WorkWise Q&A: Research training facilities before you decide to attend

NO JOBS

Q: Dr. Mildred: I took training for certified energy auditor through a federally funded jobs training program. There were jobs, but we couldn’t get them, because the program was a fraud. The college didn’t use a certified instructor and didn’t purchase the necessary equipment (blower door, duct blaster and software) to train us. Further, they plagiarized and photocopied another school’s written texts.

I sued them in Federal Court on a whistleblower complaint, but the judge ruled that the college had immunity from prosecution. The program continues, providing ZERO JOBS. This is desperately wrong.

Ripped Off

A: Dear Ripped Off, They certainly made it easy for you to go nowhere fast, didn’t they?

If you’re still interested in that kind of work, sign up at another training facility after you research it. Even if you hadn’t had this terrible experience, you’d have been wise to check with the career services area to find out how many people graduate from the program, how many find jobs and what kinds of jobs they are.

Unfortunately, it’s no longer safe to sign up for any kind of program anywhere and assume it’s what it says it is. The world is filled with mediocrity and scams.

mlc

BLACK HOLE

Q: Hello - My son graduated from a mediocre college in 2007 with a degree in finance but mediocre grades. He did a summer internship in NYC at a private investment firm, but they hire MBAs.

He doesn’t want to give up his lucrative seasonal job at a local golf course for, say, a teller job at a bank. Job offerings read “recent graduate.” We have no contacts for him. I’ve told him to go to some of the firms and introduce himself. He claims it isn't done that way. Temping has led to secretarial jobs.

He reads The Wall Street Journal every day and is a whiz with computers. Should he try something new? My husband, who owns an accounting business, thinks our son should get an accounting degree. No interest.

Distraught

A: Dear Distraught, Your son is choosing his direction. So far he’s refused to compromise at the suggestion of his parents. Until he’s ready to compromise, he won’t. You can’t make him do it, particularly if he’s living at home, protected.

He also has a blind spot. The type of people he needs to meet play golf. Many have money and contacts with money. Tell him to work HIS contacts.

mlc