5 ms·

I read this when it was first published and while it's impressive for sure this is easily overlooked: > Decades earlier, in 1982, Vaudreuil received an associa

I read this when it was first published and while it's impressive for sure this is easily overlooked: > Decades earlier, in 1982, Vaudreuil received an associate’s degree in aeronautical engineering, but didn’t pursue his chosen career in the struggling airline industry. So he had significant prior training in a related field. Also, maybe that's my European bias, but I'm not so thrilled about this story because to my mind it shouldn't have been so hard for him in the first place to get that education, and some more aid after a normal failure in life. I mean, are we making lives hard so that we can then celebrate the few(!) successes as if they prove anything? Like, that making lives in one of the richest countries in the entire million year history of mankind hard is a good thing? This is like a Roman circus, we throw people into the arena and then celebrate the few who make it out again as "heroes". "Are You Not Entertained?" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsqJFIJ5lLs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsqJFIJ5lLs)

chfjdjcjdjd 10y ago
An associate's in AeroE would amount to nothing beyond a few calculus and physics classes. All of the important stuff is in the second two years.
- LionessLover 10y ago
  > nothing beyond a few calculus and physics classes With this quote of your own comment I rest my case :-)
  - chfjdjcjdjd 10y ago
    None of that material is relevant to aeronautical engineering: he just completed two years of general education. He didn't take thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, heat transfer, combustions, or any of the other relevant aeronautics material.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
jacobush 10y ago
So apt!
warmblood 10y ago
One could say that this engineering degree finally put him into the place where he belonged all these years. It illustrates that there are unfair barriers that prevent people from making themselves and their families happy and healthy. Giving them the resources to succeed and provide for their families is a net good not just for their own selfish interests but for their surrounding economy and society as well. I think the takeaway should be more about what we can give to the average working class person who is probably more intelligent and motivated than society is willing to give them credit for. What can we do for them instead of grinding them down in undignified, barely productive poverty wage jobs.
un-devmox 10y ago
-- So he had significant prior training in a related field. > He had to drop Calculus 1 initially because his basic Algebra was too rusty. So he self-taught himself through YouTube videos, and went on to ace Calculus 1 -4. I agree with your sentiment (everyone should be afforded the same opportunity) but, I feel that you are being overly cynical. After all, other employees at the university had/have the same benefits. IMO, this man should be recognized for his accomplishments. The older you get the harder it is to change careers. Maybe this man's story will help motivate others to follow in his footsteps.
- asimuvPR 10y ago
  Not only that but the man did so after two family businesses failed as a consequence of the 2008 housing crash. He had a family to support and had gone through bankruptcy. A lot of people would have given up because it is very hard to regain faith, more so when you get older.
  - gregpilling 10y ago
    Someone should get him an angel investment then; there is a lot of talk here about backing entrepreneurs that won't give up. Here is a perfect example of that personality trait. He never ever gave up. Good for him.
- cisstrd 10y ago
  I think you read it wrong, parent is calling him "one of the few successes" which to me actually is recognizing his achievement, but instead of "this is great", what he sees in the story is "how the hell was it so hard for him in the first place, it shouldn't", so it's a difference in perspective, but not that he does not recognize his success (that's my perception). That being said, of course I agree with you. I was once enrolled in a community college program out of fun, thinking I would actually learn something, but with housewives and retired people in the class, the progress was next to nil and I dropped out pretty quickly, at first I was angry, but it actually gave me a glimpse into how hard even the easiest things were to them. I could read something for 5 minutes and be able to recite it, they would struggle with it for an hour. Not to say I am a genius, but one should really take advantage of all the chances while young, that's what I got from it, so I guess it was worth it. So I deeply respect his achievement. Clarification: Though I also partly blame the teacher for the bad experience, but that's another story entirely. Edit: In case someone missed it, not so long ago this was on HN "Learning Chess at 40", very interesting read https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11653538 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11653538
hockeybias 10y ago
The U.S. has some warts for sure, what utopia are you residing in? Thanks.
cylinder 10y ago
I am only 30 and finding it tough to focus on learning anything new to retrain for a different career and I am not working as a custodian at night. Even if university was universally free here, this story would still be very impressive. Also, an Associates degree in Aeronautical "Engineering" (community college training for aircraft mechanic) is hardly prior experience for a Bachelors in MechE.
mgraczyk 10y ago
Calling it a "European Bias" is provocative and disingenuous. The US sits well above the average among OECD countries in both entrants over 30 and age at first graduation. The difference is how the US media reports, not how people in the US pursue education. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/EDIF_23%2520eng%2520(2014)EN.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjUjPODmvHMAhVEQFIKHdQXAsoQFggkMAM&usg=AFQjCNHMTsfmWPUnY4MUKDPb4Shgq1NOXQ&sig2=2ff7p0tHqscz6R4IHhNhFg https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...
trownAway 10y ago
Downvoted for cheesy movie reference. That's great. We all saw Gladiator. Russel Crowe is incredible. We get it.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

chfjdjcjdjd 10y ago

An associate's in AeroE would amount to nothing beyond a few calculus and physics classes. All of the important stuff is in the second two years.

LionessLover 10y ago
> nothing beyond a few calculus and physics classes With this quote of your own comment I rest my case :-)
- chfjdjcjdjd 10y ago
  None of that material is relevant to aeronautical engineering: he just completed two years of general education. He didn't take thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, heat transfer, combustions, or any of the other relevant aeronautics material.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]

jacobush 10y ago

So apt!

warmblood 10y ago

One could say that this engineering degree finally put him into the place where he belonged all these years. It illustrates that there are unfair barriers that prevent people from making themselves and their families happy and healthy. Giving them the resources to succeed and provide for their families is a net good not just for their own selfish interests but for their surrounding economy and society as well. I think the takeaway should be more about what we can give to the average working class person who is probably more intelligent and motivated than society is willing to give them credit for. What can we do for them instead of grinding them down in undignified, barely productive poverty wage jobs.

un-devmox 10y ago

-- So he had significant prior training in a related field. > He had to drop Calculus 1 initially because his basic Algebra was too rusty. So he self-taught himself through YouTube videos, and went on to ace Calculus 1 -4. I agree with your sentiment (everyone should be afforded the same opportunity) but, I feel that you are being overly cynical. After all, other employees at the university had/have the same benefits. IMO, this man should be recognized for his accomplishments. The older you get the harder it is to change careers. Maybe this man's story will help motivate others to follow in his footsteps.

asimuvPR 10y ago
Not only that but the man did so after two family businesses failed as a consequence of the 2008 housing crash. He had a family to support and had gone through bankruptcy. A lot of people would have given up because it is very hard to regain faith, more so when you get older.
- gregpilling 10y ago
  Someone should get him an angel investment then; there is a lot of talk here about backing entrepreneurs that won't give up. Here is a perfect example of that personality trait. He never ever gave up. Good for him.
cisstrd 10y ago
I think you read it wrong, parent is calling him "one of the few successes" which to me actually is recognizing his achievement, but instead of "this is great", what he sees in the story is "how the hell was it so hard for him in the first place, it shouldn't", so it's a difference in perspective, but not that he does not recognize his success (that's my perception). That being said, of course I agree with you. I was once enrolled in a community college program out of fun, thinking I would actually learn something, but with housewives and retired people in the class, the progress was next to nil and I dropped out pretty quickly, at first I was angry, but it actually gave me a glimpse into how hard even the easiest things were to them. I could read something for 5 minutes and be able to recite it, they would struggle with it for an hour. Not to say I am a genius, but one should really take advantage of all the chances while young, that's what I got from it, so I guess it was worth it. So I deeply respect his achievement. Clarification: Though I also partly blame the teacher for the bad experience, but that's another story entirely. Edit: In case someone missed it, not so long ago this was on HN "Learning Chess at 40", very interesting read https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11653538 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11653538

hockeybias 10y ago

The U.S. has some warts for sure, what utopia are you residing in? Thanks.

cylinder 10y ago

I am only 30 and finding it tough to focus on learning anything new to retrain for a different career and I am not working as a custodian at night. Even if university was universally free here, this story would still be very impressive. Also, an Associates degree in Aeronautical "Engineering" (community college training for aircraft mechanic) is hardly prior experience for a Bachelors in MechE.

mgraczyk 10y ago

Calling it a "European Bias" is provocative and disingenuous. The US sits well above the average among OECD countries in both entrants over 30 and age at first graduation. The difference is how the US media reports, not how people in the US pursue education. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/EDIF_23%2520eng%2520(2014)EN.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjUjPODmvHMAhVEQFIKHdQXAsoQFggkMAM&usg=AFQjCNHMTsfmWPUnY4MUKDPb4Shgq1NOXQ&sig2=2ff7p0tHqscz6R4IHhNhFg https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...

trownAway 10y ago

Downvoted for cheesy movie reference. That's great. We all saw Gladiator. Russel Crowe is incredible. We get it.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]