Amanda Elston
Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas
Abilene, TX USA
"Put yourself out there, meet new people, and try jobs out even if you don't think you'll be there long term."
Career Roadmap
Amanda's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Mansfield Timberview High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
University of Texas at Arlington
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Career & Education Outreach Specialist:
Bachelor's Degree: Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Began studies in English at the University of North Texas.
2.
Became a Freshman Orientation Leader and discovered my passion for helping students.
3.
Decided that Denton was not for me and transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington.
4.
Started working in the admissions office as a student worker and continued helping students part-time.
5.
Graduated from UTA, got married, and moved three hours west to Sweetwater.
6.
Struggled with finding a job in a town of 13,000 - spent two years traveling to Big Spring to work as an editor at a newspaper.
7.
Was offered a job as a dual enrollment advisor at TSTC where I got to work hands-on with students closer to home in Sweetwater.
8.
Started my job with Workforce Solutions/Region 14 where I get to work with ISDs I am familiar with from TSTC and help students with what I myself needed help with 12 years ago. We come full circle!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Family:
What are you going to do for work with an English degree out in West Texas?
How I responded:
There are so many jobs out there that you don't even know exist. Put yourself out there, meet new people, and try jobs out even if you don't think you'll be there long term. After your first job, it isn't about what degree you have, but who you know. I had no idea what I wanted to do until I was about 27. Now I get to help other people who have no idea what they want to do and help them find out sooner than I did.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Rather than letting not knowing anybody become an obstacle, I used being new to be able to put myself out there in a new way and improve on things I always wanted to.