Hi, Guest
Since we all seem to be posting our "higher education stories" I figured I may as well toss my log on the fire.
Took the Systems Analyst program at Sheridan from 93 to 95.
First year wasn't so bad, had some money from my summer job that year, a part time gig at the legal clinic where I now work and OSAP contributed. Biggest hassle was the fact that for the first six months I had to take Transhelp (a disabled transit service) from Mississauga to Brampton. It was during that time I think, that I learned to curb my then rather nasty temper as I soon realized that bitching out drivers who showed up two hours late to take me home from school or causing me to miss hours at the clinic wasn't doing anyone any good (esp. me)
I also discovered during this first year just how tough it was to get the co-op placements required to earn the course credits. Oh I got lots of interviews, but once they saw me in the flesh, callbacks were scarce :(
Second year things got easier & worse as I had my drivers license and a car, but OSAP changed their eligibility rules and I no longer qualified for any funding, so I was stuck with whatever I earned over the summer and whatever the clinic could afford to pay me.
Trying to find a co-op placement the second year was even worse. In fact I barely managed to scrape up a placement and barely made the hours I needed <_<
Mid 95, the legal clinic has a position open up for a secretary, facing a mounting debtload and realizing that my chosen field would leave me scrambling to get past the perception that I wasn't "able to do the work" (Codespeak for "We don't want no stinking cripple working here") and realizing that the clinic didn't give a damn what I looked like physically as long as I could do the job, I decided to take the Computer Programmer diploma I had earned, put it in my back pocket and went into the world of poverty law (Legal meatball surgery - crank 'em in, crank 'em out as fast as you can)
In '99 the clinic had an opening for a Community Legal Worker that I managed to snag (Intake and emphasis on housing law) and been there since B)
NefCanuck
Took the Systems Analyst program at Sheridan from 93 to 95.
First year wasn't so bad, had some money from my summer job that year, a part time gig at the legal clinic where I now work and OSAP contributed. Biggest hassle was the fact that for the first six months I had to take Transhelp (a disabled transit service) from Mississauga to Brampton. It was during that time I think, that I learned to curb my then rather nasty temper as I soon realized that bitching out drivers who showed up two hours late to take me home from school or causing me to miss hours at the clinic wasn't doing anyone any good (esp. me)
I also discovered during this first year just how tough it was to get the co-op placements required to earn the course credits. Oh I got lots of interviews, but once they saw me in the flesh, callbacks were scarce :(
Second year things got easier & worse as I had my drivers license and a car, but OSAP changed their eligibility rules and I no longer qualified for any funding, so I was stuck with whatever I earned over the summer and whatever the clinic could afford to pay me.
Trying to find a co-op placement the second year was even worse. In fact I barely managed to scrape up a placement and barely made the hours I needed <_<
Mid 95, the legal clinic has a position open up for a secretary, facing a mounting debtload and realizing that my chosen field would leave me scrambling to get past the perception that I wasn't "able to do the work" (Codespeak for "We don't want no stinking cripple working here") and realizing that the clinic didn't give a damn what I looked like physically as long as I could do the job, I decided to take the Computer Programmer diploma I had earned, put it in my back pocket and went into the world of poverty law (Legal meatball surgery - crank 'em in, crank 'em out as fast as you can)
In '99 the clinic had an opening for a Community Legal Worker that I managed to snag (Intake and emphasis on housing law) and been there since B)
NefCanuck
