Joyless Existential Struggle
Why adults have an obligation to guide kids
I have a degree in Electrical Engineering.
My original major was Computer Engineering.
Why?
Life Choice
As a 18-year old, I picked that major because, as a high schooler, I liked playing with internet.
After a heads up from my dad, I got a job doing internet tech support.
As a user, if you couldn’t connect to the IBM Global Network with your cutting-edge 56k modem, you called a 1–800 number.
I answered from a call center in Gray, Tennessee.
I was making $9/hr.
Job Responsibilities
The most “technical” part of the job was unchecking and rechecking TCP/IP and maybe uninstalling and reinstalling Dial-Up Networking (only if you had the Windows install CD; otherwise, you were screwed).
If that didn’t work, the issue might be with the network infrastructure.
The call was escalated to the Network Operations Center (NOC) in Atlanta.
My ambition was to work in the NOC.
Over my headset, they sounded like bad asses.
In my high school brain, those guys (they were all dudes), were computer engineers.
Educational Requirements
Today, I can prompt Perplexity for the educational requirements to work in the NOC of a telecommunications company.
It’ll show me that an associate’s degree in network administration, management information systems, and network security are — wait for it — recommended.
For career advancement, it would be important to obtain certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate, CompTIA A+, Network+, Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert, or Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist.
You know what you don’t need to be a bad ass working in the NOC?
a bachelors degree in Computer Engineering
engineering fundamentals
a passing grade in calculus, chemistry, physics, or computer science
I am 💯 confident that my high school guidance counselor would not have been any help.
Paradigm Shifts
The 56k modem had just come out.
That was technology “innovation” of the era.
Napster was still a year away.
How many high school guidance counselors are playing with ChatGPT?
How many parents are playing with generative AI tools?
How many have the time?
Existential Crisis
I wanted to drop out of college.
After two years, I changed my major to Finance.
They told me none of credits transferred.
I changed back, this time to Electrical Engineering, since it involved fewer battles with compilers.
Changing Motivations
The second year of tech support was working with blazing fast DSL modems.
Dial-up modems were old news.
I worked alongside grown adults in internet tech support.
They were supporting families on $9/hr.
That was my motivation to get through college.
Results
So, I have a degree in Electrical Engineering.
It taught me a lot.
Like how to “joylessly struggle” through an existential crisis.
Also, how to work in teams, and demonstrate grit and resilience, like willing my way through a path I had inadvertently chosen.
In retrospect, I could have majored in journalism or law, gotten more into web design and ended up in a similar career path.
As adults, we can point kids at what their skills and interests are.
In fact, we have a responsibility to do so.