Meet Niki
Connecting the dots between student and employer needs
How an innovative program and the personal connection of coaching put a small-town student on the path to success
When Niki was a rising senior in rural Clark Fork, Idaho (population 536), she heard about a program that put students in her high school on a career path and provided college credits. “I had zero idea what I was going to do with my life,” she said, “so I signed up.” Raised by her father after her mom died when she was four, Niki loved to tinker. “I would work on cars with my dad,” she recalls. “I can do all kinds of basic auto repairs.” Seeing that one of the Pathways in Technology (PTECH) career paths was aviation maintenance, she knew this was where she belonged.
As Niki describes it, her high school career path was anything but typical — or easy. “We moved to Idaho my freshman year and I didn’t do very well. My sophomore year, I figured it out and did well. During my junior year, I wrecked my car, wore a neck brace for months and did lousy. When I was a senior, I pretty much had to make up a full year of classes from freshman and junior years.”
The power of coaching
As a senior, Niki also took classes at the local community college through the PTECH program. That’s where she met her coach. “Hayley would always ask me if there was anything I wanted to talk about or if there was anything bothering me. I knew it was OK to vent too. She always put me, the person, first.”
In addition to going to community college full-time, Niki worked two jobs to cover basic living expenses. “I worked at Ross from 4:30am to 7:00am in the morning, went to class from 7:30am to 3:30pm in the afternoon, and then worked from 5:00pm to 10:00pm in the evening at Super 1 Foods. College was paid for, so I worked to pay rent, pay insurance, and put food on my plate. Sometimes I had to prioritize bills and the cell phone was cut off more than once.”
“I could hear Hayley’s voice in the back of my head telling me I can do it — and that was the push I needed. Without Hayley, things would have been hopeless and I would have given up.” – Niki, participant, Idaho PTECH
But for Niki, the goal — a career at the end of the journey — was the number one motivator. “There was a time when I had to get an A on a final or I would have failed the class,“ she says.
“I could hear Hayley’s voice in the back of my head telling me I can do it — and that was the push I needed. Without Hayley, things would have been hopeless and I would have given up.”
Looking toward the future
Today, Niki has completed her two year associate’s degree. She’s saving up to buy a house with her fiancé. And she’s considering additional certification that will allow her to work on jet engines in addition to the rest of the aircraft. “I’d love to work for Boeing one day,” she says with a smile.
“I want to be a strong, independent woman. That’s important to me. Getting an education is a way to be successful on your terms.” – Niki, participant, Idaho PTECH
Enrolling in the PTECH program fits perfectly with Niki’s personal philosophy. As she explains, “I want to be a strong, independent woman. That’s important to me. Getting an education is a way to be successful on your terms. You’re only human and life happens. You need to learn from that and grow.”
Working to close the opportunity gap
As the divide between rural and urban continues to widen — both in terms of job and population growth — it’s critical to give high school students a clear path to a career that provides them with a livable wage and the ability to remain in the area. By incorporating one-on-one coaching into a program’s support strategy, institutions, employers, and students all win. Students who may not have otherwise been considering college have a champion on their side — someone who helps them identify strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop successful time-management and academic habits — building a relationship that will motivate each student to reach their full potential.
Through the use of coaching in the Idaho PTECH program, Niki and other rural students were able to obtain the college degrees and workplace skills required for high-growth industries in their own backyard, helping to bridge the gap between education and industry.
