Office Temp, 72, Walks in Pride

Though Gene Birkeland is 72 years old, there are times when she feels out of place at the senior citizens apartment complex where she lives. But thanks to her recently acquired computer skills, Birkeland feels right at home in the work force.

“When I stride through the apartment lobby on my way to work, I pass by people who are barely creeping. I’m fortunate to still be able to learn and participate,” said Birkeland, who took a job at age 43 to support two children on her own.

She developed a career in sales and eventually oversaw a chain of health food stores. “But the job required me to travel around to all the stores and by age 60, driving the freeways was killing me. So I decided it was time to look for something in an office environment.”

But Birkeland found that working in an office required computer skills. “And at first I wanted nothing to do with them,” she said. “But everything I applied for absolutely required it.”

Birkeland learned to do cost estimating using a computer spreadsheet program. Then she tackled word-processing programs and decided she liked the work. “I signed up with the Vicki Heston Personnel Agency in Irvine. They began sending me out on assignments, and I have managed to remain employed with my new skills,” said Birkeland, who types documents for insurance companies, banks and law firms.

“I like working as a temporary because I can move in and out of various office environments. I’m not stuck in one place,” said Birkeland.

She admits that constant typing gets repetitive, but she copes with that by devising ways to build her typing speed. “It’s a game for me sometimes to see if I can finish more today than the previous day,” said Birkeland, who is currently attending computer classes four nights a week.

“I’m a firm believer in adult education. I have taken classes at Orange Coast College, Coastline Community College and UC Irvine since 1967. You can’t sit still. You have to keep going,” she said.

Birkeland hopes to launch a home-based business with her word processing skills and eventually branch out into graphic design projects, such as sales brochures and flyers. “I am so grateful for these night classes. If they hadn’t been available to me, I would never have become computer literate. I am looking forward to the day I can get to e-mail as well as the Internet.”

OCCUPATION: Word processor

* What’s involved: Typing documents such as letters, reports and legal briefs on computers using a variety of word processing software programs.

* Qualifications: Most have at least a high school education. Some have a college background. Requires knowledge of personal computers and word processing software.

* Outlook: By 1998, the number of word processors is expected to increase 9.2% to 12,050.

* Salary range: $12-$13 per hour

* Pros: Word processors are utilized in a variety of industries, creating a constant demand for their services.

* Cons: Repetitive stress injury from long periods of typing.

* Advancement: Many word processors work for temporary agencies. Some find permanent positions with law firms, banks and insurance companies. Others form their own home-based businesses.

* Quote: “I don’t know why computers intimidated me so much at first. Compared to typing on a standard typewriter, the computer makes everything so much easier.” -- Gene Birkeland,word processor

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times