My inspiration to go back to school started almost seven years ago. This is when I started my new job at Kraft Foods. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I really did not know exactly what I would be doing. What I did know, was that I would be doing manual labor of some kind. I also did not know what kind of people I would be working with or what they would think of me. I was just happy to have a job after being laid off from my job as an accounting assistant in Long Beach, California. After being out of work for almost six months and the economy being so bad in 2010, I was desperate for a job. I decided to take a minimum wage position making eight dollars an hour. Little did I know at the time, but this job would show me …show more content…
I looked for jobs all around Fresno and Clovis, I applied with PG&E, Pepsi, DMV and I even contemplated joining the Navy, this went on for six months if not longer. One day I was looking at a sports website called realgm.com (it 's a news feed site for all baseball, football, basketball, soccer and hockey) and I saw an ad on the side of the page advertising jobs with Kraft Foods. I clicked on the link and it took me to an unavailable job but there were other jobs available in Fresno so I decided to apply. After submitting my resume, I received an email asking me to call and schedule my interview with the Human Resource department the next day.
I interviewed with Kraft Foods at the unemployment office near Jensen and Highway 99 in the southwest part of Fresno. The interview went well and I was basically hired on the spot minus taking a physical. One of the memorable things that came up at the end of the interview was that they had asked me if I still wanted to accept the job as they could only pay eight dollars per hour. I was informed a person declined the job earlier based on the pay and they wanted to make sure I would be ok with accepting the wage. Being that I was in such need of a job, I immediately said yes.
My first day on the job at Kraft everything was a blur, I remember sitting in a small office waiting for someone to come take me to the area that I would be working. The person walked me downstairs to the production floor and through
Anyways, I was to work in a canning factory, “18/7”, in hazardous work conditions where I got scraped, bruised, and cut for at least ½ of the time I was working there. Subsequently, I wished every night and prayed so hard (I thought I would never fall asleep) for there to be a better job for me to snatch. “Please, please give me a better job!!” I’d say every night with exaggerated boldness and force in my words.
The idea of returning to school has always been on my mind since I graduated from PIMA. PIMA helped me realize I can pursue a degree instead of always a certificate. Since I was a little girl, I have struggled with some speech problems and mild case of a learning disability. I was placed in special education for a very long time. I got out of that when I was in my junior year of high school because I believed I was capable of doing things on my own. I know I am a good student. I know I am a hard worker. I have always had a pretty good GPA. Some words that I found hurtful in high school were from some of the paraprofessionals that worked with me throughout those years. I was told that I would never go to a regular four year college because of my struggles. I have kept those lies for so many years inside of my heart and soul. I am ready to prove them wrong and better myself by challenging myself to do it. I have achieved so many things since high school. Academic testing hasn’t always been easy for me but somehow I have moved forward and achieved. When I have taken assessment placement tests at PPCC I have felt discouraged with my
My job was in the kitchen, there were also other members of Key Club doing other activities such as giving backpacks filled with clothing for the harsh winter approaching. My job was to put hot dogs in a bun and then pass it down to the next person in the assembly line. It may have sounded simple; however, it was complex, some people had different dietary needs due to religious backgrounds. Some people who received the food were grateful, while others were impatient, the room was filled with diversity and people of all ages and from all
Returning back to school was a very natural decision for me. It seemed to be the next logical step in my personal and career goals. My ultimate goal is to be happy and healthy and be a good provider and role model. With that set aside for now, my next goal is to be financially stable and able to provide for my family in ways that my family was not able to provide for me. I definitely expect to work for what I want and earn every bit of it. The most recent motivator was that my company was willing to contribute a huge chunk of the yearly tuition, therefore removing some financial burden. This makes me feel like they truly care about my future and they really want to see me succeed.
An experience in my life that influences my goals to go back to school is when I went to jail for the first time. Going to jail is an experience that changed my life forever, because it made me think of all the wrong things I was doing with my life. When I got out of jail, I attended church for the first time and asked Jesus Christ to come into my life. After asking Jesus to come into my life, I felt a change within myself and realized I can be a good person and that I am forgiven for the bad things I did in the past. Going back to school and taking my future seriously is what I am focused on right now. I want my children to know that I am doing this for them so they can have a secure future as well. I have 3 young children who look up to me and I do not want to let them down.
The standard minimum wage level has been a controversy over its insufficient wages set for working class Americans. The minimum wage was established to protect unskilled workers from being exploited by employers’ low pay. Introducing the minimum wage provided stabilization in the workplace, but as the cost of living increases, working Americans are demanding a livable wage. In the recent past, the American dream fadedness changed the way Americans view the economy. For many wageworkers, the American dream is becoming less of a possibility as corporations minimize the chances for the poor working class to obtain the dream. However, raising the federal minimum wage will likely result in higher prices for the middle and lower classes because
I was the first female clerk that worked full-time. It wasn't very good there. Men mistreated me. They spit on me!
I have been working for the same company for 16 years, I really like my job. The pay is good, the benefits are incredible but there is no other positions available for me to move up. One option for me was to look for another job but my family depends on me financially. I’m the only income and having kids and insurance being so high out of pocket I just can’t afford it. I know that I can get a better job but the fear of me not making it, or not being hired right away is holding me back. After talking to my husband and kids and them pushing me to go back to school I was motivated and eager to start a new experience. My two main stressors are school work and one income family. Going back to school would bring me more bills but thinking
I went back to school with the simple goal of getting my degree and moving ahead in my career. School, education and obtaining my degree were always important to me, since my profession requires a bachelor degree to qualify for national certification, it was a better
It was about 22 years ago, my mom applied for a job at Sungold Seeds. She got the job and started one week later. She was a pretty good worker and her boss praised her for it. She would miss work every once in a while. Until something strange started happening.
Going back to school requires a lot of planning especially at our age, I am 47 years old and just like you, there were questions regarding going back to school that required the use of my critical thinking more than ever to be able to come up with the correct answer and ultimately a decision.
Going back to school might be exciting and it is a way of improving quality of life. However, there are too many things that can get in your way, like time management, failing or repeating a course, financial issues and personal attitude about college. Going to school and working at the same time is very challenging time wise, especially with all these assignments, home works and studying for quizzes with a short free time that I have is not as easy. Paying for school and supporting myself financially is very difficult as well. On the other hand, even when I have the time I feel lazy and I wait until last minute to get my work done. In high school I get used to the counselors and teachers do all the stuff for me and here you are on your own.
I’ve been employed in the fast food industry for just over three months now. That may not seem like very long to someone with years of experience under their belt, but I cannot stress enough how much these last few months have changed me. I’ve learned more about personal responsibility and independence at this job than I did during four years of high school. While the whole process has been meaningful to me, what really set it in motion was my first day behind the counter. My first day at a real job taught me that no one is going to hold your hand past high school, and that they shouldn’t be expected to.
Critique: Minimum Wages and Employment: A Case Study of the Fast-Food Industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania
By going back to school and getting my degree I am opening up potentially lots of doors for myself in the future. I am setting a good example for my boys and that no matter what age you are, it is never too late to go back to school and further your education. Education is the key to opening up positions in the workplace that someone without an education would not be able to pursue. The benefits will far out way the time and work that it will take for me to complete my degree. This will be something that I can be proud of and prove to myself and others that no matter how hard the goal may seem or how long it may take you to reach the end results, it is always worth it to follow your dreams. I am extremely motivated to accomplish this goal for myself.