Published Tuesday, December 30, 1997 1:31 PM CST

SUMITON – For George Mauldin, the classroom is not bound by four walls, a chalkboard, a stack of books and a series of training aids. The classroom of his lessons includes that and much, much more.

For Mauldin and many like him, the classroom is "the real world" and the lessons of life have been both painful and rewarding.

Mauldin advanced into the work force right out of high school and was prepared for a long, profitable career in the labor market. What Mauldin did not expect was that he would one day be caught in a layoff situation. Unfortunately, that situation occurred for Mauldin more than once.

"With the way things change in business and industry, you can't help but be the victim sometime," Mauldin said. "It was not something that I thought about when I first started working, but having experienced the real-life situations I can now see how easy it is to be caught in a layoff or shutdown."

With a desire to enhance his value in the job market, Mauldin began taking welding classes in 1979. This move would prove to be invaluable to him as another plant shutdown temporarily sidetracked Mauldin's career.

"If it hadn't been for the welding and small amount of classes I had taken at the college, I would have been in trouble. I was able to use that to get another job and it is something that has helped me all along the way," Mauldin said.

Although they were difficult lessons to endure, the plant layoffs and shutdowns opened Mauldin's eyes to the value of education and diversity. After taking another job at U.S. Steel, Mauldin began a rather grueling schedule that include five or six days a week at work and three days or nights at school.

Just over three years ago, Mauldin enrolled in the Electrical Technology program at the Walker Campus of Bevill State Community College. According to the Walker County resident, it was one of the best career moves he has ever made.

Today, Mauldin has completed his certificate requirements in the program and has advanced to among the top of the Maintenance Utility department at U.S. Steel.

"If I hadn't started classes at Bevill State and furthered my education, advancement in my career would have probably been nonexistent. It was absolutely one of the best investments I ever made," Mauldin said. "I've advanced about as high as I can go in my department and that was my objective when I started taking classes."

While the lessons in the Bevill State classrooms have been applicable to his daily work duties, Mauldin has also seen their viability to the "real world" situations experienced by workers each and every day. The realized value of education has led Mauldin to enroll in the Electronics Technology program at the college and he plans to one day complete his associate degree.

Mauldin would like for others, both young and mature, to learn from the lessons that the "real world" have taught him over the years.

"The past 20 years have certainly changed my attitudes toward careers in today's job market. It is my belief that there is a job market demand for educated, responsible adults. If you are 45 years old now and don't have a background in an employable field and choose not to do something about it, then next year you'll be 46 years old and still be lacking a diversified background," Mauldin said.

"My biggest regret is that I didn't do what I have done over the last three years a long time ago," he added. "When you go to college, you've got to have a goal ­ a light at the end of the tunnel that you are trying to reach. Coming back after having been out there in the real world made learning a very serious and important topic for me."

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