I remember learning to type on a pre-Windows computer with a blinking green cursor. 

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience — stuck studying subjects like history and biology in grade school — to only then discover courses in college that actually provide clear and lasting benefits far beyond imagination.

My technical writing classes at De Anza College were like that. 

When I returned to Sunnyvale from living abroad, I spent a dreadful, jobless year worrying about rent and putting in a lot of hours to online coursework. 

I found no companies willing to take the risk. Technical seminars where I could add some experience to my resume ranged into the thousands of dollars — clearly targeted at professionals with company budgets to back them up. 

I only found work because I was exceedingly lucky to squeak in (ahead of many hundreds of candidates). 

You can imagine how I felt when I later found De Anza’s program. I wanted to scream “if I’d only known–I could have used all that wasted time!”

The benefits of the classes were immediate. Even as I completed coursework, I was using my newly acquired skills to improve one client’s style guide and templates. 

I gained enough fluency with Microsoft Office tools and technical writing best practices to become an invaluable contractor — so much so that I’ve been able to live my dream by moving abroad and still maintain my relationships with clients.

As I type this, I’ve probably received a spam message about how I can make $80,000 a year working from home. That works out to about $45 an hour for full-time work. 

Coincidentally, I make $45 an hour working from home on the far side of the globe from De Anza. 

Technical writing classes, a lot of hard work, and even that junior high typing class have contributed to the lasting benefits of living out my fantasy job.

I wish you could also gain lasting benefit from the technical writing program, but you can’t anymore.