What was your work situation before the Launch Pad?

I was very unhappy in my work at a manufacturing company. 

It was difficult to go to work every day, and I was not finding fulfillment in what I was doing.

I had tried finding another job and discovered that I needed a change from the field I was in. However, I didn’t quite know what I wanted to do and had not been successful in trying to find a different career path on my own.

What were your reservations or skepticism about the Launch Pad?

That I would truly be able to find a solution.

I felt a bit hopeless before I joined, as my journey to discover something new had been long. Meanwhile, I was still going to a job every day that was exacerbating those feelings. Despite this, I decided to forge ahead and see what came out of the experience.

What was the experience like?

Overall, it was a positive experience. 

There was a lot of soul-searching that took place along the way, which can, at times, be tough.

Completing the course with a cohort to lean on added to the benefits. The weekly interactions and support that came from this helped to provide me with the boost I needed every so often to find a career that would fit.

What were the highlights?

As the course went on each week, it was such a fulfilling experience to have little discoveries about myself and what could become a new career.

Starting to make some progress helped me build confidence and become excited about where I was headed.

What were the toughest moments?

The toughest part was definitely challenging the inner voice that tells me reasons why something won’t work before I’ve even had a chance to give it a try. 

I had to keep reminding myself to follow the process and not be my own naysayer.

What was the impact on you?

It’s made me more open to meeting my needs for what fulfilling work means to me.

What on the course led to that impact?

Finding out what I truly value in a career. 

Instead of letting my career happen to me, I was armed with the right tools and enough new insights about myself to take the reins and find something that is a much better fit.

Where are you now in your career?

I work in a fantastic, supportive team at an aerospace company.

It checks many of the boxes for me to feel fulfilled. There are many development and growth opportunities, and people with a genuine interest in seeing others succeed.

How do you feel about your work?

I feel great! 

It is definitely much easier to go to work every day when it is work I feel good about.

What’s been the impact of your shift on your wider life?

There is less angst in my day-to-day life.

Looking back, I can see that it took a toll, to have a job that did not fit me well and caused me to have negative feelings. I felt less like my usual, happy self. 

Finding work that is a better fit gave me feelings of relief. The joy came back.

How did the Launch Pad help you get clear on and move into your new career?

Going through the course was a confidence builder, to help me find out more about what I could love in work. 

It gave me the tools to make the switch.

My new career was actually something I had heard about several times from someone in my network, but I just never felt open to it. Through some of the Launch Pad activities, I became much more curious and open to the potential opportunity.

What would you recommend to anyone considering the Launch Pad?

Do it!

I was skeptical about being able to find a solution. The Launch Pad course taught me how to figure out what is important to me, helped me build confidence to make a change, and was a great line of support along the way.

You can find full details about the course on our dedicated Launch Pad page.