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Scott Grisak Hired As HTML Programmer

The opportunity to get a college degree and change careers seldom comes after daily responsibilities, work and family obligations weigh in. This was the case with Scott Grisak, a 38-year-old maintenance worker at The Hoover Company with a family of four who was laid off from a 12-year job and forced to pursue other ambitions.

"I had a four-year apprenticeship at The Hoover Company that added up to a lot of credits. What it did was get me interested in learning again," Grisak says. "In 1995 I purchased my first computer and was enthralled with technology after that. I wanted to learn as much as possible."

At the completion of his apprenticeship, Grisak began searching for a job that could teach him more about technology than he had already taught himself. Despite his efforts, he soon realized that employers were looking for something else besides work-ethic and determination.

"I knew that I didn't want to work in a factory the rest of my life, and I knew that Hoover was having trouble," Grisak said. "I had a lot of knowledge but, everywhere I went, they wanted a degree. I thought that was my only ticket out - getting that degree."

Grisak's return to academia was put on the backburner when a family member became ill, however, this did not stop his drive to obtain a degree. In 2005, Grisak began classes at Stark State College of Technology in Computer Science.

"It was overwhelming because I had been out of school for so long," Grisak says. "I was very nervous about keeping my grades up with having so many other responsibilities. When I got to class, it set me at ease to know that most of the people were in the same boat - married with day jobs."

After receiving an associate's degree in Computer Science from Stark State, Grisak took a chance in a different field - at an advertising agency.

"I wasn't initially interested in agency work," Grisak said, "I was interested in doing something in the IT field, but I happened to get an opportunity at WRL Advertising to come in as an art intern and transition my way to the Web."

Consideration for employment after the internship period stems from three main components.

"We are looking at character, work ethic and if that person's personality fits into our organization," Todd Locke, WRL president, says. "Our internship program is set up as an opportunity for the agency to have potential employees. We look at it as an extended job interview."

WRL staff and management saw potential in Grisak and offered him a full-time position.

"We brought him in as a possible individual who can learn some art and Web production," Locke says. "He has a great character and disposition on life. He came in everyday thinking life was good instead of, 'I have to wake up and go to work.'"

Grisak accepted the position and enjoys learning more about technology and combining two areas of interest- computer science and web design.

Despite juggling family life with a new baby and a full-time job, Grisak accomplished his goal of obtaining a degree and pursuing an interest in computers. However, his part-time job in the classroom is not completed yet, as he plans to go back, when time allows, to obtain another degree in web design.