The first step has been taken to my new future...

...and it’s not quite the one I’d been working towards.

I have spent the past couple of weeks feeling like I was stood at a crossroads with one foot in the air ready to place it on one of the roads to a new career. Quite a heady place to be, with all those possibilities ahead of me including the one I had spent a good twelve months working towards.

However... as part of getting on the Second Career program for retraining you have to research the career you wish to follow and show as that there is a reasonable chance of the training leading to a job. This is the most telling of what I found out...

Length of course:
Museum Technician - 16 months
Office/Administrative Assistant - 12 months
Computer Graphics and Web Design - 6 months

Wages (hourly average):
Museum Technician - $15.97
Graphic Design - $19.00
Web - $23.00
Graphic and Web Design - $25.50

Unemployment:
Museum Technician - 5%
Graphic Design - 3%
Web - 3%

Where the jobs are:
Museum Technician - Low in Ontario, High in Alberta and Saskatchewan
Graphic Design - High in Ontario and BC
Web - High in Ontario and BC

(I did drop some of the Office Admin research as I had come to the conclusion that I was not going to be following that option.)

Looking at this information; much as I might wish it showed otherwise (and trust me people, I looked); the museum training would not give me the kind of job that is likely to lead to a solid retirement in around twenty years. I would be living simply, on a tight budget (so what else is new), and would not be able to put much aside for the future. Also, I would probably end up having to start over in a new town (b’n there, done that...) A few other logistic issues were also tilting the scales. Things along the lines of probably having to move three time just to settle down into a first job! (Once to train, once for the internship, once to a job.) Looking at all the information and weighing all my options, I have decided to go for the graphics and web. I find myself surprisingly pleased with the decision and that any regret I feel at giving up my chance at my “dream job” is more than compensated for by the anticipation I feel at the thought of starting the graphics/web course.

I saw my Employment Counsellor on Friday and he is baking me up in my choice 100%. Going so far as to urging my Employment Consultant to getting me into the Second Career Workshop next Friday. This means I’ll be able to get the application for funding in as soon as possible and should be able to start the course July 20th. Wish me luck with the application!

It has been an interesting month...

...and sometimes life can surprise you.

Having mostly given up on getting onto the Museum course. I decided that I really needed to start focussing on some other area of second career training. It didn’t take my long to find a few options to follow up on. The long and short of it is that after a couple of weeks, a bunch of research, and some interviews, I had two offers of places at two different colleges.

One on a office admin/office assistant type course. I suspect that this one would also allow me to tap into the “hidden job market” at the end of it. The big question mark is whether I really want to spend the rest of my work life as the new version of a secretary. I could do it, and do it well. But would I really enjoy it? The second option is a graphics design course that includes web design. This later option was very, very, tempting and research shows a reasonable chance at employment afterwards. It would also be something that I feel I would enjoy doing.

Of course, as dictated by Murphy’s law, no sooner did I have both offers organised than Fleming came through with an offer of a place on the museum course. So now I have three choices. They come under: Museum Technician - I’d really love this (shame about the rate of pay and the job market); Graphics and web design - I’d like this (reasonable pay and job prospects); Office work - it’s a job (livable pay and excellent job prospects).

There are a lot of other logistic and financial considerations as well. It is good however, to have the choice of my future in my own hands, rather than being constrained by not having got onto the course I wanted.

I have some further job market research and thinking to do...

A busy end to this week...

...and a busier one ahead.

Strange... when I had a job, I had time to do house work!

Joking aside. The week started out relatively quietly; mostly watching the job sites and putting in applications. There was one cool sounding job in graphics that I suspect would be a really good fit for me. One that would be a good alternative to the plans I hope to follow. We shall have to see if I even get a shot at it. If I don’t get into the college it is the type of job that I would become quite focussed on trying to land.

Wednesday was looking into some FilKONtario outreach options. I joined some friends connecting with an group that promotes music and the arts for underprivileged children and adults in the inner city. For someone who’s been in child care for over twenty-three years it was quite interesting. After the meeting we had lunch at a small café and I then spent the afternoon with one of them and had a wonderful quiche supper at her condo before going home. It was a very pleasant day, I’d even dropped of a couple of resumes on my way downtown that morning.

Thursday I had the first interview with my Employment Advisor (EA). It seemed to go well. She seemed quite pleased with the fact that I both have a focus and am also willing to look at other things in case my plans don’t pan out. We looked at Second Career funding and what I want to get into does fall under the Second Career funding guidelines. Though there are quite a few hoops to jump through in order to get it. I wonder if it would be easier going through the college services for that (should I get in). They will have the needed information right there and not have to send it to me so I can give it to my EA. We shall have to see. She has also set me up with an appointment with one of their Career Councilors and recommenced some workshops. Then I went into the associated job centre to sign in and sign up for some of the workshops.

I also called the college to change the date of the tour of the college so that the young woman I met on my Chemistry course could join us. It was weird, we discovered the first night of the course that we were both taking it in order to qualify for the Collections and Management at Flemming. Then as the course went on we discovered that there were a lot of similarities between us. The most notable differences being that I deal better in people situations (ie presentations and interviews) and she performs better on tests (bet I’d do better now I’m sleeping properly). We discovered the weirdest similarity of all on the last night, when we were picking up our report cards. We have the same birthday....!

Friday. First of the workshops, (Negotiating a salary) reasonably interesting. Then an evening with friends for dinner and a music practice.

Saturday has been quite and I have not felt too good all day, but I did spend a nice relaxing evening with some other good friends.

Next week will be busy... Three workshops and a visit to the college campus. According to some inquiries made by the other person I know who is interested in the same course, we should find out by the 14th of this month. So we shall see. I also need to call the Colleges Canada web site and find out why my grades have not yet been updated. I’ll do that Monday.

So that should keep me out of mischief. Maybe I’ll get that housework done tomorrow while I have some time!

A Ramble

I have not yet heard anything from the college but I did get my cultural pass to all those museums last week. I will have to make sure that I get some good use out of it.

It was a quiet week. Mostly I became more focussed in the job search. I put up a couple of resumes on the web and took, or sent, out some to jobs I heard of. I shall just keep at it till I luck out (so says the ever hopeful).

The throat is mostly healed now, though I still need to be a little cautious. I did sing at the outreach house filk on Saturday though my placement took a couple of verses to settle down during the first song. I am however declaring myself healed from this point on despite some lingering spiciness issues.

On the other side of things. It’s wonderful to sleep through the night and wake up fully rested. Who knew that getting rid of a couple of large lumps in the back of my throat could make so much difference to my sleep.

Not much on this week beyond continuing the job search and an interview with someone at the job centre at Service Canada.

That’s all for now. Good wishes to all and thanks for all the encouragement people have been giving me over the past couple of months. It has been greatly appreciated.

A Challenging Week

and a Good Weekend

First, no news from the college. It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t want to get on the course so much. It would be my dream career.

Things were mostly going okay this week. Sore throat... alright... very sore throat. Not eating much though. In a single day I’d try to eat maybe three times, and that just a single item. I’d make soup and sip most of a cups worth. Have a yogurt drink, and maybe a pudding cup or something similar. In part this was because in addition to the pain of eating, I had no appetite.

Ate a bit more while out with friends Thursday night. I realised that while I need soft , or liquid stuff, seasoning is more of a problem. Spice, salt, pepper, or even concentrated sweetness, burns.

Wednesday was not a good day and I finally realised late in the afternoon that it was probably the painkillers I was on. I changed to Tylenol and talked to the surgeon Thursday and we came up with over the counter options that have been working fine. I felt much better by Thursday evening and was beginning to get my appetite back, though not eating much more than I had been.

I left a message with the college to book a private tour of the campus, as I can’t make the open house.

I was upset when I heard that dear friends had had to say goodbye to their cat. He was a sweetheart and will be remembered with love and great affection.

Friday... Only thing of note was that the college called me back to book the tour time. So that’s all done. It should be interesting and I’m looking forward to it.

The weekend has been a pleasant and productive.

Saturday was mostly a committee meeting. It went well. To start out with my committee didn’t lynch me for being a little preoccupied over the past few weeks. I also turned the corner Saturday and finally started to eat real food. Soft, and well chewed, but solid. First some bits of things at the meeting and then later when we all went out for Itallian. Granted I brought some food home for later on this week, but it was a huge improvement.

After the meal, those of us that lived in Toronto came back to my place for a couple of hours of music. I didn’t do anything, but I got to sit in a comfy chair, and scritch my Cat while the others entertained us. Very relaxing.

Today... Today I had real food. Small meals but solid. I am also finding that I am going several hours longer before I feel that I need to take the Tylenol.

Real progress. I’ll be back to normal in no time and feel ready to tackle the next stage of life next week. Find a job....

Here again

I thought that maybe it was time to talk to the world again. As long as I don’t look at the screen too much as I’m typing.

Overall things went very well with the operation and the pain level is okay as long as I keep taking my meds on schedule.

Nothing new on the college front.

No News, Is Good News...Right?

Another week gone

Here we are at the end of another week and it is time for an update. Unfortunately, I have heard nothing on the college front.. Not a, yes your in, or we don’t want YOU. Not even a, well... lets see... if the first fifteen or so that we picked drop out... then you get on the course. I am just going to have to be a good little applicant and posses my soul in patience. Darn it!.

I will let the world know as soon as I hear, one way or the other.

It has been interesting watching the Ontario Colleges web site struggling under the load of impatient applicants, especially on Monday. They also have all the final grades from last semester that they are being sent. I talked to a slightly harassed sounding, though still helpful person yesterday about my not yet updated grades.

The job search is getting underway in earnest as I will be out of work a week Sunday. I should get some stuff done Monday and Tuesday, but then it will probably be put on hold till after I’ve recovered a little from the op. Assuming it goes ahead as scheduled. I had the pre-op clinic today and for some reason my blood pressure was way higher than the week before when my doctor took it at my pre-op examination. Wonder why? I know it was just after the nurse asked me if I taken time off work to recover? But explaining the situation couldn’t account for that... could it?

Next week.
Sunday night: Goodbye supper with my boss and the kids.
Monday: Work and a morning visit to the job centre. Follow up on the Nanny Agency I contacted today. Evening at some friends for music practice.
Tuesday: Work and do some last minute stuff.
Wednesday: Hospital 12 noon. Operation 2:30. Home in the evening
Rest of the week: .........