(Marietta, Ga. – March 15, 2017)
When Chris Dahl lost interest in his job as an HVAC technician, he decided to pursue his passion for teaching. The Marietta resident registered for classes at Chattahoochee Technical College last spring and is on his way to earning a degree in Early Childhood Care and Education – a field of study traditionally dominated by women.
Enrolled in a technical education program of study in which males comprise less than 25 percent of the current student enrollment, Dahl is breaking barriers and redefining roles in the workplace as a non-traditional student.
“Students who are enrolled in non-traditional career training often face unique challenges, such as discrimination, isolation and role gender conflicts,” said CTC Special Populations and Title IX Coordinator Brannon Jones. “The benefits, however, often outweigh the negatives. A non-traditional student who can overcome these obstacles and turn them into opportunities has the potential of entering the workforce earning a salary that is more than 20 percent higher than that of more traditional careers.”
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Attitudes about which jobs are appropriate for men or for women are the result of tradition and socialization. The truth is most job requirements are unrelated to sex, and research shows that individuals who choose careers they are interested in — rather than the careers that encourage gender stereotypes — encounter greater job satisfaction.
With plans of transferring to Kennesaw State University to earn his bachelor’s degree in physical education, Dahl is on the right path to break through gender stereotypes and fulfill his dreams of teaching healthy habits, nutrition and exercise to elementary school students. He hopes to one day become an athletic director for a school system.
“There are very few men in the industry, and the demand for males in this field is through the roof,” he said. “As long as I work hard, I should be able to find a job after graduation.”
Although Dahl is highly marketable to employers, he could still face challenges while trying to completely overcome job stereotypes regarding so-called “male” and “female” professions.
“People notice when I’m not there or when I perform poorly. Some parents also seem unsure of having a male teacher in the Early Childhood Care and Education classroom,” he said. “Even though the demand is high, you need to have the knowledge and patience to learn and care for young children. My instructors seem to have a ton of knowledge about what they are teaching, and I work in a childcare setting where I practice these techniques every day. I feel I can move up as far as I want in the school system.”
Every student entering college goes through a period of adjustment, but for a non-traditional student, the adjustments may be more challenging. Chattahoochee Technical College’s Office of Special Populations helps by providing an encouraging environment, campus and community resource referrals, networking resources, workshops and textbook assistance to students enrolled in a nontraditional career training program.
