When Kristine approached us at Work Now Hawaii with a simple referral from her VR counselor, she didn’t know what to expect in the world of work. Kristine had just graduated from Leeward Community College getting her associate’s degree in Computer Science. However, her main hurdle was that she came with no prior work experience because of her disability. As a result, she wasn’t quite sure how to navigate this situation. “I didn’t know what pathway I should take,” she said reminiscently. All she wanted was a place where she could grow professionally, cultivating her strengths with great coworkers encouraging her to push towards better horizons.
Soon enough, Kristine started an internship here at Work Now Hawaii as a receptionist, full of optimism but uncertainty of what the future holds. She quickly went to work as she answered the phones and scheduled appointments, supporting the team with the everyday tasks that needed to be done. Over time, Kristine quickly learned the ins and outs of office life with the proper training. What was challenging at first slowly became easy or normalized after each working day when she experimented with the Microsoft Suite and Canva for timekeeping or creating event flyers. Further, she regularly met with her department director on maintaining professionalism and learning critical soft skills such as attention to detail or appointment scheduling. Beyond this, something bigger began to take shape: Kristine started to find her voice as she adapted to the demands of our workplace.
“I used to be reserved and quiet,” Kristine shared. “With the help from Work Now Hawaii, I learned how to step out of my shell, show my value, and speak up for myself.”
Her independence blossomed and with it; a temporary internship turned into a permanent role at WNH, an accomplishment that gave her some much needed confidence as hard work will always pay off. Kristine’s journey inside the world of work didn’t stop there. Recently, she achieved something she once thought was out of reach: she accepted a competitive employment offer with a company that provides hearing aids for the deaf community in Honolulu!
As a Patient Care Coordinator, Kristine will continue the same duties she enjoys daily; helping people, managing phone calls, and supporting her teammates but at a different workplace in Honolulu. It’s important to note that this new opportunity represents much more than a new routine paycheck. For Kristine, it’s a personal milestone that hard work will always pay dividends. “It’s a big change that I was able to conquer my fear,” she warmly recalled.
Kristine looked back on the moment she received her job offer: “I was so happy and proud of myself because I was able to land this job on my own without any help.” For someone who once struggled to believe in her own abilities, this is a testament of how job readiness programs like WNH are beneficial to society. She simply came to us unsure of her future and now leaves with confidence, stepping up into a more advanced career after some hard-earned experience. Her success is proof that with the right mindset daily, dreams really can become reality. It is not about where you come from; it is about having the tenacity to do bigger and better things steadily. With this, we are proud of Kristine and her future endeavors!
We are in the business of empowering any individuals with disabilities here at WNH to become successful in their community through proper employment. We meet our clients where they are at and shepherd them on the right path forward. Our vision is simple; everyone who wants to work should work because it fuels our dignity to thrive and enjoy what life has to offer. Everyone should earn a living in their own special way and feel accepted without relying on the assistance of others. Our programs are tailored to give individuals with disabilities discover their strengths so that they can get after it in the workplace. Kristine’s advice to people who might find themselves on the same journey is simple, but heartfelt:
“Try and try until you succeed. You may be scared today, but you don’t know what will happen if you don’t try it yourself.”