Paige is a STAR who turned a nontraditional path into a career dedicated to expanding opportunities for others.

After high school, she wasn’t sure a four-year degree was the right fit. Instead, she took a different route—earning her associate degree and completing an internship with a state agency in Idaho. That experience opened doors she hadn’t imagined and helped her discover her passion for connecting people to meaningful careers.

Along the way, Paige faced doubt from others who told her she wouldn’t succeed without a bachelor’s degree. But she continued building her career in the public sector, gaining expertise in workforce systems and helping others navigate alternative pathways.

Today, Paige serves as Director of the STARs Public Sector Hub at Opportunity@Work, where she partners with public sector leaders to create more inclusive pathways to good jobs.

Finding the STAR community helped her see her own journey in a new light—connecting her to a national movement of millions of workers skilled through alternative routes.

Now, she uses her voice and her role to advocate for STARs across the country, helping open doors and shift how opportunity is defined.

“When STARs shine together, we change what opportunity looks like for everyone.”

Dau’ne is a STAR who built a career through alternative routes—turning early work experience into leadership and impact.

She began her journey as a supervisor cashier at Kroger, where she developed strong customer service and team leadership skills. She later transitioned into education as a teacher assistant with special education, expanding her ability to communicate, support others, and adapt in dynamic environments. During her time as an educator, she also earned an Associate’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Houston Community College, strengthening her foundation in business and leadership.

Today, Dau’ne is a Creative Project Manager for the Paperless Pathways Podcast, where she helps drive storytelling and operations that highlight opportunity and career mobility.

Through every step of her journey, Dau’ne has built skills in creativity, perseverance, and problem-solving—proving that talent is developed through experience, not just degrees.

“Together, we’re tearing the paper ceiling and redefining opportunity.”

Sara is a Program Specialist and Case Management Advisor with the State of Arizona, where she supports systems that help people with disabilities find meaningful employment. Based in Phoenix, she brings decades of experience in accounting, legal support, and operations to her work—along with a deep commitment to helping others rebuild and move forward. As a STAR, Sara’s journey reflects resilience, reinvention, and the power of believing in your own worth.

Sara’s career spans more than 45 years, beginning with a junior accounting certificate and early roles in bookkeeping, radio, and banking. Over time, she took on increasing responsibility—often performing at leadership levels—but repeatedly encountered the paper ceiling when she was denied advancement due to not having a degree. Her path also included profound personal challenges, including addiction, incarceration, and years of rebuilding her life. After 15 years on disability, Sara reentered the workforce during the pandemic as an Unemployment Adjudicator, drawing on her legal training and lived experience to help people navigate job loss at a critical time. Through determination and continuous learning, she advanced into multiple roles within the state, ultimately finding purpose in work that makes a difference.

Sara’s breakthrough came through resilience—learning to trust herself and recognize her own value after years of doubt. Today, she plays a key role in modernizing systems that serve others, combining her accounting expertise, legal knowledge, and leadership skills to create impact. Her story is a testament to the strength of the STAR community: that skills, perseverance, and self-belief can carry you forward, no matter where you start. As Sara puts it, “No mud, no lotus…your ability to shine is entirely up to you.”

Jodee is an Account Manager and Client Advisor in the accounting industry, where she helps businesses stay organized, informed, and financially strong. Based in Las Vegas, she has built a career rooted in problem-solving, attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous learning. Without following a traditional college path, Jodee developed her expertise through hands-on experience—proving that real-world skills can be just as powerful as any degree.

Jodee’s journey began in retail and administrative roles, where she first gained exposure to bookkeeping. Early on, she stepped into an office manager position with little formal accounting training, learning by doing and figuring things out along the way. Over time, she built a strong foundation in accounting across small businesses and nonprofits, even owning her own business and leading accounting and HR functions. Like many STARs, she faced moments of doubt tied to not having a degree—sometimes questioning her own value despite years of experience. But through persistence and curiosity, she continued to grow her skills and confidence on the job.

A turning point came when Jodee transitioned into a multi-client bookkeeping environment, where she was challenged to adapt across industries and expand her capabilities. That experience helped her realize just how much she was capable of and strengthened her confidence as a professional. Today, Jodee’s story reflects the power of learning by doing and trusting your own path. Her message to others is simple: don’t underestimate what you already know—because as she puts it, “Everything is figureoutable.”

Mario is an Account Solutions Manager in the legal tech industry, where he helps drive business growth, streamline operations, and build strong client relationships. Based in Salt Lake City, he has built a career defined by initiative, adaptability, and results—proving that skills and performance can open doors, even without a traditional degree. Today, Mario continues to grow as a leader while creating impact in a fast-evolving industry.

Mario’s path into this role was anything but linear. He began working as a Microsoft promoter and campus bookstore employee while attending college, but ultimately chose to leave school to pursue full-time opportunities. Starting as a personal banker at JP Morgan, he quickly earned his investment license and was later recruited to Morgan Stanley, where he advanced to an implementation specialist role. Despite his success, Mario encountered barriers tied to the paper ceiling—being steered away from certain advancement opportunities without a bachelor’s degree. Instead of staying limited, he made the decision to seek new paths, even turning down an offer from Goldman Sachs and launching his own edtech business to help others access alternative routes to success.

Mario’s breakthrough came from learning how to stand out in a “crowd of diplomas” by demonstrating real results, growth, and capability. His ability to build relationships, scale operations, and lead teams became his strongest assets—skills developed through hands-on experience across industries. Today, his journey reflects the resilience and ambition of the STAR community. His advice to others is simple but powerful: keep learning, go beyond what’s expected, and find ways to create value—because skills, not credentials, define what’s possible.

Brandon is a technical professional based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, building a career focused on solving real-world problems and continuing to grow in the tech space. His journey into the industry wasn’t traditional, but today he’s thriving in a role where his skills, adaptability, and determination are at the center of his success. As a STAR, Brandon represents the power of nontraditional pathways and the impact of community-driven opportunity.

Before transitioning into tech, Brandon’s career spanned corrections, security, and education—fields that strengthened his discipline, communication, and ability to navigate complex environments. While he knew he wanted something different, he didn’t initially understand how to break into a new industry without a traditional background. Like many STARs, the path forward wasn’t clear, and the challenge of repositioning himself for a new career felt uncertain.

Everything changed when Brandon connected with local resources in Tulsa, including Retrain Tulsa. Through these programs, he gained not only technical skills, but also the confidence and guidance to translate his experience into new opportunities. That support helped him successfully transition into a technology career, where he continues to grow and make an impact. Brandon’s story is a powerful reminder that while workforce development is often discussed at a national level, it’s local organizations and communities that make career mobility possible.

Georgette is the Manager of STARs Engagement & Enablement at Opportunity@Work, where she helps uplift workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) by building pathways for visibility, confidence, and community. Her career has spanned industries—from accounting and healthcare to banking and utilities—and each role has strengthened her ability to connect with people, lead with empathy, and communicate with purpose. Today, she channels those same skills into empowering others to recognize their own value and navigate career growth with courage.

Georgette’s path wasn’t linear. As a parent balancing work and education, she often had to pause her college journey to prioritize family and financial stability. Despite excelling in every role she held, she was frequently passed over for advancement because she didn’t have a bachelor’s degree—a reality many STARs face under the “paper ceiling.” Those challenges, though difficult, taught her resilience and adaptability, shaping her understanding of the barriers that hold so many talented workers back.

Her breakthrough came when she decided to stop waiting for the “perfect opportunity” and instead take a chance on herself. That mindset shift opened new doors—to leadership, impact, and purpose. Now at Opportunity@Work, Georgette uses her lived experience to help other STARs see that their nontraditional paths are not limitations but their greatest strengths. Her message to others: “You are the blueprint for what is possible.”

Charmagne built her career through persistence, adaptability, and a deep belief in learning by doing. Today, as Senior Manager of Member Experience at Opportunity@Work, she helps shape programs that connect people and partners with the resources they need to advance skills-first hiring nationwide.

Her path began in retail, where she honed her problem-solving and relationship-building skills. When she transitioned into tech during the early startup boom, she discovered how her curiosity and drive could open doors — even without a degree. That first customer support role was life-changing: it introduced her to project management, cross-functional collaboration, and the power of delivering exceptional experiences. Over time, she earned certifications in Customer Success Management and Data Analytics, complementing what she had already mastered on the job. Yet, Charmagne also faced the “paper ceiling.” Despite her proven skills, she was once turned away from a People Operations role simply because she didn’t have a bachelor’s degree — a moment that reinforced how talent can be overlooked when systems prioritize credentials over capability.

Charmagne’s advice to other STARs is clear: “Never stop advocating for yourself. Don’t let a résumé tell an incomplete story about what you can do.” She believes that challenging narrow definitions of talent — and supporting one another along the way — can help transform workplaces for the better. Her journey is proof that when opportunity meets determination, skills can shine brighter than any degree.

Kelly built her marketing career by following her curiosity and commitment to impact — not a traditional degree path. Today, as a Senior Associate of Marketing at Opportunity@Work, she helps design campaigns that highlight the power of skills-based hiring and the stories of workers like her: STARs (Skilled Through Alternative Routes).

Before stepping into her current role, Kelly’s journey took her across the nonprofit and education sectors, where she learned to use storytelling and digital marketing to connect people with opportunity. Without a four-year degree, she often encountered the “paper ceiling” — job postings that automatically required credentials she didn’t have. Instead of giving up, she leaned into learning by doing: taking on stretch assignments, mastering digital tools, and seeking mentors who helped her grow from a project executor into a strategic marketing partner. One breakthrough moment came when she led her team’s quarterly and half-year planning process — a chance to shape big-picture strategy and see the value of her ideas take flight.

Kelly believes that skills, drive, and adaptability can open doors that degrees can’t. Her advice to other STARs: “Don’t let a degree requirement define your potential — your work, your results, and your persistence tell your story.” Kelly’s journey reminds us that success doesn’t always follow a traditional path — but with curiosity and courage, it can still lead to a powerful impact.

After graduating high school and serving in the United States Navy for six years, Cale joined a building controls company as a service technician. “I was a young sailor, pretty raw, pretty unprofessional, didn't have those customer service skills, didn't have a lot of knowledge on what even HVAC was,” he says. Experienced technicians showed him the way. “They made sure I learned everything I needed to know- how to talk to customers, how to carry myself on the job site, how systems worked."

Cale has since gained 25 years of HVAC experience, including three promotions since he joined Trane Technologies four years ago. Cale is a passionate advocate for skills-based hiring and development. “You're talking to someone without a degree who's worked their way through the Trane Technologies organization fairly quickly, and I know several others here without degrees who have done the same,” he shares.

“There are lots of opportunities here to learn from great people. I think the cool thing about our senior technician population is that they're all STARs. And through the Trane apprenticeship program, they’re helping to make more STARs successful too.”

For Jon, pursuing a college degree after high school wasn't an option. “When I was 16, I had to leave home,” he recalls. “I was working two jobs to support myself and had to grow up really fast.” Those early years of balancing responsibilities taught Jon resilience, adaptability and a drive to succeed.

He soon became a commission-based electronics and appliances salesperson. When the company cut commissions, he moved to managing a retail gaming store, then an office-supply store and eventually management-level jobs at an electronic cigarette manufacturer, with each step bringing new challenges and growth.

A contract opportunity as a pension analyst at Trane Technologies proved to be a turning point. Jon’s strong analytical skills and problem-solving mindset quickly stood out, leading to a full-time role. Within two years, he was promoted to a learning systems analyst. “My experience at Trane Technologies has been life-changing,” he says. “There’s a lot of transparency here about our purpose and who we are, and it’s inspiring to be part of it.”

Jon’s advice to others forging nontraditional paths is simple: “Don’t be afraid to be yourself, regardless of your qualifications. You may have more barriers, but you’ll knock them down and come out better and stronger on the other side.”

“Don’t be afraid to learn something new,” advises Alisha. With 20 years of pension industry experience, she recently embraced the opportunity to move to a compensation role within Trane Technologies Total Rewards team where she serves as a compensation analyst. “I went from working in an area where everything was black and white to something that can be very nuanced, she said. “Every day presents a different challenge that I enjoy.”

Alisha’s willingness to welcome new opportunities has been evident throughout her career. She started her career as an electronics engineer, then worked in human resources benefits, responding to retirees’ pension questions. She soon learned how to personally complete the pension calculations retirees needed. “Although it was outside my job scope, I wanted to be able to provide this data quickly to callers,” she said. Her strong capabilities landed her a pension analyst role at Trane Technologies, followed by different roles within the human resources function, each expanding on her skills and expertise. She has achieved this with a two-year degree, often outpacing those with more schooling. “When you just look at whether someone just has a four-year degree, I think you can miss out on candidates who have great talent,” she said.

Shanel has always been creative and she especially loves to bake. When she was a young child, Shanel spent many hours in the kitchen with her grandmother. She says, “I used to bake with her when I was little. I was more into decorating dessert. I was maybe six or seven when I started”.

After high school, Shanel enrolled in a local arts education school to pursue training in baking and pastry arts. Shanel now works at a bakery. Though she’s been there for a while, she can easily recall her unique interview process. While preparing for her initial interview, Shanel took to heart advice she had received from a mentor years before; “If you’re going in on an interview, show up as if they will hire you right now, like you’re ready to work”. And that is exactly what she did.

Shanel arrived at the bakery for a part-time baker role in her chef’s clothes and ready to bake. She was offered an interview on the spot and was asked to demonstrate her baking ability. Shanel chose to make brownies from the house menu. Despite her nerves, she focused on the task, asked questions every step of the way, and impressed her interviewer with the quality of her brownies. Shanel believes her calm demeanor and ease in the kitchen helped her to secure the role.

The bakery where Shanel works employs veterans, military spouses and caregivers, with a mission of teaching entrepreneurship and wellness while creating a supportive community. Shanel quickly realized this was a place she would like to grow her career. When she observed turnover among front of house staff, Shanel proposed a new position that incorporated job responsibilities from several roles. The bakery’s management approved the position and Shanel stepped into it. Shanel is now General Bakery Manager, managing catering, baking and teaching others the skills of the trade.

Mark began his journalism career at 18, four years earlier than planned. Two weeks into his first semester, he realized that full-time school and a full-time job were more than he could manage. He withdrew from school with the intention of saving enough money to return the following year. Instead, he landed an entry-level position at the local flagship newspaper, and never looked back.  “The ‘couple of semesters’ I took off have lasted about 40 years,” he says.

Embarrassment over his lack of a college degree has given way to gratitude. Mark says that although he didn’t realize it at the time, learning his trade from practitioners was a blessing.  “Newspapers were very profitable in the 1980s and 1990s, with large staffs that passed institutional knowledge down from one generation of reporters and editors to the next,” he said. “All of my training was and continues to be on-the-job. My ‘professors’ were colleagues who mentored me, and bosses who challenged me.”

Mark’s career trajectory took him from newsroom clerk to TV columnist and eventually into management – as a features editor, managing editor, and after 32 years at the paper, its Editor-in-Chief and Vice President of Content, overseeing the paper’s transition to digital. After the sale of the paper, Mark transitioned to a journalism-adjacent position leading the communications team at the state department of economic development. He sees his new career as a natural – and necessary – extension of his prior one. “I’m responsible for telling the story of our state’s economic performance and potential to a variety of audiences – from CEOs and business relocation advisors to residents and elected officials,” he says. “The goal is the same as it was in the newsroom: to be accurate, engaging, timely and present wherever people seek information.”

Mark explains that the digital disruption of the local newspaper business requires new ways of communicating. He wants to build a new model for communications and marketing operations with integrated content, creative, digital and marketing teams. For this he wants highly collaborative workers who are natural internal and external relationship builders. He sees STARs as key to this strategy. “It’s impossible to be an effective communicator in the digital era without having exceptional soft skills – stuff you can’t learn from a textbook,” he says. “I’ll make sure the door stays open for STAR storytellers who, like me, chose self-education over college graduation.”

Sheronda is a shining STAR in the public sector. As a leader in the Office of Procurement in a county government, she has responsibility for all internal functions for county contracts – executing, administering and monitoring compliance. The job requires skills and knowledge in IT, budgeting, customer service, and navigating complex procedures. Sheronda loves this role because she gets to advise small businesses – especially women and minority owned businesses – and open opportunities they might not otherwise be able to access.

Sheronda did not grow up dreaming of a career in procurement. She started out in college, planning to become a neurosurgeon. But, when she had a baby, she put her dreams on hold to provide for her young son. One job led to another and she never did get back to college and medical school. But, along the way, she developed tremendous skills in IT. Sheronda built over 80 applications to improve operations in her county government. With her expertise has come recognition and leadership opportunities. In addition to procurement responsibilities, she serves on committees and mentors her staff. She is particularly supportive of STARs, like her. “I want to find the next STAR leader”, she says.

Midway through a rewarding career that has seen many twists and turns, Sheronda is not remotely done. “I still think about medical school,” she says, “and my family is encouraging me to pursue my artistic passions too. I really don’t know what comes next, but I know from experience that anything is possible.”

Darryl had a bright future ahead of him: he was a straight-A student throughout high school, loved to play sports, and had a budding interest in wiring and lights. He hoped to become an electrical engineer one day. Things took a sudden turn when his mother and stepfather went through a tough divorce, and his stepfather lost his job. He found himself the primary adult caring for his family. Keeping his family housed, fed, and clothed, with sufficient funds for laundry, gas, bus fare, and other essentials proved overwhelming. Darryl took a risk, selling drugs, and was caught and incarcerated.

Finding a job once he was released from prison was difficult because nearly every employer required background checks. Although he was still passionate about electrical engineering, he decided it wasn’t the time to try to pursue that goal. “I could barely get a job at UPS, so I definitely didn’t feel like I was going to get the opportunity to draw up blueprints.”

Over the next few years, Darryl worked at a warehouse and an event design firm until he joined a Second Chance program and began working in sanitation. He credits the program’s holistic approach with building his self-esteem and getting back on his feet. Darryl now works as a Sanitation Supervisor for the city but still thinks about electrical engineering and going back to school.

Jay was inspired by their childhood experiences to pursue a career that would help other people. Among the roles they considered were guardian ad litem, building mobility robots, and working as a psychologist. Jay followed in their mother and grandmother’s footsteps to college but did not complete the degree – they felt they were learning how to pass tests instead of genuinely learning.

A period of incarceration set Jay back in their career goals. It took them a year after release to find a job due to background checks, a practice Jay questions. “It’s not a fair thing – when you get home you’re supposed to have served your debt to society… but your punishment actually starts when you get home.”

Still, they persevered with support from their mother, participating in training programs, building up their network, and eventually starting a business. Less than two years after their release, they have a house and a car. They work two jobs to make ends meet but they find them both rewarding. One is for a workforce development program and the other for a non-profit connecting people to BIPOC therapists, fulfilling their childhood goal of helping people.

When he was released from prison, Lawrence started and quickly excelled at a transitional job program called Clean Slate that focused on litter abatement. One day, he struck up a conversation with a man who had been watching him work. Unbeknownst to Lawrence, the man was the CEO of a company, and, impressed by his work ethic, asked him to interview for positions at his company. He hired Lawrence as an Assistant Facilities Manager.

Though Lawrence felt inexperienced with aspects of the work, he committed to learning and picked up a variety of skills on the job. He became an expert in facilities management, learning by troubleshooting plumbing, floor care, painting, and electrical problems. Lawrence took these skills with him to a new facilities management job and continues to learn every day.

Lawrence credits the transitional job program for helping him through difficult times, explaining that they provided financial, housing, and transportation support to help him get on his feet. He is determined to do well in his career and is passionate about facilities management.  “I really care about the work that I do – if I ride down the street, and there’s paper in the street, I’ll pull over and pick it up. If I come outside and see cigarette butts or something on the ground, I’ll stop and pick them up.”

Sheree encountered the paper ceiling many times across her career. She went to college to get an education degree but when her mother fell ill, she had to leave school to work full-time. She took a job as a claims assistant in an insurance company believing it would offer her a chance to climb a corporate ladder. Yet, despite working nights and weekends to demonstrate her commitment, she was passed over for promotions. When an internal role opened up, she applied and aced the interviews but saw the role go to a less experienced internal candidate who had a bachelor’s degree.

Discouraged, Sheree took night classes and applied for jobs with her local county government. As she had hoped, the public sector provided Sheree professional development and upward mobility. She earned five promotions over 14 years. She managed large caseloads and learned the ins and outs of complex systems. Still, she faced the paper ceiling. She wanted to become a social worker, but the bachelor’s degree requirement, with its cost and time commitment, put this role out of reach. When the pandemic resulted in layoffs, Sheree took a five-month Salesforce Administration training program and landed a role at a legal services nonprofit with responsibilities in Salesforce administration, customer success, and IT support. She soon returned to counseling, working as a College and Career Specialist at the local high school, but she plans to use her newly developed tech skill to return to the IT field when school lets out in the summer.

Sheree is proud of her achievement, noting the many barriers she cleared along the way — degree discrimination, financial strain, childcare challenges, long hours, and irregular work schedules. She often prioritized family needs over her own dreams but always found ways to keep learning.  Still, she questions why it had to be this hard. She credits her relationships with helping her see it through. “Having a strong community and network has helped me. Understanding how to build community and find people. We’re celebrating together, we’re crying together.”

Ansaer was accepted to a top-tier university, but when he recognized the stress that the tuition costs would place on his family, he decided to find another way.  He started working and began taking classes at the local community college.  This approach proved challenging.  Working three jobs while going to school made for a round-the-clock schedule. One night, driving from his overnight job to his day job, he got vertigo and nearly crashed his car. He knew he had to make a change and decided to join the U.S. Navy.

When he completed his service, Ansaer enrolled in YearUp, a tuition-free job training program, to hone his technical skills and connect to employment opportunities. He woke up every day excited for training. Personal circumstances caused him to leave the program for a year but he persevered and re-enrolled.  He credits family and friends for supporting him through that period and the coaches at YearUp for encouraging him to stay the course.

Upon graduation from YearUp, Ansaer started an internship as a QA Engineer at a large tech company.  Industry layoffs disrupted his plan to transition to a full-time role, so he is looking for another job and contemplating a second stint in the military. He knows that across his experiences, from his early entry-level jobs, his experience in the military, YearUp and his internship, he has cultivated a broad set of skills and capabilities but that finding job security is still a challenge. He believes he may have to put his passions aside for the time being to support himself. “Adversity feels like home”, he reflects, as he looks at the road ahead.

Starting out in a corporate workplace as a Recruitment Training Manager was intimidating to Jonte. Everyone around him had worked their way up through the corporate world after college, and he came with an associate’s degree and a handful of licenses and certifications collected over years of working in the trades. He got over that feeling quickly however, because, as he puts it, “I realized I was supposed to be there. You know, they came looking for me. I didn’t look for them.” And Jonte felt ready for everything that the job required of him. All of his years of working, building his own skills and training others on his teams, helped him in this new role. He drew on “communication skills, and being able to build those relationships and convey the information so people can understand it.” The hardest part was actually just putting together the training manual the company would use, but all of his other skills helped there, too.

In thinking about how far he has come in his career, especially given how he felt about trade jobs when he was younger, he says, “I never thought that the trades would take me to a position where I only answer to two people in a billion dollar company.” Jonte looks forward to what the future brings for him as the company grows. Though he sometimes feels like he “lucked up,” he will continue to challenge the negative perceptions of trade jobs and encourage others to broaden their horizons.

Growing up in foster care, Jonathan tried to take advantage of his state’s college tuition support system but the foster system’s dual demands that he be both employed and a full-time student were stressful and Jonathan dropped out of college to work full-time as a security guard. Now, a security manager, Jonathan believes that his alertness, patience, and flexibility have served to make him an effective leader. “A lot of managers are like ‘it’s my way or the highway’. I have not been that. I have to be presented with the information and then make the best judgment for the situation,” he explained.

Jonathan believes that he developed these traits and skills not from formal schooling, but growing up in foster care. “All the things that I’ve dealt with in my life helped me be more understanding.” Jonathan has had some employees who were also part of the foster care system. He found that when they raised workplace issues, “I immediately was able to connect to that, and make a decision in a way that made them feel as though at some point they could go out and be the type of manager I was.”

As a high school athlete, Tayshawn injured himself and had to go to physical therapy. He was amazed by his transformation back to good health. He thought, “why not learn more about what could prevent someone from getting injured?” He enrolled in college to pursue a degree in exercise and sports science but he found it challenging to focus solely on academics.

After taking a break from school, he started to work out diligently and, through experience and practice, built his knowledge of functional movement and the human body. He connected with trainers on social media to build relationships and learn other trainers’ techniques. “There were two guys who trained exactly the same way as me. I took the time to look at their style of training and listen to them on a daily basis. I would try new and innovative ways to focus on different muscle groups”.

He posted his own workouts and began to get a following. He decided to pursue an associates degree in Business Administration to study accounting and marketing so he could start his own business. A studio owner noticed his work and hired him to teach group fitness classes. She helped him complete his first certification. In the studio, he became a stronger instructor and also learned to market himself.

Now, a studio owner, Tayshawn remains focused on building his business and connecting with his clients.” You want to give them a reason why they want to come to you. Give them an idea of what’s gonna come from being consistent with the work”.

Casey wants to run a small business that serves people of all religions, sexualities, and cultures. He knows he has the skills and passion for this as he has approached his career development with intention. His first job, at 18, was as a door-to-door knife salesman. Though the job was “really awful” Casey learned the “ins and outs of how to sell a product” and quickly moved on.

Casey then worked various positions in a big retail chain — cashier, customer service, supervisor — while pursing other interests that integrated his queer identity and artistic expression, including performing drag and jewelry-making. He became a well-known local drag performer and met a supportive mentor who “pushed me to want more for myself and to make sure that whatever I do, I do it with intent.” In retail, his work ethic allowed him to scale the promotion ladder quickly. With drag, Case used YouTube tutorials to teach himself makeup and clothing design.  Having retired from drag, he now makes jewelry while continuing to work in retail.

Time management is critical to Casey’s success as a jewelry vendor: “I still have this nine-to-five job that’s so consuming of my week, so I have to be discipled to set aside time to focus on what actually gives me personal payback.” Casey feels a bit stuck in the world of retail, by his lack of a degree so he wants to go to school. He aims to become a funeral director and run a funeral home that meets the needs of people that he sees as left out.  His diverse experiences give him the confidence to pursue his goal. “I know how to sell myself, by listening to my customers and my community, and figuring out what people need. I also know I can adapt my skills to fulfill and satisfy that need.”

Taylor’s learning mindset was formed while watching her grandmother work her way from the mailroom of an insurance company to an executive position without a college degree. As she sees it “Just put out your best work. Work on exercising your mind as the muscle it is. Learn as much as you can and make relationships with higher ups”. She put her words into action at the law school where she also started in the mail room.

As mailroom coordinator, Taylor interacted with nearly every professor, staff member, and student in the school. Each day, Taylor was responsible for running the copiers, preparing course packets and printing student exams. She recalls, “I put myself out there and tried to do the little extra things. That’s how I gained more respect.”

In her current role as an academic assistant, she manages faculty finances, grade submission and edits course materials. She says, “I’m very much a self starter. If I don’t understand something, I’ll communicate that, but I don’t need anyone to tell me to do something”. Taylor’s experience working in a law school spurred her interest pursuing an associates degree in paralegal technology. She is now adding legal research, wills and estates, and legal terminology to her skillset.

Ali has always been a self-directed learner. In high school, he turned his hobby and passion for building websites into a profitable business. “I had to pay taxes when I was 15. A couple grand!” College did not fit his learning by doing style, so he dropped out. “I wanted to learn something that’s operationalized rather quickly.”

He held a series of tech industry jobs as a freelancer and technical consultant. As a young Arab American, he often felt his contributions were dismissed. “Older white dudes would not want to listen to me, but if someone older than me or someone that looked a little bit different repeated it, they’d say “oh yeah, that makes sense’.” This made him question himself at times but he moved on and founded his own web development and design company.

He acknowledges the stress of running a business, especially during the economic downturn. To stay grounded and energized, he engages in mindfulness practices including journaling, meditation, and exercises. His experiences as a STAR inform how Ali hires for his business. He prioritizes work experience and looks holistically at the candidate.  

“Let me see your portfolio, that’s number one, and let’s see how we work together on a test project.” Ali’s company has a pro bono program that designs websites for nonprofits, including one that helps people obtain their GEDs and prepare for their careers. Reflecting on his own professional trajectory, Ali encourages STARs to have a growth mindset. “I want them to have not just the relevant skills, but a learning ability.”

Though Dani always knew she wanted to be in party planning and hospitality, it was not a straight path for her. She realized college wasn’t what she wanted, so she dropped out to refocus and find some work. She started her own dog walking and pet sitting service, and picked a series of jobs in retail, as a housekeeper for an apartment complex, and doing ad sales for a local newspaper. Along the way, she developed strong communication, time management, and organizational skills.

Eventually, she was hired to work at a hotel as a front desk concierge agent. Dani thrived in this role, which tapped her customer service skills and her love of hospitality. She played an integral part in the guest experience at the hotel. She says, “at this hotel, we would break our backs twice over for anybody. If you wanted it, we made it happen. No question, without a doubt, we made it happen.”

This position confirmed for Dani that hospitality is where she wanted to be but she found that after some time her job wasn’t providing any opportunity for advancement. She applied for a different position at a sister hotel and was hired as a human resources coordinator. Now on the back end of the business, Dani helps support a team of almost 150 people and makes sure that they have the support they need to take care of their guests. She still gets to use her event planning skills, as she coordinates staff appreciation events and birthday and holiday celebrations. Dani feels like she’s come full circle to her original goal of working in hospitality.

Thinking about future hospitality jobs she may apply for, she says, “I’m gonna really just put faith in the fact that it will shine through on my resume and in my personality that I have work history and work experience.”

As a hairstylist, Meghan relies on her strong interpersonal skills to build lasting relationships with her clients. “It’s pretty common to carry on a conversation the entire time you are doing their hair.” The moment they enter her salon, Meghan asks herself, “What can I talk about with this particular person? What will we bond with?”

A former fashion merchandiser, she can find clues to their personality from what they wear. Her background in fashion helps in other ways too. In merchandising, she learned to create stories with clothing that would make people want to shop at her store. Her knowledge of fabrics and colors helps her think about textures, shapes and colors as she styles hair.

She also continues to build her technical skills, traveling to other cities to take classes, visit salons, and stay in touch with styles, trends, tools, and products. Ultimately, though, her success comes back to her people skills. “A lot of times they just can’t wait to get their hair done. It’s more about just hanging out with me than the haircut itself.”

Meghan is a lifelong learner so she sees herself making another career change. “There might be a time when I have to switch my career again and I don’t really know what that would be yet. I’m still trying to figure that out, but I will still probably do hair, even if it’s just a few days a week.”

Micah is a problem solver. He honed his problem-solving skills across numerous life and work experiences and applies them now to his own business. Micah was home-schooled and learned a lot about work from his dad who put him to work in his real estate and property management business. “He started finding properties that he could buy, fix up, rent out, and create income off of. And then I ended up being his tool boy. That’s how I got to spend time bonding with my dad, taking care of properties and fixing things.”

When he graduated from high school, Micah joined the U.S. Army. He trained in military intelligence, an area that he says taught him to “fix problems, put out fires, and deal with people.” He served as a security specialist in the military and remains a noncommissioned officer to this day. In his civilian life, he took a number of college courses and credits and obtained several certifications in real estate and maintenance. He worked in several small businesses, often moving quickly from line staff to management.

When Micah decided to start a property management company of his own, he had a lot of experience to draw on.  “We manage the rent collection, we manage maintenance repairs, tenant turnover, signing the leases, showing the apartment, cleaning up after the old tenants... We do windows doors, drywall, like whatever can go wrong with the property. We’ll fix it if we can.” And yet, Micah encountered barriers due to his lack of a degree.

When applying for a manager position at one store, for example, he was told he might not be qualified, even though he runs his own business. “They wouldn’t consider that without a degree. Simply a paper that says I graduated.” That hasn’t stopped Micah. He emphasizes his leadership abilities, his problem solving skills, his ability to learn in any environment, and his ability to work under pressure. In the long term, Micah hopes to continue to grow his business and maybe even go back and get his bachelor’s degree.

Sean was always “big time into art” but did not follow his passion until later in life. Growing up, “counselors drilled into my head: You’ll never make any money doing art.” Just as he was graduating from high school, Sean’s father passed away and “I had just pretty much checked out, you know? I think if it wasn’t for meeting my wife in high school, I probably wouldn’t be here having this conversation right now.”

For over 20 years, Sean worked in food service, enjoyed working with cars and became a seasoned shop foreman, and dabbled in website development. At 39, the age his father died, Sean decided to pursue a career that he was absolutely passionate about: an ice and snow sculpting business. Though in the beginning, business was slow, Sean’s drive and support from his family kept him going.

Today, Sean’s business expanded and he is a reputable 3D chalk artist and ice, snow, and sand sculptor. Fondly, he recalled how his mother-in-law, “always used to tell me that I was wasting my talent, cause she knew I could draw. I was like, I know, I know. I know. I was always working towards that. I just didn’t know what it was yet.”