important all of those work skills were for me. You see too many kids who are graduating from college without one work skill,” Dr. Grandin said. “Growing up in the 1950s it was pounded into me to work hard, be on time, have proper manners, and treat others with respect.” The other major problem is the lack of “skilled labor” as a result of the schools removing classes such as auto mechanics, shop classes, music, art and dramatics, which if a teen develops a passion for can turn into a job or a career. “We’ve got to put the shop classes back in in the high schools. These classes also expose young people to music and the arts,” she explained. “If you are not exposed to something, how can you figure out if you have a passion for it?”
autism at 75 to 80 percent, Dr. Grandin sees verbal teens and adults spending time in their basements or bedrooms playing video games and not living up to their potential, much to the chagrin of their worried parents. The problem, she said, is that many employers often “look at the labels,” and not at the person standing in front of them. “The way I used to sell jobs was to show off technical drawings and pictures of my jobs. I would simply lay the work out in front of the engineering department and the people I was pitching that would appreciate it.” It took Dr. Grandin multiple tries to master certain skills, such as driving a truck on her aunt’s farm and school proved difficult. But her tenacity, perseverance and growing confidence in her abilities were guiding principles that led to success.
Debra Wallace is a multi- award-winning journalist, editor, content provider, and publicist with 20+ years of experience. She is a regular contributor to Parade.com, Orlando Family, Delaware Today, Suburban Philadelphia Life, and several other print and digital publications. Reach Debra at LinkedIn, Website, Facebook, or email her at debrawallace@verizon.net Her overall piece of advice for overcoming obstacles that each of us faces is to worry about them one at a time. “I was talking to veterinary students about this I said if you are having a problem with a class, get a tutor right away,” Dr. Grandin said. “When I had to be tutored in all three math classes, and I did it after I failed the first quiz; I didn’t wait until I flunked out of the class. Take it one thing at a time.” What does Dr. Grandin want her legacy to be? “I would like to be remembered for having improved things that I worked on,” she said. There is no doubt that she will. For more information go to: https://www.templegrandin.co m/
With U.S. unemployment rate for people with the current
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