Without financial help, Budgick said he might have considered quitting because of the uncertainty of whether his education will pay off. Financial Aid Employees also can apply for scholarships to defray their costs. She is using the money for books, software and other supplies. She also would prefer to move away from the sometimes dangerous work she does now. When I m 50, I don t want to be climbing a 50-foot tower on a snowy day, she said.
Technicians maintain equipment used to help pilots land airplanes.
Aside from the tangible benefits she s counting on, going back to school has helped her self-esteem, St. George said. She s looking into taking a national test to be a certified project manager and joining a professional organization. As an adult with a mortgage, St. George said she has to be more disciplined and organized in her studies than when she went to college for her bachelor s degree. When you re older you have a different perspective, she said. You have to set your priorities, she said.