[Coco] OT: Need a favor of some career advice

[Jim Cox]

Hey gang:

Hope you don't mind my asking, but I thought this list might be a good 
place to ask since many of you have been very helpful in the past.  I'm 
sort of hitting that mid-40's things and wondering about where I should go 
career-wise.  I realize that by asking this list, I may get more 
suggestions that I can deal with, but it's worth a try.

For 19 years I was an electronics technician (Associate of Science in 
Electronics Technology,) and most of those years were spent doing 
production testing.  I tested and at times repaired everything from 
Accelerometers, Hybrid Electronics, Flight Data Management Systems (the 
6809 based on I mentioned a long time ago) and in-circuit emulators.

I was then laid off for over a year.  During that time I took one of those 
fast track IT programs for both A+ and MCSE, but have yet to try for the 
certifications (MCSE for 2K is now being phased out :(  After completing 
the program I interned and then found a job at a Mac-centric web hosting 
company which was not really what I trained for, but I did my best.

After six months working there, at two-thirds my old wages, I found a 
better job doing engineering testing for networking systems.  After a year 
at my new (now current job,) I have now been asked to help develop an API 
test platform, and given the fact I've barely gotten past the "Hello World" 
portion of my self study C programming, it's been a real challenge, but I'm 
giving it my best.  I am worried about this being a test though and not 
sure how my manager is looking at my efforts.

My problem is that I am getting a little discouraged by attitudes towards 
older people from younger people that I am having to deal with, plus given 
all the changes in the last three years, my forces seem really 
scattered.  I have been meaning to sit down and lean 6809 assembly (I even 
have the CIE trainer) but I never seem to be able to get going because of 
other issues.  And not to give too much information, but there are certain 
health issues (diabetes, sleep disorders, etc) that keep me fatigued.

I'd like to go back to school, but even with tuition reimbursement, 
finances are an issue.  Can any of you suggest some strategies that I 
should try?  I'd love to find work as an engineering tech, but with my 
vision the way it is, SMT soldering and such , would have to be left to 
better eyes.  I'm going to keep up with my C/C++ programming studies in 
hopes I can leverage that some place.

Thanks for your time and please reply in private so as not to pollute the 
list.  Cheers!

Jim Cox