Josh’s Story
I came to Branson from St. Louis at 32 years old. I sought help for my addiction from Standing By The Door, and I also came down to care for my aging father. Although I worked for many years in restaurants, it was through the experience of caring for my own father that I discovered that I wanted to pursue a career in the healthcare field.
I had heard of Elevate Work from a former graduate and so I thought, “let’s give it a try.” It was during the class one night when we were practicing our 60 second commercial that I learned the importance of clarifying my goals and presenting myself well to other people.
We were practicing introducing ourselves to leaders in the business community and that’s where I ultimately met Pamela Quinn, a recruiter from Cox Healthcare.
The 60 second commercial helped me to learn to talk about myself and my aspirations without oversharing. I was really nervous to talk about the past and my previous struggles. I learned that it is ok to talk about those things, but that I don’t have to share everything all at one time.
Elevate Work helped me to focus my life and taught me the steps that I needed to take to obtain a career in healthcare. The class provided a community of support, especially my mentor, to listen to my story and help me envision a new future for my life. In fact, after my first paycheck I put my first $100 in a retirement account. I am no longer just surviving and dulling the pain with alcohol. I have found my purpose in serving other people, and subsequently I am building a new career and a new life doing just that.
