….college education is way over rated in my humble opinion. If I had it to do over I’d get a trade like carpentry or mechanic training.
July 28th, 2011 at 3:12 am
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I graduated from high school in 1964. I worked for a worldwide famous microphone company until I took a maternity leave. Later, in life, I went to Cosmetology School. I then went back to school, earned my Manager’s License, so that I could open up my own hair salon, which had been a longtime dream of mine. I attended more classes on Cosmetology, so as to learn all that I could. I’m glad I got the schooling I received. In answer to your question, yes, I think it’s important to get all the schooling one can. We’re never too old to learn.
July 29th, 2011 at 9:37 am
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Bachelors… Sociology… NOPE!
Yes, but only if it can be a USEFUL education.
Have a Senior day.