I want nothing to do with running restaurant or bar, let alone owning one. Keeping operation costs in line with profit margins is hard enough with regulations and mandated vendors taking steep advantage of you, then you have to find a way to keep staff who work for $3.13 an hour, live on no tips, and receive Zero benefits because you cannot afford to unless you have massive startup funds. There is a reason that restaurants and bars have the highest probability of failure among any startup.
Doing the AA Degree wouldn’t add much to my timeline, maybe a semester or two. I have considered that, and was leaning to the AS Degree in Int’ Business with the Certificate in Finance for these reasons:
- I am attending Valencia Community College which is right by my house taking 3 classes, this woud have my graduation date sometime nearing next year to complete my AS with Intl Business, I can also take 1 class a semester at Seminole State College that is closer to my work to complete the Finance Certificate. A co worker is going for the same certificate, and she said I can have her books after she is done as long as I give them back after so she can get the credit at the bookstore.
- Almost all the courses that are offered in the A.A. Degree that I need to complete after my A.S. Degree, are offered in the the Finance Certificate. I believe I would be shy a Social Science and Humanities class to take to compete the A.A.
- I have already completed the Foreign Language requirements with Spanish, and I am VERY VERY Basic conversation level in that. Honestly I am much better at conversing in Portuguese, obviously being married to a Brazilian helps that out. The bulk of what I have learned came for Rosetta Stone (Can’t Stress how great that Program is BTW).
Taking steps for in Internation Business Degree was a suggestion by my Academic Advisor because she kept revisiting my work History with Royal Caribbean stationed Overseas. She said that even though my experience with them was strictly F&B Supervision, a Intl Business Degree with that experience could possibly open extra doors for me since I had to understand maritime law, and be aware of the laws of each country we ported at and counsel employees and passengers of them… as well as know which employees and passengers were not permitted access on shore due to their country of origin.
My advisor was from Miami, we had a long conversation about that area. She was aware that I am looking to leave Central Florida for an area with more robust job market, she admitted to being bias towards Miami because she lived there so long but did say that the demand and opportunities are there which I could tell just by looking at jobs online at indeed.com. She knows that I am eager to move and make a fresh start, but want to be able to create more options. She advised me that Miami Dade College (her former employer has cheaper admissions), offers the classes I can take to fill in the AA Gap, and transfer to somewhere like FIU or FAU to complete my Bachelors degree. She says that an AS Degree in Intl Business is pretty broad and lacks direction of other specializations, but becoming Bilingual or Trilingual stands out better. The Finance Certificate just proves I have taken courses specifically designed for an entry level position, but I could separate it form the AS Degree on my resume which is one more thing to talk about in an interview. It also doubles as filling A.A. requirements, and lessens the courses I need to take when pursuing my Bachelors. She did say I will look a little lost when it the eyes of college admissions and advisors, but in the end they are taking my checks not signing them. She said it looks much better to employers if I explain that I completed my AS and obtained a Certificate that covers AA required courses that I could afford out of pocket, and will take out loans once I have secured a position that I can build a career on. She says it looks smart form a personal finance standpoint and conveys the maturity factor that comes with may age.
I’m not 100% sure about this plan overall, the ethical part of me sees this as padding the resume, but the practical part of me knows there is no deception going that route either. All I know is that I will be competing with younger people with higher level of education than me.
As far as Publix I know a few people who work there. They basically tell me “Its Better than Wal-Mart,” and corporate is a pain to deal with, but if you can get in with corporate, you are set. I’m not down on them but I’m not sure I would put them in my to 5 companies I’m going to seek upon graduation.
My advisor was overall neutral on internships, she did say they have obtained much more participants, and the options for quality internships. I remember years ago when I went there the internship pool was just limited to Disney, Universal, Mail Rooms and Retail Banks. She says they are still good internship partners, but have much more. I guess I will wait an see. I’m pretty sure I will take at least 1 internship, I feel I need to have more non-hospitality experience on my resume and the networking possibility is just too enticing to pass up. I haven’t decided if I will do a 2nd internship or take an business elective course though. I appreciate all the advice here and welcome. as much as anybody is willing to give.