Technical School Commencement Day Speech

Students of the Devry Institute of Technology Class of 2007, many men in the blue-collar, working class industry have sat in the very seats you sit in today. You use your hands rather than your minds and few people in this world will give you the recognition and credit you truly deserve.

You will go out into the world, and a harsh world it is, after your 2 years of basic elementary technical skills and be thrown into a life of misery and disdain. You shall be spat on, countless times by “white-collars” who consider themselves to be of higher importance and value, simply because they possess a greater level of intellect and an actual degree from an accredited, prestigious, and recognized 4-year University. You will be looked down upon in a condescending manner, even ostracized from elitist social circles and events.

Your children will constantly be criticized for their father’s inability to provide for his family. You will be rejected by your son when you can’t afford that red bicycle that he always wanted, after Billy Presco’s Ivy League lawyer dad bought two dirt bikes for his son. You will soon come to hate Billy Presco’s father, Scott, and through your inability to provide for your child you shall show a great hatred for little Billy and people like him. At one point, you may begin to crack and go to psychotically great extents to sabotage little Billy’s future in the years to come.

You may not get that “company car” or that “big company bonus” at the end of every fiscal year. You’ll most likely miss out on the family membership to the local town country club as well. Weekend dinners out to the Olive Garden will be few and far apart.

But when it really comes down to it, life is about the little things. It’s about the things in life that get you through the day. The little nuances of life that really make it worth living.

What I’m trying to say is that the future is grim, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to constantly flicker and fade – but it is there. And you can watch it brighten just a little when you rip off people like Billy Presco’s dad for a $25 Cooling Filter that he doesn’t really need.

Thank you and good luck at Mike/Tony/Anthony’s Auto Body