Saturday, November 28, 2009

Brandon's thanksgiving blog

Blog 11 - Brandon Weber’s Plans for the Upcoming 5-Day Holiday

I have several plans for my 5-day Thanksgiving holiday. The biggest event is going to be having Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt Susan’s house. At this dinner, I get to see most of family that I have not seen in a while. My Aunt Susan is an excellent cook and I love her cooking. I love the smell and taste of the golden turkey, spicy Italian Sausage stuffing, and sweet strawberry pretzel Jell-O.

At dinner, I will probably sit at the same table as my sister Brittany, cousins Lisa and Kevin, and Kevin’s girlfriend Jenny. We usually talk about school, shopping and anything else that came to mind. After dinner, I will watch the football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. This should be a good game and I hope that the Dallas Cowboys win since they are my most favorite football team.


Another important plan that I have during my time off from school is to get more practice driving a car. I am currently enrolled in a driver’s education class and will be driving over the weekend. I am feeling a little nervous but I am sure that I will do just fine since I did pretty well last time I drove. My driver’s education class will be over in a few weeks.


Two other important things that I plan to do this weekend are to start my Christmas shopping and practice the guitar. I will probably go to the Twelve Oaks shopping mall and brose EBay for things to buy. Saturday my Guitar Instructor will continue teaching me the guitar. I am still working on learning the Chords but I am starting to learn a Jimi Hendrix song called Voodoo Child. I have a lot to learn but I am having fun learning.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Brandon's career's

Blog #10 – Career Exploration - Craftsperson


Education and Training - Craftsperson

1. What kind of degree or certification do you need?

No real educational requirements are needed; however, a high school diploma is recommended and specific training or an apprenticeship in the area of interest is needed. Most craftspeople study crafts in college and get a degree. This helps crafts person to better understand the history of their crafts, as well as techniques.

2. What in-state schools offer the programs that you need?

Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan is a two-year college that offers courses and a program in the arts. Most community colleges also offer courses (such as Schoolcraft College)

3. How long does it take to get the necessary training?

The necessary training for a Craftsperson will depend on the type of craft. Some crafts take a year to master, others many more years.

4. How much does it cost to get the necessary education and training?

Classes at Lake Michigan College cost $142.00 per credit hour; Training is usually provided by the employer and is hands on.

Starting Level – Craftsperson

1. What kind of work will you be doing?

A Craftsperson can make anything like welded art, shoe repair, specialized car parts, and leather goods.

2. What kind of wages will be you be paid per hour/week?

The starting pay for a Craftsperson depends upon the type of craft. Anywhere from $7.52 to $14.40 per hour.

3. Describe a day in the life of a Craftsperson

Many Crafts persons work long hours and are self employed. Much of their time is spent working with their hands and spending long periods of time standing or sitting. Many Crafts persons work at home or in private studios.

Reflection - Craftsperson

After investigating more about Crafts persons, I have decided that this not the career for me. What I dislike about this career is that you have to work long hours and not get much pay for it. Additionally, many Crafts persons work out of their home or even alone. I want to work as part of a team. The future need of a Craftsperson is not that good and I think it would be hard to get a job as a Craftsperson. The pay is what really concerns me and I could provide for a family with such low pay. The one thing that I would like about being a Craftsperson is that you can determine your own hours and that you can be very creative in your work. For me, this type of job would be a part time hobby.


Blog #10 – Career Exploration – Manufacturing Machine Operator


Education and Training - Manufacturing Machine Operator

1. What kind of degree or certification do you need?

High school diploma is highly recommended; while in school one should also take classes such as Shop, Reading Blueprints, and Math. For those who wish to be in Supervisory positions, a 2 or 4 year degree is required in either Business, Manufacturing Technology or Industrial Engineering. Depending on some jobs, Trade Union certifications are required

2. What in-state schools offer the programs that you need?

There are a number of in-state schools offering programs to prepare you for a career as a Manufacturing Machine Operator. Some schools include Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Henry Ford Community College, Wayne Ste University and Lawrence Technological University.

3. How long does it take to get the necessary training?

The necessary training for a Manufacturing Machine Operator will depend on the type of work and industry. College work can take 2 or 4 years and on the job training can take anywhere from two weeks to several years. Certifications for some jobs require three years and class work.

4. How much does it cost to get the necessary education and training?

Tuition costs at Colleges vary by school. Wayne State University costs $7,182 per year, while Lawrence Technological University costs $21,659 per year. On the job, the employer provides training.

Starting Level – Manufacturing Machine Operator

1. What kind of work will you be doing?

Manufacturing Machine Operators usually perform one of two types of work. One type of work is setting up equipment and machines to run production. This work also includes planning the sequence of operations to a final product.

The other type of work is monitoring the machines to make sure that everything is going well. Other jobs include loading and unloading machines, maintaining the machines, making adjustments and inspecting the final product.


2. What kind of wages will be you be paid per hour/week?

The starting pay for a Manufacturing Machine Operator depends on several factors such as whether a Union is present, the type of industry, and the size of the company. The average starting salary can range from $18,000 to $40,000 per year. With good experience a Manufacturing Machine Operator can make more than $45,000 per year, while Supervisors can make over $60,000 per year.


3. Describe a day in the life of a Manufacturing Machine Operator

Manufacturing Machine Operators work in shifts for 40 hours per week. The work can be very fast paced, repetitive and require heavy lifting. The work environment is in a factory and can be noisy. Sometimes workers can be exposed to dangerous fumes


Reflection - Manufacturing Machine Operator

After investigating more about Manufacturing Machine Operators, I have decided that this not the career for me. What I dislike about this career is that it involves a lot of repetitive work. After a while, I would think that this would be every boring. The pay is not enough to support a family on and it is my understanding that many manufacturing jobs are moving out of the country. I am very surprised that so many of these jobs are moving out of the country. It is my understanding that our country was built on manufacturing jobs. I think that having experience in being able to build and repair cars and other items around the house is a very good skill to have.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Top 10 Career Matchmaker Suggestions Interest Rank


1.
Multimedia Developer

2.
Artist

3.
Webmaster

4.
Beekeeper

5.
Food Inspector

6.
Craftsperson

7.
Potter

8.
Appraiser

9.
Exhibit Designer

10.
Manufacturing Machine Operator



The two interests that I have are to become either a Manufacturing Machine Operator or a Craftsperson. I would like to become a Manufacturing Machine Operator for several reasons. I very much enjoy understanding how things work and like working with tools. I have always loved fast cars and my father works at Ford Motor Company. I think it would be great to be part of the team that puts together a car. I would also be able to understand how my job helps build a car. At this point in my life, I can prepare for a career as a Manufacturing Machine Operator by doing well in school and become a mature adult. Additionally, I can prepare myself for this type of career by becoming more familiar with various tools, machinery and helping my father tune up the family car. I can also get more hands on experience by taking Automotive Technology and Service classes at Stevenson.

I also have interest in making up my own designs and building what I have designed. I love classic muscle cars from the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. I think the designs of these cars are better than the cars we have today. I also feel that this type of career will help me find better ways of making things. By being a creative craftsman, I can make things that you will not find at the store. I feel that I can prepare myself today for a career as a Craftsman by doing well in school and taking classes such as Computer Design, Art, Welding and Geometry at school.

Friday, November 6, 2009

why do we have halloween

Why do we have Halloween?

A New Year, a man Celts believed, marked summer’s end, harvest time, and the start of dark, cold winter months. Those winter months were associated with the dead by people. On October 31, the night before the New Year, the Celts celebrated Samhain. This day, they believed, was when the ghosts of the deceased returned to earth because the boundaries between the living world and the dead world blurred.

When we think of “Trick-Or-Treating", the origins can probably be found in the English All Souls’ Day parades. During these celebrations, the poor would come out and begged for food from the more wealthy families. When the families gave them pastries and other foods they asked for the poor to pray for their relatives that have died.

Another possibility that may have grown into “Trick-Or-Treating" is the tradition of people leaving bowls of food in front of their homes. They did this to keep the ghosts that were wandering the earth from entering.

Dressing in costumes in different designs to frighten people. It was cold, it was darker, and the possibility of running out of food was great.

When they reached the time when they thought the dead returned, they thought they might encounter these ghosts whenever they left their houses. The wearing of masks and costumes grew from these people donning masks so the ghosts would not recognize them!

This holiday was brought to the US by Scotch and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. At that time, much of the “spookiness" of the holiday was removed and a sense of community and fun were added. Although scary themes are still the focus of many Halloween celebrations, that scariness is done for fun, not because of actual fear. Halloween is currently the 2nd largest commercial holiday!

Adapted from http://searchwarp.com/swa87241.htm