THE WORKING LIFE OF THE AVERAGE JOE



THE WORKING LIFE OF THE AVERAGE JOE

Average Joe isn’t a great student, but he makes it through high school. Average Joe didn’t bother to learn any special skills while in high school, like drafting or accounting or computer repair. When asked about training after high school, Average Joe said, “I don’t need that! I have a high school diploma!”

Average Joe goes out to look for a full-time job. He gets some bad news. While there are more than ____________ (3,000 or 6,000 or 9,000 or 12,000) different careers in the United States, he is qualified for only about ___________ (4% or 10% or 15% or 32%) of them. He is qualified to work as ______________________.

Average Joe gets a full-time (40 hours/week) job with a starting salary of $5.25 per hour. He immediately moves out of his parents’ house. His parents are so happy; they give him an old car!! Average Joe can’t afford rent and utilities on his own so he and one of his buddies rent a furnished apartment together.

After six months, Average Joe gets a raise to $5.75 per hour. After one year he has earned a total of __________________. (Hint: Use weeks in the formula)

Average Joe meets Ambitious Jessica at work. She’s working there while putting herself through college. They start to date. One weekend, Average Joe doesn’t have enough money to pay for a date. He sits down to figure out where all of his money is going. Here are his expenses for the year:

• Taxes: 25% of his gross income………………………………..$2860.00

• Rent: ½ of $400/month………………………………………….$2400.00

• Utilities: ½ of $120/month………………………………………..$ 720.00

• Telephone: $50/month…………………………………………..$ 600.00

• Groceries/meals: $50/week……………………………………...$2600.00

• Car: gas, maintenance, insurance……………………………..$1600.00

• Medical (no insurance)………………………………………… ..$ 125.00

• Clothes, entertainment, personal: $10/week………………….$ 520.00

The total of Joe’s expenses is $________________.

His bank account at the end of the year contains $______________.

Average Joe is not happy that he is barely scraping by. He’s also bored with his job. Then comes a big problem: His car breaks down and it will cost $1,000.00 to fix it. He can’t afford that so he tries to fix it himself. Of course, he didn’t take auto mechanics in high school so he finally gets the car running but it keeps breaking down. He is late to work every day for a week and misses another day because the car quit on the way to work, so his boss fired him.

The rent is due in three weeks and without a paycheck he can’t pay his share, so he asks his parents if he can move back home. Their reply: “Only if you go to school.” He reluctantly agrees.

Average Joe goes to the community college for an interview. He wants to train for a career with a lot of openings. One career they suggest is ____________________________.

Average Joe decides to train for that job. He and his parents are worried about the cost. The local community college costs about $ _____________ (900.00 or 1,000.00 or 1,300.00 or 2,000.00) a year for tuition and fees. Average Joe and his parents decide they can afford it. Joe goes to school, gets a two-year degree and is hired immediately at a starting salary of $12.00 per hour. After one year, a competing employer offers him $15.00 per hour and he changes jobs.

Average Joe is doing great now. He likes his work and he’s making a decent wage. He can afford a nice apartment of his own. One day his boss calls him into her office. She says: “Average Joe, you are one of our best workers. We are bringing in some new technology that will change the job completely. We want you to go to Pennsylvania for intensive training for six weeks. Then you’ll take a weekly night class here at the office. After that, you’ll go back to Pennsylvania every year for three more weeks of re-training.”

Joe is shocked, “Pennsylvania!” What about my girlfriend? I can’t be away from her for six weeks! Who’s going to pay for all this!” “We will,” his boss says. “You think about it. I need to know by the end of the week.” Average Joe is depressed. “I just finished two years of school,” he tells Ambitious Jessica. Why do I need to go back to school again?” Ambitious Jessica tells him that most have to get re-training every ________ (3 or 5 or 7 or 9) years.

Ambitious Jessica reminds Average Joe that she has just started a re-training program, and she is one of the few in her class who has a four-year degree. For every 100 students who finish high school, ______ (23 or 37 or 41 or 59.) actually complete a four year or two year degree. Another ______ (12 or 15 or 21 or 43) start but don’t finish a four or two year degree.

“Well, what’s the point?” yells Average Joe. “Why go to school at all if you’ve got to keep going your whole life?” “Don’t you want to keep getting better at what you do?” asks Ambitious Jessica. “I’m good enough!” replies Average Joe.

Average Joe goes to work and tells his boss he doesn’t want to be re-trained, especially if he has to go to Pennsylvania. “I’m a hard worker and I have a lot of experience with this company,” he tells his boss. “Yes,” says Average Joe’s boss. “But the number one thing we look for in a worker is ________________. (experience hard work reliability honesty ability and willingness to learn)

Then, his boss says to Average Joe, “____________________________!”

When Average Joe gets home, Ambitious Jessica has left a note. It says: “Gone to school. Maybe I’ll see you there some day.”

A few weeks later, Ambitious Jessica is visiting the company where she first met Average Joe. She is surprised to see him there. He says, “Yeah, I’m back making $5.75 per hour, but at least I don’t have to keep going back to school.”

A few days later, Average Joe’s boss calls him in and says, “Joe, you’re a good worker, but we’re brining in some new technology…”

Reflection questions:

1. What impact did training have on Average Joe’s ability to maintain a job?

2. Why is it important to stay up to date with workplace technology changes?

3. What impact does training have on salary potential?

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