Casey's Future Career Path

Karen, Casey & Michelle

Hi everyone, my name is Casey Engebretson and am in the 18-21 Stillwater Transition Program. I have been apart of the program for three years. Last year I took the Education and Human Service class at Northeast Metro 916 because, I want to become a Special Education Paraprofessional. By taking the class at 916, I feel like I have gained and learned a lot of new skills. I can apply these new skills to my future career, which is working as a Special Education Paraprofessional.

I am now working at a daycare in the morning called Warm World as an intern. At Warm World I work with kids ages 2-5 years old. I like the teachers that I work with because they tell me about their own experiences. They give me advice on what to do and what not to do in different situations. Whether it is a situation involving the parents or whether it is a situation involving another child. I like that the teachers give me advice because, it is another person’s point of view, on how they deal with the same sort of situation. By working at Warm World, I figured out that I like working with little children.

When I started the Education and Human Service class at 916, I applied for a job as a Teacher’s Aid with Adventure Club. When I found out I got the job I was so excited because, it was a job in the career field that I wanted. By working at Adventure Club I figured out that I liked working with children in elementary school rather than children in middle school or high school. Working at Adventure Club is a whole new experience for me compared to working at Warm World.  

I have learned so much in the Transition Program it has helped me greatly.  It has helped me explore possible jobs and prepared me for my career choice. Recently, I completed a Paraprofessional job shadow at Oak Park Elementary. I job shadowed three Paraprofessionals, Michelle Krangness, Karen Barnett-Hughes, and Kelsie Henderson. While I job shadowed all three of them I realized that there are different types of Paraprofessionals. Michelle and Karen work with children with learning disabilities, while Kelsie works with children that have autism. I decided from this experience that I would rather work with children with  learning disabilities.

I am graduating from Transitions Program in June and my plans are to go to Century College to complete the Paraprofessional degree. I am very thankful I had the opportunity to be in the Transitions Program for help me decide my future.