HEART OF STEELE
A friend who works as a massage therapist tells me her work can be physically demanding, but she can’t imagine herself doing anything else.
I’ve always admired her dedication, the way she has built up her business. It never occurred to me, though, how close she has to stand to her clients. In a small, enclosed space. For nearly an hour.
Students who attended last week’s Made in Owatonna Day learned from people who are already there what it’s really like to work in a variety of health care professions. Presenters talked about the required education, the financial cost, wages and benefits, pros and cons–the full picture, or as much as could be presented in a short block of time.
For Mayo/Allina and Riverland Community College, there was an obvious benefit. Made in Owatonna Day gave them a moment to connect with local teens and encourage them to consider an education and a career close to home–at a time when hospitals and clinics are desperate to hire. In December, Dr. Rahul Koranne, president of the Minnesota Hospital Association, called state-wide hospital staff shortages a “crisis.”
Students enjoyed the obvious benefit of getting out of school on an unseasonably warm Wednesday. They heard what education they’ll need and what steps they must take to follow a particular career path.
Most importantly, though, they got that information from professionals doing the work.
It’s one thing to read about being a dentist, for instance, and quite another to listen to Dr. Bob Wottreng talk about the passion he has for improving people’s lives by taking care of their teeth. He spoke honestly about the time he broke down in tears over an impossibly difficult college class but made clear how rewarding his work can be. He even showed before and after photos of patients he recently treated in Nicaragua.
The satisfaction, he said, is almost immediate.
“Often within 30 minutes, we get to see the work of our hands,” he said. “It’s life-changing when people are in pain and you can help them.”
Made in Owatonna Day works because volunteers like Wottreng speak from the heart about the work they do. It's a real gift to our county’s young people, who need that kind of straight talk to help them make the biggest decisions of their lives.