MagistrateScience8863
The Straight Path A “Dua” is an Islamic prayer that Muslims use…
The Straight Path
A “Dua” is an Islamic prayer that Muslims use to request something from Allah. I always make a Dua saying, “Oh Allah may you keep me on the straight path.” This intention includes all aspects of life, therefore not only spirituality, but also what I want to work as. Right now, I’m choosing between becoming a mechanic and a cyber security analyst. To help me make my decision I’m evaluating both paths based on the learning/ educational processes, opportunities, and the big one, salary. I will also factor in how each career fits in with how I want to live my life and if it’ll be flexible or not.
One might say that mechanics are doctors at heart. To be proficient at either application, I must have a good understanding of every component, from every bone to every bolt. For example, although an engine mechanic and cardiac surgeons’ salaries might differ by a large margin, they both work on essentially the same thing- the heart. If I’m to work on something as important as a heart, I must be able to diagnose the problem quickly and execute my scalpel to every required bolt precisely. To dive even deeper, if I’m to work on the combustion chamber, which is an imperative component because it pumps out energy for the whole machine to thrive, it’s the same as a surgeon operating on the left ventricle in the heart, which must pump blood out to every corner of the human frame. Dedication and accuracy are essential skills I must incorporate in order to stitch-up every patient that rolls in a repair shop.
Society would see a lot more mechanics around if they had the same salary as a surgeon. Speaking of which, salary is the conventional factor I look at when choosing between careers. According to Zippia.com the average mechanic makes around $45,000 annually. The stark contrast, however, is that the average pay for a cyber security analyst (CSA) is $92,000 according to indeed.com. The reason why salary is so important is because my main goal is to get a job that can support my family right now and the family I want to start in the future. However, at the same time it isn’t the end of the world if I choose to become a mechanic or any job that pays similar to that because in my belief, I know that Allah is the best of providers and that he will provide for me and my family regardless of how much I make.
That brings me to evaluate opportunities. Some questions I frequent myself with are, “Will I be able to open my own business doing this?” and “Do I know anyone who can help me on my journey?” For starters, as a CSA I don’t see myself opening my own business, I would rather work for a company such as Stealth Entry Cyber Security Solutions, which is in Dayton, since the average pay for CSAs is so high anyway. Also, I know an uncle in Maryland who works in IT that can help me with my endeavors. On the other hand, if I choose to become a mechanic, there are a variety of opportunities available. A couple examples would be my father who works at an autobody shop, a close family friend who owns his own auto repair business, a cousin that runs a car selling business, and some other distant family friends who are starting their own car businesses. I can ask them for help and advice while becoming a mechanic and eventually starting my own business.
It’s essential for me to consider the learning process to become either a mechanic or CSA. To pursue cyber security, I can get my associates degree at Sinclair, and then get an entry level job to gain experience and further enhance my knowledge. An example of an entry level job would be Reynolds and Reynolds, a software company that offers a lot of opportunities for entry level analysts, etc. Furthermore, there’s also an abundance of free material online that I can use such as free bootcamps and YouTube videos. To list a few, Cybrary, Cisa, and Open Security Training are all websites that offer free courses to specialize in different branches of cyber security. Similarly, there’s also an abundance of resources for me to learn how to become a mechanic. For one, as I mentioned previously, I know a close family friend who owns his own auto repair shop. I can work and learn from him at any time, which makes him one of my largest available resources. I can also study at Sinclair for automotive programs that will give me popular automotive certifications. The downside of having to go to school, however, is that it takes up a lot of time.
Speaking of time, free time is also very important to me. I like spending time with family, playing basketball with my friends, going to the gym, and furthering my knowledge of my religion. Both career paths mostly allow me to doo this because I’ll be working 40-hour weeks. However, the most time-consuming part will be the learning process. Becoming a CSA will take at least two years and the same can be said for becoming a mechanic. During these times I can’t expect to have much free time because I’ll be working and studying at the same time, but once things settle down and I get a stable job, I should have more time to do what I like.
To be fair, both career paths fit me, and it really boils down to the opportunities presented after making my choice. For a CSA I can get my associates along with some certifications that I can get via online courses, and then get an entry level job. For a mechanic, I can get an associate degree that comes with certifications at Sinclair, while also working with my close family friend to gain experience and reputation. On top of learning how to be a mechanic, I can try to start my own automotive business in the future. As for free time, I can’t expect much during the learning/training process of my career but that’s ok. Once I get a stable job, I’ll be able to do mostly what I want and even start a family. And lastly, salary-wise, both jobs can provide adequately but perhaps the most important thing I need to keep in mind throughout all of it is derived from the same Dua I mentioned at the start, “Oh Allah you are the best of providers.” I’ll be solely relying on you, and only you, to guide me on a straight path.
Were the paragraphs centered around a strong topic sentence that related directly back to the thesis statement? Did each paragraph end with a clear judgment about how the information will impact the final decision?
Did the writer include an extended analogy? How detailed and descriptive is it? Does it effectively analogize the topic in a creative way?
Did you notice any errors or formatting mistakes in any of the student essays, and if so, did that interfere with your enjoyment of/understanding of the topic?
