2008 Woodie Awards
Non-Traditional or Unconventional?
Deborah Chessey
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Life
I did a Wikipedia search to find out what defines a non-traditional student. Among the many explanations was one that said, "non-traditional students are older students who may have pursued unconventional career paths or are training for a career change."
After my research I was left wondering: what would be considered an unconventional career path? I know that there are many non-traditional students who have come back to school because we don't like the way we look in paper hats and we got tired of saying, "can I super size that for you?" But is working in fast food an unconventional career path? I think not.
I bet the majority of students on our campus have spent at least a week behind a fast food counter. Fast food isn't the only service job available, what about service jobs such as convenience stores or hotel clerk? I have spent a few years in each of these jobs, I still have my required 'tesoro' apron. (I kept it because the polyester is utterly stain resistant. I can fry bacon, paint a house or bathe my dog and not get a drop of debris on my clothing.)
Because we live in an agricultural state, many of us have worked in a potato field, a potato warehouse or in a potato processing plant. These jobs would surely count as unconventional nationwide-there aren't many New Yorkers who could talk about their Fall break in which they picked dirt clods-but in our area I would assume working in the potatoes is a rite of passage and the unconventional student would be the one who has never processed a spud.
Maybe when wikipedia talks about unconventional career paths they are referring to jobs such as "astronaut" or "beer taste tester" or "being Paris Hilton". Certainly the word, "unconventional" implies that it is a job that not just anyone would apply for or be able to accomplish. Perhaps the students with unconventional jobs on our campus are those who work at the INL and have come back to school to get a degree so that instead of sitting behind a desk and taking orders, they can sit behind a desk and give orders.
I know that I am a non-traditional student because I am very old and I have three children, but I doubt I have ever had an unconventional job. Oh sure, there was that summer that I picked worms and sold them for $1.00 a dozen, but who among us hasn't done that?
After my research I was left wondering: what would be considered an unconventional career path? I know that there are many non-traditional students who have come back to school because we don't like the way we look in paper hats and we got tired of saying, "can I super size that for you?" But is working in fast food an unconventional career path? I think not.
I bet the majority of students on our campus have spent at least a week behind a fast food counter. Fast food isn't the only service job available, what about service jobs such as convenience stores or hotel clerk? I have spent a few years in each of these jobs, I still have my required 'tesoro' apron. (I kept it because the polyester is utterly stain resistant. I can fry bacon, paint a house or bathe my dog and not get a drop of debris on my clothing.)
Because we live in an agricultural state, many of us have worked in a potato field, a potato warehouse or in a potato processing plant. These jobs would surely count as unconventional nationwide-there aren't many New Yorkers who could talk about their Fall break in which they picked dirt clods-but in our area I would assume working in the potatoes is a rite of passage and the unconventional student would be the one who has never processed a spud.
Maybe when wikipedia talks about unconventional career paths they are referring to jobs such as "astronaut" or "beer taste tester" or "being Paris Hilton". Certainly the word, "unconventional" implies that it is a job that not just anyone would apply for or be able to accomplish. Perhaps the students with unconventional jobs on our campus are those who work at the INL and have come back to school to get a degree so that instead of sitting behind a desk and taking orders, they can sit behind a desk and give orders.
I know that I am a non-traditional student because I am very old and I have three children, but I doubt I have ever had an unconventional job. Oh sure, there was that summer that I picked worms and sold them for $1.00 a dozen, but who among us hasn't done that?
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
dvds-cds-games
posted 4/29/08 @ 10:20 PM MST
Interesting point. I too am a non-traditional student, who is going to school for a career change and for self improvement. Unconventional career path though? I could not have imagined me working the jobs that I've worked 10 yrs ago, but there doesn't seem to be any thing unconventional about them. (Continued…)
Roberta Dixon
posted 5/01/08 @ 6:34 PM MST
A nontraditional occupation is defined as an occupation in which one's gender represents less than 25% of the workforce.
The Center for New Directions located in the College of Technology RFC building http://www. (Continued…)
Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center
posted 11/26/08 @ 9:23 AM MST
I believe you are right. I think this is the meaning for a non-traditional student. Although there are a lot of people who will say that this is not true, I stick to my idea. (Continued…)
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