Should I make a change of careers???

[speediva]

Okay, so here's the story... it will be a bit long-winded, but I want some serious responses to this (please at least TRY to be serious... this is my life we're discussing here...) Now, granted, I'm not going to make a decision based only on what is said here, but I need some outside observations.

I graduated college a year ago to become a teacher. I took a permanent position at a district that was 1.5 hours away by car. I tried to move-in locally to the district, but was unsuccessful. After 1/2 the school year, I had to resign because the cost of gas to get back and forth (remember, I had a 3 hour round trip drive EVERY DAY) was just getting to be astronomical.

After I left, I found a long term substitute position at a district that was only about 40 mins away from my house. I really loved it, and I stayed there for the 2nd half of the year. There were 3 of us hired for that 2nd semester, but only one got hired on full-time/permanently for the upcoming school year. Granted, I still have the long term sub position for the entire upcoming school year, but pay is only $10/hr and I get no benefits (which riding a motorcycle without benefits is just asking for trouble). I've looked and applied for several other permanent jobs at other districts, but nothing has happened just yet. I still have some applications out, but I am trying not to get too excited, like I did with the prospect at the 2nd district I was at.

I have been working for my chiropractor this summer for the $10/hr rate, which has been working out really well. However, I will be training my replacement next week, and I don't know if he will even have me coming in anymore once she's trained. I knew I was only working there for the summer, so it's not any sort of shock that he's hired someone, and I'm really glad he chose someone now so I can get her trained before I leave, but I still have bills to pay, and I need a job so I can stay afloat.

That brings me to my decision. One of the patients has offered me a job at her business. Well, she's one of the head cheeses, but at any rate... I would be working for a company that produces "Sampling Instruments and Media" for testing air quality, and other sorts of things. They are REALLY big in construction, and are working on expanding in other areas right now. They ship their instruments and the like all over the world. I would be working in pre-production working on sanitizing, cleaning, and making the filters and filtering materials (like sorbents) that would then be transferred to the production area. My job would be to answer to another woman who is experienced in the field. I would be working with some chemicals including charcoal, and mixing the other sorbents. The most "dangerous" thing I'd work with is some acids. Granted, my background is in math, but I'd need to use the math to make the sorbents, and I have always loved Chemistry. I wouldn't be doing experiments or exploding anything, just mixing the chemicals.

My biggest fear with this is that I'd be inhaling some chemical vapors and would do damage so I could never have kids or something like that... I'm paranoid about medicine, so chemicals are a stretch for me. However, the pay is over a dollar/hr better than what I'm getting for subbing, I would get a raise after 3 months, and benefits after 6 months.

So, my question to you guys is... do I stay in my field and stick out the sub job for the year and hope I get something between now and the beginning of next school year or do I give up teaching and give this whole Chemistry thing a chance?

Thanks in advance,
Tangie

[L-Spec]

I believe everything should have a chance, but if it concerns your health, you're going to have to ask yourself: Is it worth it? If you know you'll be inhaling chemicals (even the smallest amounts will build up), and you don't want your health harmed, then don't do it. I personally don't think that a couple dollars and hour more plus benefits are worth hurting my health. Personal health > everything else. If you can keep the danger down to a minimum, or even talk to the person who offered you a job to see if they can make the place safer, then I'd say go for it. It's not like they'll disagree to make the work enviroment safer. I'm sure the last thing they want is to let the media know that their employees are having health problems because of work.

All in all, do what you want to do.. but make sure it's safe. Although I realise that gambling is a part of life, I'd say choose the career that you know that you'll have a steady future in, not one where you hope something will come along and give you the opportunity that you were looking for.

[BeZerK2112]

That sounds like a very sticky situation. It's always hard to try new things, expecially if you dont know how they are going to turn out. My best advice is to do what you love.

You also have to go were the money is. Have you considered relocating for a better teaching job? All of my wifes friends have a degree in teaching and have recently moved all over the country for better jobs in teaching.

If teaching is really your pasion you minght even consider returning to school yourself for a Masters or Doc. Then you could become a teacher at a university or collage.

Baseline you have to provide for your family. Look to the future of the company you are considering. How long has it been established? What are the chances for promotion or moving up within the company and how long will it take? Have they ever layed off? What is the chance of success for you? How important will you be to the company?

Making a dollar more an hour dosent offset a health risk. But if there are any health risks invloved make sure the health bennifits are some of the best around. OSHA usually makes sure that health risks to employees are minimal in the workplace. Also if you have a high risk job getting health insurance after this job may be harder if you have a pre existing condition. Also life insurance will be higher, IF anyone decideds to cover you.

Personally if I was you I would stick to the teaching. There is probibly a better chance to do well and have a long term job. I would search in different areas and probibly move to find a good job in teaching if the area you are in isn't working out for you.

[00accord44]

I agree overall with what was said above. A couple things though

How real are the health risks assocated with the chemicals you would be using? i understand you're perhaps overly cautious about chemicals etc, but are your concerns more self-generated or has someone given you words of caution about these particular materials. Better safe than sorry, but better informed than ignorant... not calling you ignorant btw

Also, teaching is a tough but noble profession. As everyone knows, teachers in public schools are paid far less than their worth. But if that is really what you want to do, you shouldn't give up on it. Is there a way you could do the chemical company gig and then come back to teaching? Maybe wait to hear word of openings? Or maybe you could work at this new company while maintaining other activities on the side that could help you build your resume for teaching. Local teachers association etc (I don't know what type of groups teachers have)

Good luck with your decision though

[sameintheend01]

dude, don't worry about the vapors. any mixing of potentially hazardous materials is done under what is called a hood. It is basically like a kitchen hood which sucks up the steam/smoke. The ones for mixing chemicals have a glass plate in the front of them (kinda like a sneeze guard on a salad bar) so the vapors can't get out and have very strong motors to suck up vapors. Strong chemicals that are sealed are even kept in these hoods. No need to worry.

[BP2K2Max]

i say do it, this opportunity probably won't present itself again if you let it pass by, but you'll always be able to be a teacher.

as for the chemicals, if you were working with some toxic stuff wouldn't they give you some kind of respirator mask?

[ThatRoundHeadedKid]

If you still wanna stick with teaching, look at any boarding schools or prepratory boarding schools.

Half the faculty at my school are just fresh or few years fresh from college. They get housing supplied by the school, and benefits I believe.

[jcsaleen]

My advice to you is.. You can look at it to ways...

You can do what you love an earn less...

You can do what you have to do an earn more but be misrable...

I will always try to do what I love ~ IMO

[fredjacksonsan]

1: Get the MSDS sheets (Material Safety Data Sheets) for the chemicals they use in the lab. The lab is required by law to have them available. The people that want to hire you should understand, and furnish them without question to you. You have a right to know.

2: How do you like teaching? If you absolutely love it, then do it. If it's meh, or you don't like it, then find something you like.

but 3: $10 per hour with a college education at your full time job isn't what you went to college for. If you're going to stick with teaching, get back to full time and move closer!

[G-man422]

Do what you love. Usually teachers arnt in the bussines for the $. I say Try the chemical thing and if you dont like it, you always can go back to teaching.

[beef_bourito]

Well, if you can't find a job that's economical in teaching (factoring in gas prices, etc) then the smart thing, money wise, right now seems to be to go to this new job. I agree that you should check out what the chemicls are but i don't think you'll find anything dangerous. I'd say try this new job out while you look for a teaching job, if teaching's what you love, it's what you should do. Math teachers are a special bread, my math teacher was crazy, she was really cool and nice, but she actually ENJOYED every part of math. she LOVED doing problems, other than that she was pretty normal. I mean i enjoy math but i don't like doing the stupid repitition type stuff. anyways, if you're meant to be a math teacher, you should be.

[speediva]

I really love teaching. My mom was a teacher, her sister is a teacher, my dad's older sister is a teacher... I just know how to do it. I just got a call yesterday for a REALLY good district, and I have an interview on Tuesday. I even opted to stay home from a floating trip in West Virginia to bone-up on some material and make sure I hit a MAJOR homerun in this interview.

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming.

[jcsaleen]

See doing what you love comes natrually because your not extending your bondaries into other area's. (Even though that is a good thing too...)

[BeZerK2112]

Congradulations on the interview! I hope that it goes well for you. I can tell you really like teaching, skipping a floating trip!

[TexasF355F1]

I'm sorry it's been such a hellacious year for you.

I seriously think you can find a job that pays more than all of those. But if I were you I think I'd give the chem thing a shot. You really don't have anything to lose.