Kearney resident Frank Colley (pictured) was carrying a heavy financial load when the country’s economic slump came to town.

Downturn in the local market had affected the number of hours he was getting on the job as a truck driver. Worried about how he was going to support his family, Frank turned to performing odd jobs to get by.

He was actively searching for a more stable job when he heard about Second Career Strategy, an Ontario government initiative to help unemployed and underemployed workers make the transition to new careers in growing areas of the economy.

With four years as a volunteer firefighter, Frank looked into opportunities at Georgian College and found the school’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program at the Barrie Campus fit the bill.

But returning to school after a 15-year hiatus was a daunting task. After completing research on the program and his chosen career, he needed to brush up on some basic skills first.

Frank was accepted into the College’s Academic Upgrading program last fall. Through Second Career, he took courses in English, biology and chemistry at the Muskoka Campus in Bracebridge and math at a Huntsville location. He recently completed the requirements of the program and is now in the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program.

“Juggling family responsibilities and returning to school was a little scary,” said Frank. “The alternative was worse. I wasn’t getting enough hours driving a truck and the odd jobs I turned to, to shore the balance were becoming fewer and farther between. I was really at a crossroads.”

The 32-year-old eased back into the classroom with the help of his professors at the close-knit Muskoka Campus.

“The instructors here understand your plight and know you’re in a tough situation,” said Frank. “They really go above and beyond to help you succeed.”