|
|
 |
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
 |
The White House
One American's
perspective
I watched the President speak about the economy earlier today -- maybe
you did, too.
He talked about how, even though we've rebounded from recession faster
than almost every other advanced nation, we've still got a lot of work
to do when it comes to rebuilding the middle class.
It's easy to hear that and ask yourself, "What does the President mean
when he talks about 'rebuilding the middle class?' Who are those
workers? What kind of jobs do they have?"
Well, I'm one of them.
Two years ago, I was a U.S. Army veteran who had been working in the
telecommunication industry for 14 years. Then, in August of 2012, I got
laid off -- and my family's future suddenly became uncertain. It was a
terrifying feeling.
I knew I'd need to adapt. So, with the help of the Veteran
Rehabilitation Assistance Program, I enrolled as a full-time student at
Anne Arundel Community College. I got my Associate’s Degree in Business
Administration, and enrolled in a special Cyber Technology program.
That program allowed me to learn a new set of skills that's positioned
me at the forefront of the cyber technology field that is under high
demand.
Why am I sharing all of this?
Because behind every speech, every chart, and every statistic you hear
when the President speaks, there are real people. People like me who
are getting back to work, people who are picking up new skills, people
who are doing a little bit better than they were a couple years ago.
So when you watch his remarks about the economy, think about that.
And even though we've still got a ways to go, I'm confident in the new
foundation I've been able to build for myself. And I'm hopeful for the
future.
That's just one American's perspective.
Thanks for listening,
Gary Pollard, Jr.
Washington, D.C.
|
|
|
|
