Misty’s Story: Dream Big

You Can Dream Big At Any Age

For many years my life was given to my family… upkeeping the house and on helping my two teenage boys. I always had extra time and was trying to fill it somehow. I felt I needed more in my life but I wasn’t sure what.

I attended a Wednesday morning ladies group regularly and one day a speaker came in to explain the different courses Pathways offered. I instantly became interested. I signed up for the next available Administration and Clerical Training (ACT) class. I remember attending a few workshops before the course started. I found them to be good preparation before the course began. In those workshops I found useful information that helped me in landing the job I have today. We did essential things like interview preparation, resume writing, developing a business card (which I’ve never had before). I found the leaders (Jenna & Leslie) very helpful in helping me to rediscover where I fit in the job world after almost 20 years of not working. They were highly motivating and did not sugar-coat anything. One of the things I learned from the workshops that I still use today is the positive sandwich. It’s the little things like that in the workshop that I think are fundamental to getting the job you want.

ACT was a tough course but it helped build the character I needed to do my job today. The most challenging thing was putting everything else in my life to the side. School was first, and so were my dreams of becoming an administrative assistant. My family had major adjustments to make with me not being available 100% of the time for them. I found making a schedule and sticking to it was most useful to me at that time.

I am now working part time as an Administrative Assistant and Scheduling Coordinator at The Village of Glendale Crossing. It gives me a huge sense of accomplishment.

I feel my boys are proud of me for continuing my education at my age and successfully graduating and getting a job in the field I went to school for. It shows them that at any age you can dream big and go after what you wish. You just have to put in the commitment and work to get there.

My Advice:

For anyone going through the course or planning on taking it I would say, “You deserve to make something of yourself; don’t let anyone or anything pull you off track. You can do it. I did what at one time I thought was impossible. Continue to dream big.”