“Growing up, I struggled with school. I didn’t like being there and I couldn’t complete the assignments”.
Eddie Turner started working in fast food restaurants at 15, left school at 18 and joined the labour force full time. Finally happy and feeling that he had a purpose, he found a second job in warehousing. He worked both jobs for a few years, but eventually lost both.
At 25 years old Eddie was out of work with no plans for his future and wondering how he was going to make a living. As time passed, he realized he lacked skills and needed to get back to school. At 33 years old, he decided it was time to seek help.
A local community health centre told him about Niagara College’s Academic Upgrading program. He made the call, connected with an AU Advisor, sent in his transcripts and got set up to take the courses he needed to get his grade 12 equivalency. Eddie wasn’t sure he could do it. It was going to be a lot of work and given his past experiences with school, he wasn’t sure this was the route for him. He needed to build his self confidence and self-worth. He needed to believe that he would be successful.
Reaching out to the college’s Health, Wellness and Accessibility Services department gave him a different outlook on school and college. “The world changed. I finally felt that someone heard me”. With the support of his professors and the HWAS team, Eddie learned how to cope with his challenges, overcome his struggles and manage his caseload.
The people he connected with at Niagara College helped him see all the options available to him. They guided him in applying for OSAP and bursaries. Easing the financial burden helped him to focus on his studies. “All those supports opened up doors for me”
Despite starting AU at the same time that COVID altered traditional methods of learning, Eddie is close to successfully completing his upgrading plan and is looking forward to his future. Although at one time he couldn’t wait to be out of school, he now looks forward to furthering his education and achieving his career goal – Computer Engineering Technician. With a new level of confidence and optimism, Eddie has applied to the Computer Engineering Technician program to start September 2023.
Eddie’s dream job of working in the field of Information Technology to troubleshoot and help people with their technological needs is within reach of becoming a reality.
With a new appreciation for the value of education, and a dedication and commitment to accomplish his goal, Eddie Turner is on the path to a successful and gratifying career.