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Thursday's letters: College classes should prepare you for work

 
Published Nov. 19, 2018

Politics, Practicality, Price | Nov. 18

Learning skills for the job market

This article underscores what I have been telling my undergraduate communications major students for more than 15 years: "You are paying me to provide you with the knowledge and the skills you will need to succeed in your chosen profession."

While I wholeheartedly endorse a sensible liberal arts education, as a former public relations professional now teaching the next generations of communication pros, I have no patience for an insistence on studying subjects that may have relevance for someone dead-set on teaching those subjects but have little to no value for someone looking to add to his or her practical, work-related skill set.

I have yet to see a potential employer ask an applicant, "Are you skilled in underwater basketweaving?" What I have seen is, time after time, the applicant being asked to demonstrate his or her competency in real-life, real-time production skills. In my particular field, that's writing, editing, clarity of composition. Yes, knowledge of the past — the arts, the sciences — enables one to understand how we got to where we are today as a civilization. But even more important is the ability to respond to modern-day demands efficiently and accurately.

Kirk Hazlett, Tampa

The writer is an adjunct professor of communication at the University of Tampa.

Vote offers inside look at sausagemaking | Nov. 18

What I saw as a poll worker

I have been a precinct clerk in Pinellas County since 2012 and a poll worker since 2007. I have looked at a lot signatures in past and current elections and have not had problems such as "your signature doesn't match." Most times the first letter of the first or last name is identical to what is on the voter's ID. Even people with squiggly line look the same either at the beginning or the end. Once a signature is accepted (either mail-in, early voting or election day) there is no way to match voters' signatures to ballots as they are now separated. As for ID, I have had only one voter not have acceptable ID. That was because he was riding his bike when he noticed the voting signs. In this case he was given a provisional ballot and allowed to present ID in the time frame. All I can say is that Pinellas County works hard to train poll workers and give them the necessary tools to run an accurate election.

Don Bubnekovch, Pinellas Park

Proper grammar

Stay awake on good grammar

"Woken" is not proper usage of the English language. I/you/we/they wake; I/you/we/they did awake; I/you/we/they awoke — and all three past tenses. But this new attempt at English is ridiculous. There are so many other proper terms to use.

Alinea Bracciale, Sarasota

What about race card? | Nov. 17

Choosing the best candidates

Recent articles have suggested race and ballot design as reasons for candidates' losses. Another possibility? As independents, after careful consideration, my wife and I voted for Republicans Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis and Democrat Nikki Fried as simply best deserving our votes. Apparently a majority had similar or same reasons.

Don Flassing, St. Pete Beach