Work doesn’t always work for people. Experiencing unpredictable hours and irregular pay, Scott Shirey decided his job wasn’t working for him and found hope for a new opportunity in WMCAT’s Adult Career Training Program.
“It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But it was definitely worth it,” Scott shared.
He encountered challenges early in the program when he discovered classroom learning was at odds with his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He worried about judgment when sharing his situation with program staff, but was met with support.
They centered Scott — not his diagnosis. WMCAT adapted instruction to best meet Scott’s needs and connected him to Michigan Rehabilitative Services (MRS); there he found a counselor who offered strategies for success.
Scott (right) builds connections at WMCAT’s Mix + Mingle, a networking event for students, employer partners, and community leaders.
Scott’s WMCAT instructor, Becky Deroos, became his cheerleader, calling out his strengths when he felt he was failing. “I don’t think I could have kept going without the people from WMCAT and MRS.”
Now a patient services representative at University of Michigan Health-West, Scott is in a career that works for him.
Learn more about the Adult Career Training Program at work.wmcat.org.
