Elise has worked in IT for almost 20 years and although she’s well paid, she hasn’t found her job exciting for a long time. She started working towards a new career in 2002 while she was still married but sadly without the support of her husband.
***
When we were still married, I had plans and was taking prerequisites to get into nursing school. I saw it as an opportunity that with my interest and motivation could really take me into my 60’s. I was doing all of this on the side but it was always going to be vetoed by my husband because I was making so much money. I’m sure if I had been a receptionist and had wanted to be a nurse, he would have thought that great because I would be moving from a low salary to a high salary. But I was probably making $82,000 at the time and he was saying, ‘No way. Why would you do that?’
I kept trying to tell him there was a financial motivation because my job position really can’t be guaranteed and that the world has changed since we came out of school. I work for IBM and last February there were more layoffs and they were restructuring worldwide where employees were. Then they also went through salary restructurings where I had a $12,000 a year pay cut. I could be laid off anytime and even if it doesn’t happen now, what if that happens when I’m 50 or 55?
I can’t say my work was never exciting – it was 20 years ago when I was learning something new but now I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s just not the most thrilling job. It’s just a glorified factory job where you do the same thing over and over again. I feel that I’ve come as far as I reasonably could in IT.
Now I’ve submitted my application to college and I’m hoping to start in May 2010. I was always more interested in science and health so this is really exciting … and a little scary.
***
I want to shout and cheer for Elise! I am so impressed that she didn’t lose sight of a dream and that she kept going with all the prerequisites even without the support of her husband and while raising two young children. Now that takes commitment. Elise has her interview for college at the end of the month so I’m sending bucket loads of positive vibes her way. Come back tomorrow as I wrap up Elise’s interview with more about her plans for nursing school.