. I'm sure there is some spelling and grammar errors, I am going to take care of them shortly. (I just threw this together) Let me know if you think I'm at least headed in the right direction. ANY critiques and suggestions are welcomed. Seven years ago I was graduating high school and excited about my future college experience. I planned on having the traditional college experience that would consist of going to class, partying, and meeting new people. I quickly came to find out that even the best laid plans can be derailed, but even better ones could get you back on track.
Six years ago I was following MR. X through the tour of a dirty shop at XXXX Incorporated and was contemplating just what I had gotten myself into. The equipment was massive, the shop was 30 foot high, and the workers looked tired. It was only 7 a.m. on the first day and I had already begun to question the choice my conscious forced me to make. Needless to say I was intimidated. In the middle of the tour MR. X stopped, looked me dead in the eye and told me thing that I will remember for the rest of my life, “XXXXX, I want you to realize one thing. It comes down to two types of people in the world, the people who wake up in the morning and care about what they do and the people who don’t. That’s what sets apart the people that excel and the people who don’t. To excel in this business you have to care about your work.” I would come to find out later the reason he was so stern with me is that the Electrician’s Apprentice program has the highest rate of attrition at the company, a fact that still stands today. Had he only known how much I actually did care he might not have initiated what I considered not only to be a challenge, but essential for my future. Not caring was not an option. The reason I took the job was because finances had become strained for my parents and as a result, they couldn’t afford to give me financial assistance while I attended college. To this day I know they view their financial difficulties as one of their biggest failures, I view it as the event pointed me in the direction of success and it was up to me to obtain it. A friend led me to The Electrician’s Apprenticeship program at XXXX Incorporated. The program promised good pay and a future for advancement. So, I dropped my college courses and got to work. After getting over the initial intimidation of my new surroundings I took charge my apprenticeship. I quickly advanced within the company. First, earning the position of Leadsman after my first year, and then gaining the position of Foreman in the subsequent years. As a Foreman I was exposed to new types of work. I was not only responsible for the performance and effectiveness of my own work, but I was also responsible for the work of up to 8 other men, some much older and experienced than I was. It was seeing the older men constantly complaining about what they would have done differently in their life, in terms of their education, that encouraged me to return to my college studies.
I knew returning to school would be challenging, but at the same time, extremely gratifying to know that I could still accomplish my educational goals. Coupled with my required attendance of the vocational training school for electricians, the first couple of years after re-enrolling were an academic disappointment. At first, the balancing act of night classes and a work schedule that consisted of 50-60 hours per week proved to be extremely difficult and it forced me drop several classes. Undeterred, I would make up the dropped classes in the next semester. While all of my friends where going out and partying on the weekends, if I wasn’t working, I was studying. My hard work did not go unnoticed. I was constantly reminded by co-workers, fellow students, and most important of all my parents, that my hard work will eventually pay off in the form of a diploma. After I had completed the vocational training school and earned my Texas Journeyman Electrician’s license I was able to cut my work schedule almost in half, to about 30-40hrs per week, and was able to take a full time college course load. The reduction in hours at work allowed me to focus more on my college coursework and finally achieve better grades. I look forward to walking across the stage this May and receiving my B.B.A. in Economics not only because it will be a culmination of many years of hard work, but also because I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college.
My experiences at school and even more importantly, at work, are what lead me to take on the challenge of law school. The earliest time I came into contact with the law was in my Business Law class. I enjoyed reading the case briefs that were studied and the complexities of the problems that were presented. Another, and perhaps the most influential source of all, is the interaction that I have had with the law at my job. As a Foreman I am required to read and abide by contracts and addendums that detail the scope of work to be performed. It was reading those documents that gave me and interest in the law. Contractor’s that do not fulfill their obligations have often caused disputes. I have had the privilege of being present at several of the negotiations to reconcile these disputes, even one trial, and witnessed firsthand the challenges that our attorneys have faced. The litigation of the issues in construction is where I would like to practice law. I realize that the blue collar electrician to attorney is not a common transition, but I believe that my practical trade experience and skill sets, combined with a formal legal education will, prove to be invaluable in understanding and analyzing the client’s issues. I look forward to going to law school in the part time program and continuing to learn practical knowledge at work.
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