When I was growing up, my parents told me that it was important for me to get my education and encouraged me to get my college degree. My grandmother on my father's side always said, "Get your college degree."
My mom expanded on the idea and said, "Nobody can take your education away from you." And they all told me repeatedly that I could be whatever I wanted to be as long as I got my college degree. When I graduated from high school, I started going to the local community college.
My dad had gotten a two-year degree there. People made fun of the community college because it wasn't a big school, but I ended up getting a two-year degree there. And I went on to the University of Central Florida.
But I didn't finish my degree there. In my senior year of college at UCF, I was hired by the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic control specialist. After the intensive training that I got from them was completed, and I was a journeyman controller, I went back to school to finish my degree because I had been programmed that I needed a degree. I wanted to finish it because applications always asked about your education level and I wanted to be able to mark that I had a bachelor's degree.
It took me 11 years to complete my bachelor's degree but I did get it. After earning it, I did not go and walk in a graduation ceremony because I was employed full-time as an air traffic controller and my second child had just been born.
And I thought it was silly for me to go and put on the show of wearing a robe and walking across the stage for my wife and maybe some friends to see me. I still think I made the right call, but my wife never lets me live it down because she ended up at the graduation ceremony as an interpreter.
I've encouraged my four children to get their college degrees. My two oldest kids completed their degrees. Our third child dropped out of college and demonstrated that he was not down with the private college experience.
Our youngest child is on track to complete his bachelor's degree in music. And they'll all have that ability to check that box and get the door opened based on their education. Except our third child.
I read plenty of articles about how people don't think you need to have a college degree anymore. And I agree. If you can get out there and hustle and make your mark on the world without it, more power to you.
I just know that I greatly appreciate what I learned through my 11-year process of getting a bachelor's degree. They taught me how to think in systems, methods, and that has served me well in many, many different situations.
And they taught me how to follow the rules and complete something, even when I had to bend them a little bit and go and argue my case to get them to accept the way I did it. I highly encourage anyone interested to invest the time, money, and effort into getting their education, whether it's a college degree or a certification.
