Hard work and a viral story propels 54-year-old grad
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Michael Vaudreuil, 54, lost it all in the economic meltdown of 2008. His business collapsed and he was out of a job and would soon be out of money if he hadn't taken a part-time gig as a janitor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.
That was eight years ago.
He lost his home, his life savings, and his self respect.
He's been a janitor ever since, but, using the school's free-tuition program, he took classes at the school and in May, he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering degree, plus a minor in psychology.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
It's a feel-good story. Sort of.
He kept applying for jobs. But he's 54. So he kept working as a janitor while he searched for work.
Then, NBC News told his story.
The job offers came flying in.
On July 11, he starts at Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut.
“I’m going to quote one of my favorite movies—they made me an offer I couldn't refuse,” he told The Daily Herd, WPI's newspaper. “I’m looking forward to the satisfaction and fulfillment that will come with the job.”
What if his story hadn't gone viral? Would a 54-year-old guy with a bachelor's degree get a job offer from Fortune 500 companies?
“I was certainly welcoming of it, because I thought it would help networking-wise,” he said. “To the degree that it took off was a bit surprising. It was almost an out-of-body experience. You see this happen, things go viral—now it’s happening to me.”
Until he moves and starts at his new job next month, Vaudreuil plans to keep cleaning.
