The reason I am a student at MATC is because it is the beginning of the next chapter of my life. Over the past 2 years realized I reached the end of my current career. I explored the possibilities of what I could do for my next vocation. I knew I needed more education or a trade to make that leap. Attending a four year university didn't make sense financially.  A technical degree can allow for a faster career change and is cost efficient. I looked at the dental hygienist and medical programs. They just didn't seem to be the right fit.

I stepped back from trying to decide for a few months and applied for jobs in my field that I thought would be interesting. Maybe if I had a new job I could curb my burnout. The jobs I picked to apply for did not include supervising employees or managing large operations. I was told I was over qualified or the jobs were below my pay grade. It was evident I had hit the ceiling and in reality I just wanted out. I felt like I was trapped. I had a right. I had served my time.

I never intended for social work to be a career. When I attended UW-Milwaukee (UWM) a friend of mine worked for an agency that provided housing and support services for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses. She urged me to apply and was I hired. I changed my major from education to psychology because I was so fascinated with psychopathology. I earned my Bachelor's degree and decided to continue on and obtain my Masters. At the time, UWM had two tracks for earning a Masters degree in social work; marriage and family therapy and administration. I couldn't stand the thought of sitting in a room and listening to people talk about their problems day after day. I wanted to influence the actions of others in finding solutions to difficult systemic problems.

Post college, after years of working, I had a conversation with someone about the lack of value in social service work. This person said to me, "It's because you take care of people no one cares about." While that comment seemed harsh and over generalized, it made sense to me. People who have severe mental illness or those who have intellectual and physical disabilities aren't seen as contributors to society. They require a great deal of financial resources but don't give back economically. And, they make the general public uncomfortable with their behaviors and their needs.

I would always say to people the only reason I went into social work was that I wasn't good at math. I would have been a geologist or paleontologist had I been able comprehend chemistry and math better. It took me 25 years to realize that the reason I likely went into social work was to protect people. Those who are the most vulnerable and those who are not valued are also the most abused and less able to fight back. I fought. I did it very well for a long time but my soul was crushed by the weight of 25 years of social service bureaucracy. I was burned out. That had happened many times over the years but this time was irreversible.

The one benefit burnout had for me was I had to look for ways to balance the stress of my work life. I have had to reconnect with old hobbies and look for new interests. Creativity was the biggest way to combat burnout.

As I disconnected from my career I became interested in the world of IT.  It is vast, ever changing, growing, fast-paced, seemingly limitless. A microcosm of the universe. I enjoy problem solving and have a lot of patience. I want to make sure that I'm always learning and staying on top of what's new culturally and technically. I don't want to be left behind, obsolete. I'm naturally curious and always want to know how things work and why they work.

When I decided to finally enroll at MATC I met with an advisor who suggested I take an Accuplacer test after I told her I was interested in IT. I very assertively said no because it would most certainly indicate I should seek a career in human services. I was determined for a big change in my life.  I registered and enrolled in the network administrator associate degree program after looking at trends in the IT field and the curriculum.

What I didn't say earlier was that I attended MATC in 1987. I was declined admittance to UWM because my high school grade point was awful. Wasted potential as my mother would say. To get accepted I had to go to MATC and prove that I could do the work and achieve.  I wasn't ready for higher education when I first attended MATC but I was able to succeed enough to get accepted into UWM and graduated Cum Laude.

I have come full circle. I have returned to MATC to start my next chapter and my new career.