Passion Fuels A Career Path: Jenn’s Story

Jenn is a client who recently graduated from high school and enrolled in Project SEARCH. After several months in Project SEARCH, Jenn found that working in a hospital setting was not for her. Unsure of what she wanted to do now that she was out of school, Jenn was referred for an On-the-Job-Training (OJT) to discover new opportunities in the workforce. When meeting with Jeff, her employment specialist, the first question he asked was, “What is your dream job?” Jenn very quickly answered that she loves horses.  

Her mom agreed and told Jeff that when Jenn took riding lessons as a child, she loved the idea of being around horses but did not know if there was a future in that for Jenn. As Jeff and Jenn continued to talk, it became apparent that animal care was Jenn’s passion. 

Jeff reached out to a business partner that employU had worked with in the past about a possible OJT for Jenn. This farm was not able to provide the proper support for Jenn but was happy to share in the contact information for Two Points Farm. The owner, Michelle Tiffany, quickly jumped on board and offered Jenn a position with her crew to care for the over 40 horses in her boarding stable. She loved the idea of working with Jenn and helping her discover the possibilities that working with large animals can provide. 

In the first two weeks of her OJT, Jenn was tired, sore, and, most importantly, happy at the end of each shift. She made mistakes and learned from them. She didn’t miss a shift and even asked to work on a holiday when her friends had the day off from school.  

So, what’s next for Jenn? She has been accepted to Indian River State College’s Project Stage where she hopes to continue her training and participate in their Vet Tech program. Just 3 months ago, the idea of going back to school was a hard no for Jenn. Now she is excited about the idea of working around large animals as a career in barns or with a vet’s office. She has agreed to continue volunteering at Two Points Farm with Michelle and her team to continue to build her skills, learn new jobs around the farm, and eventually get back up on the horse and start taking riding lessons again. Jenn’s mother has noticed the change in Jenn at home. She is a new person and is excited about the idea of going to work each day. Jeff tells us, “Jenn’s smile when she is around the horses tells everything you need to know.” For more information on our youth services, visit https://employu.org/transition-youth-program/ or contact us using the form below. 

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