College Education (again)

[Bifflefan]

So i'm starting my Bachelors Degree, actually its the second qtr already.
This is the 3rd time I have decided to futher my education. The others have been tech schools for truck driving, (not the crappy schools they have today) and for auto mechanic.
I have enjoyed each of the schools, but this is by far the best one.
I never thought of myself as the "office type". But after having an office job for the last 3 years it has grown on me. I was always the one saying "I'll never have an office job, thats just not for me." Wow, was I wrong.

How many others have gone to a different career than what you thought you wanted or decided to go back to school?

By the way, at 45 im the old man at school....

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: College Education (again)

Amazing how we gain wisdom with age. Good for you! Education is a great thing

 

[JB]

Re: College Education (again)

Best way I know to broaden your options. Good show, go for it.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: College Education (again)

My return wasn't for a different career, it was basically to further the one I already had. I originally went to college for electrical engineering but was a little too dumb for that and didn't graduate. Got my career in web development started when an engineering firm I had an internship at wanted me to develop an intranet site for them. When I decided not to return to school (pretty much failed everything) they hired me full time. I am very grateful to that firm and their owner for the opportunity they gave me. Fast forward about 5 years and a couple different jobs, I decided to go back to school and get my bachelors in computer science. I found it to be very rewarding and challenging. I did a little better that time and graduated with around a 3.8 GPA. I have considered going back again (now another 5 years later) to get my masters but we have pretty lame tuition reimbursement here and there just wouldn't be much ROI on the endeavor for me to finance it. Lots of colleges now have accelerated degree completion programs specifically geared towards returning adult students. Heck, the one I graduated from was a small private college that you would not have expected to have such an offering.

 

[eavega]

Re: College Education (again)

I went to college out of high school more out of expectations from my parents than any real desire to move down some career path. My results showed my lack of interest, and I was dismissed for academic performance two years later. From there I went on to have an interesting career in Transportation Logistics. Wound up with a group that dealt exclusively with trade shows and exhibitions. I had a lot of fun traveling on the company's dime and moving stuff all over the world. After about 11 years of that, I realized that while it was fun, it didn't pay very well unless you were on the project management side, so I decided to go back to college to get a business degree. After a couple of business computing classes, I realized I had a knack for problem solving using computers and changed my major to Computer Science. I graduated Magna Cum Laude at age 30 with my Bachelors in Computer Science and have gone on to work for IBM, for some small startups, and now for a financial services company. I'm slowly edging my way into Project Management, and pondering going back for my MBA now. I can tell you that while it would've probably been easier to have done it when I was 18, there were some definite advantages to doing it later in life; First off, I was much more focused when I went back to school, and my results show that. Second, I was sure of what I wanted to do. Had I graduated in my first go-round in college I would've had a very interesting but (in my opinion) an oh-so-useless degree in either Biology or Marine Science. I say useless in light of the employment and earnings prospect with either one of those degrees at the Bachelor level as compared to the Computer Science degree I earned.

I can also tell you it is much more difficult to balance family, work, and school at a later stage in your life than it is when you are a teenager/young adult. My wife and I would go a week or two without actually seeing each other, as my schedule was pretty solid between work and school from the time I got up to the time I went to bed (if I got to go to bed). All I can say is hang in there, because the rewards are definitely worth the effort.

Rgds

 

[jkust]

Re: College Education (again)

Good for you. A 4 year degree at this point it seems is the bare minimum. It certainly opens many more doors than not having one however. The funny thing is, I'd never have even gotten a peak into the world I operate in career wise without a degree, but interestingly, the owner of the company I work for never went to college as he is a Brit. When I went to undergraduate school, quite honestly I had no clue what I'd ultimately be involved in by the time I graduated. It certainly was maybe the best decision I ever made however.
Good luck.

 

[dingbat]

Re: College Education (again)

I'm slowly edging my way into Project Management, and pondering going back for my MBA now.

Think long and hard about becoming a PM. I have a heavy background in manufacturing and engineering management. When our company was bought out by Honeywell, I was asked to manage 10 PM plus the staff of the projects group.

My frequent flier mileage went though the roof and I slept on the couch in the waiting room more times than I care to remember. The pay and the fringe benefits where great, but the time away from home played havoc with my wife and two young children who where 6 and 3 at the time.

I stayed in that position for 5 years. I took a steady string of continuing education classes and numerous seminars which allowed me to get my PMP certification. I left to Manage the inside Sales Department after that. Still spend a few sleepiness nights on planes but nothing like I did as a PM

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: College Education (again)

Thanks to all for the regards.
I am enjoying class this time, the older and wiser really makes a difference.

 

[mscher]

Re: College Education (again)

I went the opposite direction.

Studied electronics school and was a USAF Radar technician, before moving into Information Technology, for 12 years. During most this time, IT was actually challenging and enjoyable. I did not have a degree, but had Industry certifications and some college. It was great money. That was then.

Now I drive a hazmat tanker truck. I make more money and have my own "office", with a view. I raise egg hens and sheep, on the side.

You'd have to put a gun to my head, before I'd walk back into a computer data center.