Welding Certificate Didn't Hold Up in Civilian World

When I came back home to the civilian world I dropped down to the USMC reserves after serving two years on active duty. During that time, I did a tour in Fallujah, Iraq.

When returning back home I thought I wasn't going to have a problem transistioning back to the civilian world. Before going into the Marines, I went to a technical college for a year where I obtained a welding certificate. I figured having this would give me a step up. But, what I found is that it was not that easy.

I applied for many jobs but did not get any responses. I went as far as going through a program that has contracts with unions that tries to give veterans jobs, but it just did not go the way I wanted to. The reason I think I did not get a job right away, is because maybe I'm young, not experienced, or it could be because of my status of being a reservist where I could get called back up again.

After about seven months, I finally got a job that wasn't necessarily the best one, but I was happy. Unfortunately, I only lasted about a month. I ended up getting fired. I did absolutely nothing wrong. I tried to do my best. I showed up everyday, and actually tried to stay after work to practice my welding so I could try to get better at it.

But, I was terminated because I was told that I wasn't progressing. I believe they didn't give me much of a chance at it. About three months later I finally got another job. I worked there for about ten months. During this time, I enjoyed it. People at this place seemed to be nicer and were willing to help me out, and I tried my best of trying to become better at welder. About four months later, a lot of things were slowing down. We were not getting jobs. During this time, I decided to go back to college part time for Criminal Justice in the fear of possibly getting laid off. There were some comments that some of us could actually get laid off. So with that that I decided to have a back-up plan. I'm glad I did, because after 10 months I did get laid off. Since then I decided to go to college full time. I now have a new direction that will hopefully work out.

For some reason, me being a welder just wasn't meant to be. For whatever reason that is, I just don't know. But however, I am trying to overcome that by putting that in the past by going to college full time now. I'm happy, but at the same time maybe a little confused. But in the end, everything happens for a reason.

The only thing I can do is try to the right thing by moving on in life.

(Submitted by Jameson Brown)

Comments

[juan martinez]

good for you.keep the faith and push on.may the force be with you.JM.

[augmandrell]

Having worked in a welding and machine shop in college, I can
tell you that welding is also an artform. You get out of practice easily if you don't practice it.
Going into a job years after getting the certificate would be difficult without brushing up first.

However, I would think that marine salvage and your security clearance might find a match somewhere.

[augmandrell]

Having worked in a welding and machine shop in college, I can
tell you that welding is also an artform. You get out of practice easily if you don't practice it.
Going into a job years after getting the certificate would be difficult without brushing up first.

However, I would think that marine salvage and your security clearance might find a match somewhere.

[augmandrell]

Having worked in a welding and machine shop in college, I can
tell you that welding is also an artform. You get out of practice easily if you don't practice it.
Going into a job years after getting the certificate would be difficult without brushing up first.

However, I would think that marine salvage and your security clearance might find a match somewhere.

[Norm]

After a college degree and one year of nursing school, I finally have some of what it takes to become competitive again against people that have not served but have paddings sufficicent enough to maintain themselves out in the civilian community. Would someone please tell the people in power that veterans who are trainsitioning back into the civil communities need help more than the lies of federal civil service. Vets like the youngmarine listed here need help wake up America