Working For a Living

In our society, we often attach labels, good and bad, to the decisions people make.  This can be from where someone lives, what they drive, how the do their hair.  The list goes on.

We often attached this label to the jobs people have.

Blue collar.  White collar.

Hard work.  Cushy work.

Work beneath me.

At an early age, every job is cool!  There is no kindergarten student embarrassed to say where their parent works or what they do.  Children often want to follow the path their parents have taken in the field of employment at this point.  They are proud of what their parents do.

Then something happens.  All of a sudden certain jobs are not "cool" or looked upon as "meaningless".  Is it tied to money?  Is this why children start attaching those labels?  Do they see what certain jobs can provide financially?  Do they see exactly what each job entails?  Do they hear society talking about these jobs in a negative or positive light?  What happens?

It doesn't end in elementary school.  When students are making the decision on what to do after high school judgement is cast.  Some times by peers, other times by society.  There is still a perception that going to a two year technical institute is "less than".  Students who choose not to go to a post secondary route and enter the job force right away are often looked down upon.  Why is that?  We need people to enter these jobs right away.

There was a school did a great thing.  There are always big ceremonies for high school athletes signing contracts to play sports at colleges.  They did it for students heading right to jobs:

https://www.mnn.com/money/green-workplace/stories/signing-day-recognizes-high-school-seniors-starting-jobs-not-college

I have thought about this topic again as it was in the news about a former television actor and the career path he has chosen since he stepped away from the camera.

Geoffery Owens was on "The Cosby Show".  He played Elvin, a son-in-law, from 1985 until 1992.  Since that time, he has done some acting.  It is not those jobs that have put him back in the news.

Someone posted pictures on-line of Owens working at Trader Joe's as a checker.

And no...this was not for a role. It is his job.

The comments that have come from this fall into the idea that this is a "bad job".  There were comments how this was "a fall from grace".  People stated it was sad he was bagging groceries.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/04/entertainment/geoffrey-owens-interview/index.html

Makes me wonder:  how does that make people who work that job feel?  People who love their job at Trader Joe's.  People who face each day with more enthusiasm and zeal than someone working a job where they make six figures.  

White collar or blue collar.  All jobs should give a person a sense of satisfaction.  All jobs are necessary for this country to keep moving.  All jobs are important.  We need people to drive the bus, bag the groceries, milk the cows...just as much as we need people to heal the sick, design the house, teach to the next generation.

We need to remember this when talking to our students.  Whether they chose to go to a four year college, two year college, or right to the work force, what they are doing matters.  As a state, we have stepped away from saying making students "college ready".  It is our goal to make students "career ready".

Enjoy what you do...no matter what that job is.