Staff Interview: Kristen Pawcio
09/09/2024
JOG Career Specialist, Kristen Pawcio, Helps Participants to Overcome and Thrive!
At Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG), our Career Specialists wear many hats during the day. These are things like being an educator, mentor, counselor, life planner, and so many more. A great example of someone who is great at helping participants in all aspects of their career and life is Kristen Pawcio.
When discussing how JOG plays a part in the day-to-day lives of our participants, Kristen explained, “Career Specialists need to be prepared for whatever situation arises with [our participants]. In order to do that, it is important to be very familiar with community resources. So many of our participants are not focused on their education or long-term career decisions because they are busy trying to meet basic needs and caretaking for others. If we can link them with services to help with food and housing, they can focus on their future goals. One way to motivate clients is to explain how their education and career choices will benefit them AND their families in the future.”
By establishing plans for the future, Kristen helps participants get prepared for the big question of “what do I really want to do?” Kristen has been working hard with participants to help them plan what their goal is when they graduate, especially in the realm of further education and vocational training. One example Kristen has of this is of a student who she successfully helped enroll in college after some trial and error. “I had a participant who wanted to go to college but never applied because they could not afford to go to school. That participant was not knowledgeable about student financial aid and felt they would be denied student loans and grants because they believed they worked like car loans. In a way, they had given up on an education as an option. I was able to sit down with this person and explain their options and she enrolled in college and is attending for a BA in early education.”
One of Kristen’s tips she uses to make sure to deliver excellent care to our participants is being an active listener. She explains it as, “I think it is important in my role to be a good listener. Regardless of the Career Specialist's background in education, work or life, we are working with clients who do not have the greatest level of support.” This act of truly listening is a great way that Career Specialists like Kristen can get them to open up and trust the JOG process.
Kristen has been a cornerstone of the Trumbull County team since getting her start at JOG. She has been working to deliver quality youth assistance and support and has been crucial to bridging the gap between Trumbull County youth and their career and education goals. We are so proud to have her as a part of the JOG team!