Showing posts with label vocational skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vocational skills. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Finding A Better Job Takes Effort That Not Everyone Wants To Make

Dear  Tazi:

I hate my job. It is a dead-end position that I took out of desperation because I was out of work, but now I find myself wishing I had stayed on unemployment benefits and looked for something better. I am a low-skill worker with no more than a high school education, so I know I will never be rich, but I would at least like to be able to afford a few nice things while working at a job I like.

Please don't suggest that I go back to school because I can't afford it and never liked school anyway. I am just wondering how I might find a better paying position in a less demeaning job.

Signed,
Stuck In Hell

Dear Stuck In Hell:

You don't say what you are doing, just that you do not like doing it; nor do you say what you are capable of doing, just what you are not capable of doing. So long as you continue to concentrate on what you cannot do you will never find a job that plays to your strengths, which will not only bring job satisfaction but the chance to make your way out of the dead-end job where you currently find yourself.

My saying this might surprise you, but I do not believe that a college education is appropriate for everyone! Not everyone has an interest in a traditional education and not all jobs require one. I am, on the other hand, a huge proponent of vocational education and the skills that such an opportunity can provide. Depending on where you work, you can make a good living in any number of semi-skilled positions. However, in order to qualify for them, you need to learn the necessary skills.


If the company for which you currently work has any type of job-training programs or assistance, I suggest you take advantage of it. This will not only show your employer that you are better than your current job, but show them that you are willing to learn new skills in order to make a better living. You are willing to learn new skills, aren't you? Otherwise, I cannot see how you will leave the world of soul-sucking, dead-end jobs.

Some careers that require skilled and semi-skilled labor are construction, carpentry, and general labor, as well as office positions such as bookkeeping, reception, and secretarial positions. Some cities have specialized areas looking to hire, like Chemical Technology (many of these places are willing to train workers) or health and medical care.

A great way to find a better job is through networking. Tell people that you are looking for a better job and that you are willing to take advantage of on-the-job training programs; you will be surprised at the opportunities that are out there for people who are willing to think outside the box. If, in the end, all of this sounds like too much effort you will at least know why you are working a dead-end job. Good things come to those who work for them.

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Vocational Education Can Lead To Great Things!

Dear Tazi:

I am thirteen and will be entering the ninth grade this coming school year. My local high school has a vocational school on campus, and students who go to the main school can take classes there in addition to their regular classes on the main campus. I would love to take classes in auto body work or auto mechanics, but my parents refuse to let me. They say that no child of theirs is going to grow up to be a “grease monkey” and that I need to take courses that will get me into a good college.

Tazi, I have loved cars since I was a little kid. I want to learn how to restore classic cars, and this would be a great opportunity for me to learn how to do that. I could take these classes along with my regular college prep classes, so its not like I have to trade one for another. My parents think it would be better for me to take an extra history course or art appreciation course to “round out” my “educational curriculum”. I have tried to convince them that classic cars are a form of art but they are standing firm. How can I convince them that this is what I want more than anything? My guidance counselor is cool with this, but I need at least one parent’s signature before she will sign off on me signing up for these classes.

Signed,
Hot Rodder

Dear Hot Rodder:

What decade are your parents living in that they think auto mechanics are “grease monkeys”? Today’s cars are all computerized and require a high degree of skill and technical training to repair. Expensive post-secondary education is required to learn how to fix mechanical problems with cars and most shops and auto dealerships prefer that their employees come on board with at least some knowledge of how to make these repairs.

Or is this guy their mechanic?

Auto body restoration and repair is also skilled work that many consider an art. People who are well trained and show talent in this field generally have no problem finding well-paying jobs after high school graduation – well paying jobs that can assist with the cost of college tuition, thus reducing the financial burden on your parents. Do you see where I am leading you?

I suggest that you ask your parents for a compromise: If they let you sign up for the automotive classes you want you in turn will promise not to let your grades slip in any of your other classes. This will require a lot of hard work on your part, but the result will please both you and your parents: you will get to take the classes you really want to take and you will be getting good enough grades to get into a good college.

Many vocational schools have open houses or informational pamphlets for parents to learn more about the programs offered to their children; I suggest you look into both and find what you can as you prepare to make your case to your parents. If they agree to let you take the classes, you will not only need to keep up your end of the bargain but also keep your parents in the loop on what you are learning and why you enjoy your classes so much. Good parents want two things for their grown children: for them to be happy and for them to be successful; show them that these classes you want to take can bring you to both ends.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Quarter-Life Leaves Man Wondering "Is This All There Is?"

Dear Tazi:

I have no direction in life. I am 24 and never went to college, so my career opportunities are limited to my skills, which are also limited. Every day I wake up, go to work, come home and watch TV or go out drinking with friends. I don't have a "lady friend", as you might say, but there is one particular [prostitute] that I visit regularly. However, when you pay someone for sex you can't exactly count them as a girlfriend.

With both Valentine's Day and my 25th birthday coming up, I feel like I am missing out on something. I want more out of life, but I don't know where to find it or how to get it. What's your secret?

Signed,
Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For

Dear Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For:

Could it be that you are still searching because you do not know what you want, so even if you found it you would not recognize it for what it is?

As an abandoned cat who was taken in by the shelter, I knew exactly what I wanted: a human who would love me and care for me like I was their child. I found that in my Mommie; I want for nothing more. Through struggle, I was able to discern my needs and target my wants so when opportunity knocked, I was ready to answer the door. That is my "secret"; nothing  more, nothing less.

Do you know what you want in life? It is obvious from your letter that you are seeking more than what your current life offers. What is it missing, other than a proper lady friend? If you seek a better job, seek a way to improve your skills. Many community college and adult education programs offer vocational training for those who do not seek a degree. If you seek a proper lady friend, stop looking for her at the bar and try other social venues - parties, coffee shops, church/synagogue (if you are religious), join a gym (if nothing else, you will get healthier which can improve your personal outlook on life) or even try meeting someone at a rock 'n' bowl event!

Do not expect your life to turn around overnight - Rome wasn't built in a day, you know! Take baby steps towards improving your situation; take risks and try new things. These efforts will no doubt make you a more interesting person while introducing you to new paths to travel in life - where you will hopefully find what you seek.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.