Meet Noah
Noah began his employment journey with the Arc in 2020. A history major, Noah graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History. His extensive knowledge of history and amazing skills for remembering dates, names, and facts guided his goal to find a job in the history field. While working with his Arc Career Consultant, Noah was encouraged to explore career paths through informational interviews. After meeting with many local organizations, Noah and his Career Consultant determined it would be challenging for Noah to achieve a job in the field without a masters degree.
Finding A New Path
As he continued to search for his dream job, his employment team encouraged him to expand his horizons. Noah took their advice to heart and applied for a job as a tour guide at Anheuser-Busch. The employment team questioned the fit, but worked with Noah to learn more about the company, the job, and where his skills would shine. The team was also building a new relationship with Anheuser-Busch and was able to discuss ways they could support Noah.
Noah was offered an interview and worked on interview prep with the Employment Services team. They practiced situational questions and developed questions for Noah to ask the interviewer.My interview went great, said Noah, and I was hired on the spot! It was one of the happiest and proudest days of my life!
Utilizing His Strengths
A large part of the tour guides role is memorizing scripts for various tours, much of which includes the history of the company, the Clydesdales, and the stables. Since beginning his role in May, he works independently, running four different tours, the largest tour for 60 people. Noah shares they are very forgiving of mistakes and slip-ups. They walk me through newroutes and I always feel welcome and respected.
Encouraging Others
While Noahs path was challenging, the results have been amazing. He has strong advice for others trying to find a career. What I would tell young people disabled or able-bodied, is to do informational interviews. If you are in college, consult a career advisor. Learn all you can about your field and what the job market for that field looks like — do your research. Dont be afraid to change course in your job search if you feel like you want to. Furthermore, NEVER EVER settle on something just so you can have a job. Take the time to find something YOU will enjoy doing.