Our FastForward Career Coaches come from all walks of life. Some were career switchers, who always had a passion for helping people but never found the right opportunity to do so. Others were lifelong educators bound to be leaders, mentors and coaches for their students and…
For some of us, when we see an opportunity to help someone in need, we jump right in and give it everything we have. Adrianna Culbertson, the FastForward Career Coach at Southwest Virginia Community College, is one of those people. Culbertson came to SWVCC as a…
When you enroll in a FastForward training program, you’re not only getting hands-on training from industry professionals, but you have access to all the benefits of being a community college student. Your advisor comes in the form of our FastForward Career Coaches, who serve as navigators,…
Our students juggle a lot: family, job(s), life. But that’s where our FastForward Career Coaches can help. Our coaches are here to help students prioritize their to-dos and figure out a solution to some of the common challenges to fitting training into their schedules. “We talk…
There are a lot of considerations to make when it comes to carving out time to enroll in career training. When can you take classes? How will you figure out childcare? Can you make it all work? Here’s the good news: FastForward Career Coaches, who are…
Life can get in the way of going back to school, but, hopefully, that shouldn’t keep you from investing time in something that can change your life for the better. We talked to our FastForward Career Coaches about hurdles their students have overcome when deciding to…
For most of her adult life, Jennifer Merrill has made a living by helping students navigate the obstacles that often come with pursuing an education. Serving as one of two FastForward Career Coaches at Northern Virginia Community College, Merrill has worked in a variety of campus-related…
Sherry Pinto, the FastFoward Career Coach at Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC), spends her days helping people who want better careers. “I had a guy come in last Friday who said he wanted a career and not a job,” said Pinto. “I think people are starting…
Right or wrong, there are a lot of preconceived notions about “men’s work” and “women’s work.” There are still plenty of industries that are dominated by one gender or the other. But if you’re qualified for the work, your sex, age, religion, etc. shouldn’t matter. That’s…
Renee Michelle Chalmers has walked in the shoes of her students. She had a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees and held two jobs but she was still struggling to make a living wage. She was doing work that she loved, but she was underemployed and living…