Chapter 5: The Perils of Pauline: The Initiation of a Novice Instructional Designer in an Industrial Setting

Pauline waited impatiently on the other side of the train tracks as the train took its sweet time rolling through the shipyard. “Hurry along already! I’m going to be late for my interview,” she thought. Finally the train made its way past the training department and she quickly jumped over the tracks, straightened her power suit and hair. Confidently, yet nervously, she walked into Mr. Peterson’s office with her portfolio under one arm. Despite having read up on all the do’s and don’ts of interviews and having attended many before, the interview was unlike any other she had attended. “Listen,” said Mr. Peterson, “you won’t need that suit here, and I can’t pay you even close to what you were making at your other job, but here you’ll get one heck of a good work experience.” “Does that mean I get the job?” she asked. His response, “Just be sure to be here bright and early and get you some good steel-toe boots on the way home. You’ll need them here. The hard hats on that shelf are a little big, so pick the smallest one you can find. Be sure to wear your steel toes and hard hat any time you go out into the yard, otherwise the safety inspectors will write you up, and if they do, you’ll be in trouble with me.”