Work Skills and Passion

One thing I really admire is a tradesman who possesses the gift of teaching. I grew up with one.

My dad was an electrician. He was Superintendent on many jobs for several contractors. But unlike others of his era who didn't like sharing information, he really enjoyed teaching others what he knew. In my case, I learned much more from my dad than I did from school. He taught me practical things like common sense and the ability to work with my hands (when I could). These along with less practical and more academic skills like calculus, algebra, and geometry.

My father was an interesting, brilliant, and multifaceted man who was just as comfortable in a boardroom or speaking in front of people as he was on a construction job. My mom had many of the same traits. She taught me to never throw in the towel when things get difficult. My mother had extreme resilience and grit and was very well-read.

In my work life, I was very fortunate to have worked in a career-technical school. For all my career, I worked around trade professionals who could teach. It was truly amazing, and I acquired and honed a deep, varied skill set. I was as comfortable in the shop areas as I was at my desk. The organizational skills that I learned from my dad served me very well as CFO of a trade school. I looked forward to the challenges of my job every single day! I also became passionate about career and technical education, and how it can be exactly what many students need to do well in life.

There is much to be said about being great at one skill, but it's also very important to expand that skill set. I am fortunate to have gathered a good balance of depth and breadth in terms of practical and thinking skills.  

My advice to students who are transitioning into the working world is simple. First, show up! Secondly, show up with a good working attitude. Keep your ears open and learn from the professionals around you. And never think for a minute that you are done building your skills. If you are good at something, pursue it with passion.

It's very hard to stop a person with passion. Passion develops over time, and it takes real effort. There's nothing magical about it! It's like a feeling of flow when you are doing something that you really enjoy.