New Career at State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Nanette AngelSpring 2007 — Nanette Angel has had many careers. In her last one she was a cosmetologist in Bellingham. She worked in a salon where she helped men and women suffering from hair loss due to cancer treatment or other health conditions. She loved fitting people with hairpieces that looked so natural other people couldn’t tell they weren’t real. But she had to give it up after having foot surgery. Her doctor told her the long hours of standing would be too much for her.

Nanette set about finding another career. She landed at the WorkSource center in Olympia, where Cindy Powell put her in touch with South Puget Sound Community College’s WorkFirst services staff. There, Yvette Wixson helped her enroll in office careers classes through the Customized Job Skills Training program. This program offers contracted, short-term courses for WorkFirst participants. During spring quarter, she took 32 credits, going to school all day, doing homework at night, and taking care of her three youngest children still at home. It was stressful but she was determined to make it.

This summer, Nanette is taking a lighter load of classes and was an intern in the workforce education department of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The quality of her work during a two-month internship allowed Nanette to secure a full-time position as a program assistant at the State Board.

“I feel that things happen for a reason and spending my internship at SBCTC was meant to be! I am thrilled to be here,” Nanette said. “Supporting my family and having a fulfilling career has been a long time goal.”