By Veronica
My factory shut down and moved overseas. According to the new government rules this entitled me to TRA (Trade Readjustment Assistance) this allows me to be re-trained in the work field. I will be paid to go to school plus the government will pay for my college. This sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, but for me it was a very scary feeling. Telling someone who has a family and monthly bills and obligations to give up a weekly paycheck and benefits can be overwhelming. You still receive unemployment but for myself it is less than working at a job. As the day approached to go to the ALC, all my fears of going to school resurfaced such as: ‘Can’t afford to do this’ ‘I can’t go to school, I’m 40’ ..‘I haven’t been to school in forever’.. “I can’t take a computer class I don’t know that much about them”. I was giving myself all the reasons of why I couldn’t go to school, but to my surprise, my family have been the ones who have encouraged me to go on to school.
My factory shut down and moved overseas. According to the new government rules this entitled me to TRA (Trade Readjustment Assistance) this allows me to be re-trained in the work field. I will be paid to go to school plus the government will pay for my college. This sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, but for me it was a very scary feeling. Telling someone who has a family and monthly bills and obligations to give up a weekly paycheck and benefits can be overwhelming. You still receive unemployment but for myself it is less than working at a job. As the day approached to go to the ALC, all my fears of going to school resurfaced such as: ‘Can’t afford to do this’ ‘I can’t go to school, I’m 40’ ..‘I haven’t been to school in forever’.. “I can’t take a computer class I don’t know that much about them”. I was giving myself all the reasons of why I couldn’t go to school, but to my surprise, my family have been the ones who have encouraged me to go on to school.
I am five months into my education at ALC and believe it or not, it’s not that bad, “I CAN DO THIS.” I have learned a lot with computers. I am refreshed on my mathand I am learning how to type. I will be attending a forty-two week program that will help me get a job in a office doing secretarial work. Am I scared? The answer is no. I think coming to the ALC has taken the edge off of doing schoolwork and learning new things. I am glad I decided to go on to school and I think I will enjoy starting the office essentials program.
