“The real key to being a good student is studying every day and keeping up with what you’ve learned.”
Winnie Gerhardt, director of admissions for adult and graduate education at Baldwin-Wallace College
"If you’re going to make a career change, you don’t want it to require physical ability, but something more cerebral. I was looking for something I could do into my 60s.”
David Proboski, Corwin & Jenkins CPA
David Proboski wasn’t a bench warmer. Sure, he showed up for class at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland. But he was also the guy who raised his hand. He asked questions. He aced homework assignments. And he stayed after class to help fellow students.
Even so, when his instructor pulled him aside to offer a job at her accounting firm, Proboski was shocked.
“The timing couldn’t have been better,” says the 42-year-old Euclid resident, who was hired by Corwin & Jenkins CPAs of Willoughby Hills in August 2008 and continues to take classes at Lakeland. “I felt very fortunate I got in before everything really started going downhill.”
Proboski’s results may not be typical. But his decision to return to school after many years in the work force is becoming more common.
With the economy still struggling and unemployment in Ohio topping 10 percent, area colleges have become popular oases for career changers and people looking for more security in existing occupations.
Returning students are now hot commodities. Some employment guides carry more ads for schools than job postings. And commercials extolling greener pastures for paralegals, computer technicians, court reporters, electricians and chefs fill afternoon TV.
Fall enrollment numbers from area colleges also confirm the trend.
Cuyahoga Community College and Lorain County Community College set all-time enrollment records. Cleveland State University hit a 15-year high. The number of undergraduates 25 and older at Kent State University is booming. And Youngstown State University welcomed about 1,000 more students this year over last.
“In so many ways, the hardest part is getting started,” says Winnie Gerhardt, director of admissions for adult and graduate education at Baldwin-Wallace College.
Once someone decides to make the commitment, though, the work has just begun.
What should they study? What skills are in demand? Which school suits them best? How should they build a network while still learning? More likely than not, the answers will determine the chance of parlaying newly gained knowledge into a good job.
Butcher, baker, candlestick-maker?
Proboski had been working at a frame shop and art gallery for 15 years when the idea of going back to school surfaced two years ago.
He liked his job but wanted to find a career with more opportunity for advancement and less susceptibility to economic downturns.
Proboski hadn’t been in college since 1992, when he earned his bachelor’s degree in English, and wasn’t sure what to study. A Myers-Briggs test, which matches personality traits with potential careers, pointed him toward accounting.
“My thinking was it was something I could do for a long time,” he says. “If you’re going to make a career change, you don’t want it to require physical ability, but something more cerebral. I was looking for something I could do into my 60s.”
Plus, he figured, he liked math and an accounting degree would qualify him for a number of jobs, from tax preparation to financial and estate planning.
Accounting has been a popular choice for returning students in Northeast Ohio, as has health care, business and engineering.
James Hansen, a career counselor at Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Career Center, advises potential students to first think of careers they’re most interested in and then see how realistic they are.
Stephanie Morales, director of Key Career Place at Tri-C, agrees. Health care is hot, for example, but not for everyone.
“I’ve seen it firsthand,” Morales says. “People go for their respiratory therapy or ultrasound technician credentials, and they’re back here 10 years later because they hate it.”
In addition to researching job prospects and likely pay, students need to understand what they’ll likely be doing day in and day out.
The county library’s career center in Maple Heights offers various personal assessment tools and information on career fields, from required schooling to job forecasts and salary ranges for the Cleveland area.
George Miklos decided to return to school after want ads made it clear that his skills needed updating. Miklos, 58, of Bedford, was laid off from his job of 15 years as a graphic designer and illustrator last February. He’s now using grant money to take computer classes at Tri-C to learn the latest programs and Web design.
“The market is pretty slow out there right now,” Miklos says. “While that’s going on, you might as well try to improve yourself.”
Sometimes, as in Jeannine Zabriskie’s case, the choice of study is right under your nose.
Zabriskie, 32, of Lakewood, plans to pursue a paralegal degree this spring. She’s worked as a legal assistant and office manager for a lawyer in downtown Cleveland for the past five years.
She likes the work but feels she could be doing more, helping bring in business and potentially doubling her salary. Plus, if for some reason she loses her job and needs to interview elsewhere, she thinks a degree will speak as loudly, if not more, than actual experience.
“I started with my foot in the door,” Zabriskie says. “Now I’m at the point where I’d like to make this my lifelong career.”
Ditch the dishes
For returning students, carving out time to study often competes with kids, bills and other commitments.
Marfi Rijo, a 40-year-old computer student at Tri-C who’s also working two nursing assistant jobs, says she often has to run home between school and work. “I couldn’t stay away from doing the dishes, the laundry.”
Support is key, she says.
“You have to have a connection with people who are going to support you,” Rijo, of Cleveland, says. “It could be anyone: friends, neighbors, your teacher. They’ll help you stay focused.”
For Darrell Sullins, school at Baldwin-Wallace is a family affair.
“It’s not only me,” says the 48-year-old Beachwood resident. “When I go into my study time, they know to leave dad alone.”
Sometimes, he studies with his son, who attends high school.
Sullins is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership while working full time as a supervisor for Dominion East Ohio Gas. He chose accelerated mini semesters, 16-week courses condensed into eight weeks.
“It’s a lot of work, but it works better for me,” he says.
To make the most of their time back at school, students need to figure out what sort of program fits them best, says Terrie Nielsen, an admissions counselor for Weekend College at Hiram College.
Do they need a degree or a certificate? What classes are offered in the hours they can attend? Will admission counselors be there at convenient times? Can they tailor a degree to their specific needs?
While adults may be more distracted by real-life commitments, they also tend to be more self-aware, Gerhardt says. Most know when to ask for help before troubles get too deep.
“The real key to being a good student is studying every day and keeping up with what you’ve learned,” she says.
Extra credit
So you’ve signed up for school, are studying and doing your homework. Don’t stop there. Remember: All those extra students in classes will also be looking for jobs.
Career counselors advise students to put in extra effort networking and finding real-world experience to set themselves apart.
“Most of your jobs today really are found through networking,” says Marcia Jones, manager of employment and career services at Lorain County Community College.
“You really have to be willing to put yourself out there,” she says. “Talk to everyone you know: friends, family, your hairdresser, dentist. Let them know what you’re trying to accomplish.”
Talk to professors after class, says Barbara Hanniford, dean of continuing education at Cleveland State University. Pick their brains about potential opportunities.
And tap into alumni networks for mentors, she adds.
Internships or targeted volunteering can help fill out and update a résumé, says Rebecca Zirm, director of admissions and recruitment for the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University. (See “Return of the Intern,” page 62.) If you’re assigned a class project, try to team up with a local business or organization for real-life results and connections.
The best experiences will give students marketable selling points. (Think in terms of verbs: produced, recruited, generated.) And don’t necessarily stay in one position the whole time, Zirm says. Seek out varied experiences.
Students should also find clubs and associations connected with their career choice and schedule an informational interview. Familiarize yourself with industry trends and with needs that may be going unmet.
Many professional associations have student rates. Join and take on a leadership role, Hansen suggests.
Job clubs are another option for practical and moral support.
Miklos, the computer student at Tri-C, meets with a group every week at the county library. People in similar positions share ideas, leads and advice.
“You just have to throw yourself into it,” Miklos says. “There’s a different attitude than when you were a kid. It’s a more serious perspective.”
Resource Guide
Here’s where to learn more about the colleges and universities mentioned in this story.
Baldwin-Wallace College
275 Eastland Road, Berea
440-826-2900
bw.edu
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
216-368-2000
case.edu
Cleveland State University
2121 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
216-687-2000
csuohio.edu
Cuyahoga Community College
1-800-954-8742
tri-c.edu
Metropolitan Campus
2900 Community College Ave., Cleveland
Eastern Campus
4250 Richmond Road, Highland Hills
Western Campus
1100 Pleasant Valley Road, Parma
Hiram College
6832 Hinsdale St., Hiram
330-569-5169
Lorain Community College
1005 N. Abbe Road, Elyria
1-800-995-5222
lorainccc.edu
Youngstown State University
One University Plaza, Youngstown
330-941-3000
ysu.edu