By Melissa
Our factory shut down in September of 2005. We were not prepared for the dramatic change. Everybody was in the same boat; we had worked in the factory for years some longer then others. This was our source of income and for some their main source. We had been given a choice of finding a job or go back to school and retrain for a better job. The decision was hard for some and for some it was like a dream come true. I would say I was in the middle.
When I had to decide on which option to choose from it didn’t take me long to make a decision. I decided to go back to school. I thought on how nice it would be to go to a job that you like and go to a job and make really good money. Then I thought how wonderful a new job would be. Then I thought can I do this, I have been out of school for a while, am I smart enough, and will I make it?
Now I have been going to an Adult Learning Center for almost 6 months and I’m confident to say I have answered some of my questions before I started here. When I started at ALC we had to take some tests to find out were we needed help to get us ready for college. Boy was it different from working in a factory! When working in a factory you don’t use your brain. You do the same thing over and over 8 hrs a day 5 days a week. I always claimed I could sew a pair of pants with my eyes closed.
Coming to school for so many days a week and so many hours a day is hard. Using your brain is much harder then working in a factory. There was so much that I forgot since school. Then there was stuff that I didn’t even learn in school. I thought if learning things I forgot since school or learning new things was so hard, Could I do it when I go on to college? I do feel like I have an advantage over some of the women that I use to work with and go to school with now. Some of the ladies have worked at the factory a lot longer then me, some of them are almost at the age of retirement, a lot of them had worked there all of their life, and most of them have been out of school a long time.
I think it has been hard for all of us. I think we all have come along ways. We have almost finished our training and fixing to go on our different ways. CAP has done a lot for us. They have taught me so much. They have really great teachers that want to help you succeed. They have encouraged us that we could do anything if we set our mind to it and if there is a job you want, don’t let anything stand in your way.
Coming to CAP for school for 6 months has got us in a routine for college. I think college won't be such a bother because we are used to coming to school. I think if we didn’t come to CAP it would be hard to regulate our agenda for college. CAP is great and I would recommend if you need any kind of educational needs, CAP would help you.
Our factory shut down in September of 2005. We were not prepared for the dramatic change. Everybody was in the same boat; we had worked in the factory for years some longer then others. This was our source of income and for some their main source. We had been given a choice of finding a job or go back to school and retrain for a better job. The decision was hard for some and for some it was like a dream come true. I would say I was in the middle.
When I had to decide on which option to choose from it didn’t take me long to make a decision. I decided to go back to school. I thought on how nice it would be to go to a job that you like and go to a job and make really good money. Then I thought how wonderful a new job would be. Then I thought can I do this, I have been out of school for a while, am I smart enough, and will I make it?
Now I have been going to an Adult Learning Center for almost 6 months and I’m confident to say I have answered some of my questions before I started here. When I started at ALC we had to take some tests to find out were we needed help to get us ready for college. Boy was it different from working in a factory! When working in a factory you don’t use your brain. You do the same thing over and over 8 hrs a day 5 days a week. I always claimed I could sew a pair of pants with my eyes closed.
Coming to school for so many days a week and so many hours a day is hard. Using your brain is much harder then working in a factory. There was so much that I forgot since school. Then there was stuff that I didn’t even learn in school. I thought if learning things I forgot since school or learning new things was so hard, Could I do it when I go on to college? I do feel like I have an advantage over some of the women that I use to work with and go to school with now. Some of the ladies have worked at the factory a lot longer then me, some of them are almost at the age of retirement, a lot of them had worked there all of their life, and most of them have been out of school a long time.
I think it has been hard for all of us. I think we all have come along ways. We have almost finished our training and fixing to go on our different ways. CAP has done a lot for us. They have taught me so much. They have really great teachers that want to help you succeed. They have encouraged us that we could do anything if we set our mind to it and if there is a job you want, don’t let anything stand in your way.
Coming to CAP for school for 6 months has got us in a routine for college. I think college won't be such a bother because we are used to coming to school. I think if we didn’t come to CAP it would be hard to regulate our agenda for college. CAP is great and I would recommend if you need any kind of educational needs, CAP would help you.
