Well this is my first blog here, even though I have been a regular visitor to the Batavian.
I guess this blog post is more for me and to be able to vent my frustrations, since my family although supportive is tired of hearing me lol.
Back in 2008, unsatisfied with my career choices and a failed venture into a job position, I decided to, at the age of 43, to enter college and obtain my Associates Degree, with the hopes that it would open new doors for me. I was one of those that were able to get the unemployment extensions that I lived off while attending school. Now that isn't to say that I didn't work I actually took a full time temporary position that I worked for 9 months while attending classes, but after the position ended, I decided that my grades were more important and made the sacrifice of doing without things I enjoyed to further my education.
After obtaining my degree with straight A's and accumulating a large student loan debt because it is just my husband I, so I did not qualify for any form of financial aid. I now question if taking the time, effort, and money was really worth it. I have been looking for work since January, and because of my choice to not work while going to school it seems like I am being punished, for that is the first thing that employers look at, is that I haven't worked steady for over 2 years, and do not acknowledge that it was because I was in school.
Now that I am on my last two weeks of unemployment with no extensions, I fear that all that I worked for, and what my husband and I have worked for these last 20 years are at risk of being lost just because I decided to better myself, but employers do not see it.
It actually disheartens me that instead of working with others to help them, that I will end up doing clerical work again through the temporary agencies, which I could have done without going into debt.
Another area of disappointment is that when I started college, so many jobs only required an Associates, but now the are asking for a Bachelors, which there is no way I can even think of obtaining because I just cannot go into more debt.
I just get so frustrated, because I am an excellent worker, but no one wants to give me that chance, and it makes me feel sometimes that I have been duped by the educational system to be indebted to them and being no better off than where I was before.
Well, that is my vent and of anyone knows of anyone hiring, let me know, I am more than willing and able to get back to it!
