By JEFF MEYERS
PLATTSBURGH — Christopher LaBombard had settled into his job as a machine operator at Georgia-Pacific.
He had been there for two years and had made a name for himself as a dedicated and responsible worker.
But, in terms of seniority, LaBombard was low man on the totem post. When news started to circulate in the latter months of 2008 that layoffs were on the horizon, he had a feeling his days at one of the largest North Country employers were numbered.
DIDN'T WAIT
"They told us in November (of 2008) that we were going to get laid off in January," LaBombard said, talking about the road that has brought him back to the hallways of Clinton Community College.
"I wasn't sure what I was going to be doing, but getting an education sounded like the best option. There just isn't much work around here if you don't have a good education."
LaBombard did not wait to receive the final word in January 2009 that he was indeed one of many G-P employees slated for layoffs. He started looking into financial-aid options and began the process for applying at Clinton.
"The day they notified us (of the pending layoffs), I started thinking about something else to do. They gave us that opportunity (to prepare for layoffs), and I wanted to be ready for when it happened."
PAYING TO LEARN
As a full-time employee at G-P, LaBombard was not eligible for federal grants to attend college. But with unemployment looming, his status could become more favorable toward receiving financial assistance.
"It was more or less an opportunity knocking at the door. I was able to get a Pell Grant as a displaced worker, and that has been a big benefit for me."
LaBombard, 28, is single and did not have the weight of providing for children on his shoulders, but unemployment and heading out on the job-search path did not sound as plausible as returning to college and directing his future toward a well-defined career.
He chose a program in industrial technology, believing that his experience at Georgia-Pacific, coupled with a formal education on how industry works, would give him a solid foundation for his future.
"You learn how factories and other industries operate. You look at the different types of processes they use in manufacturing, electrical processes, a lot of different things."
ANOTHER LAYOFF
He took a brief side road from his college plans when he landed a job at Curtis Doors last summer but still planned on starting school with the fall 2009 semester.
Those first few weeks at college were "a little overwhelming," he said, as he balanced school with the Curtis Doors position.
But then Curtis Doors shut down in late September, and he found himself again unemployed, though now back in school.
"I remember those first few weeks, I kept asking myself what had I gotten into," he recalled. "But things started to work out for me. I was expecting that I forgot a lot more (from his high-school education) than I actually did. A lot came back to me pretty quickly."
LaBombard has set his standards high, looking for a 4.0 grade-point average as he heads into each semester. He did very well during his first semester, gaining a 3.6 GPA, and is feeling comfortable with his courses this time around.
He is still not sure what he might be doing for a career but is leaning toward maintenance or some kind of industrial-planning program. He may also look toward continuing his education with a bachelor's degree in engineering.
OPTIMISTIC
LaBombard holds no bitterness over his job loss and understands that downsizing is as much a part of modern industry as meeting production goals.
If anything, he is appreciative of the time he was given to land on his feet when he became one of the millions of unemployed Americans.
And he is now moving forward with all of the confidence that his recent decisions have brought him.
"It's all going to turn out all right," he said, his smile beaming with assurance.
E-mail Jeff Meyers at: jmeyers@pressrepublican.com
