Darren Gilbert
Future Alumni Essay Contest
2018 Runner-up
Years of hard work, education, dedication and savings landed me in Mount Pleasant with my own restaurant about 16 years ago. My son was four years old at the time and my wife worked with me. Life was grand and all was well.
Then, after four years in operation, road construction blocked off the entrance to my restaurant and I was forced into bankruptcy. Devastated and depressed, I trudged forward trying to recover my losses. After six more years of working at various capacities I finally landed a great job on Hilton Head and was next in line to be promoted to Executive Chef with a fully paid transfer to another property in another state. I was on my way to redemption when misfortune struck again.
I injured my spine and spent the next three years getting surgeries, going through rehab and wondering if this was all life had left to offer. The loss of ability to work combined with severe depression cost me my house, 2 cars and eventually my marriage of 18 years. The crippling depression that followed required medical attention. The following two years were filled with experimentation with various depression medications. Full comprehension of the warning labels became clear when I decided I had enough and drove my car into a tree but I only suffered a cut elbow from the glass that broke when my car rolled.
Once I was off all the dangerous medication and back to reality, I reluctantly decided to look into the possibility of a new career in an attempt to get out of the hole I was in. Social Security Disability Services directed me to Vocational Rehabilitation but after 6 months of going back and forth with them, they decided they couldn’t help and terminated our relationship. My counselor’s last words were “Have you looked into Trident Tech?”
I knew of the college because I hear it discussed everywhere I go and my son was enrolled there, fresh out of high school, for the manufacturing certificate. Trident’s willingness to create courses that meet the needs of the community is apparent with several certificates and programs being offered which allow students a fast track to employment with area businesses. These are top companies who hire thousands of workers with great starting pay and job security. Without a college so connected to the community, these businesses would surely have gone elsewhere so Trident Tech is clearly a major part of the community it serves. My son was excelling in his courses due to the top notch and dedicated instructors so I decided to drive over and speak with someone in admissions to see what might work for me.
Always greeted with a smile and an open door, I was delighted to meet such a wonderful group of people. Before I even enrolled, I was offered free counseling services and tests to figure out what profession would be best given my disabilities. From choosing a career that would work for me to walking me through the financial aid process and registering for classes, I was lead and encouraged every step of the way.
In the two short months I’ve been here, I have met some fascinating instructors and staff who have taken a sincere interest in my future. The instructor of my very first computer programming class, Mr. Brady, went out of his way to stress the importance of community support in finding employment here in the Low Country. He is tied in with and active in several local groups throughout the community. During nearly every class, he urges students to join IT clubs and attend meetups in an effort to help jump-start our careers and make connections with the people who matter. There is even a student IT club with meeting times worked into the class schedule. This is where I was able to meet the majority of the IT faculty who all had my best interests at heart. They too stressed the importance of being connected to the community, eagerly answered all questions in depth and voiced an open door policy should I need any help as I progress. From planning my next classes to providing online links for the local meetup groups, they have helped more than I could have possibly imagined. Even with their busy schedules, they find time to promptly reply to my emails. Responses are professional with confident and experienced tones that always provide the help I need. I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to have found my way into this organization with all these wonderful people. I feel like I’ve already “won”, yet I’ve only just begun. I can’t wait to see what the next term brings!
As a 47 year old disabled chef, I feel like Trident Tech has become my savior and my last shot at restoring my life. This is the fourth college I have been enrolled at over the course of my life but it is by far the most connected to the community it serves. I’ll be eternally grateful for being a part of the community that’s intertwined with Trident Tech!
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