My Career Pursuit

I am passionate about giving students an opportunity to learn about a career before they pursue it. Students need opportunities to see, feel, hear and touch a career. Opportunities such as field trips, job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships are instrumental to career investigation and exploration. I would like to share my journey and the reason that I have become so zealous.

The summer before my freshman school year, I broke my arm at camp. I was taken to the hospital and had my arm x-rayed and casted. That became the first step in pursing my career choice of radiologic technology. My parents asked me two important questions: 1) What is the salary? And 2) Are there jobs available? I felt quite confident that I would be able to find a job and make an adequate salary in this career field.

I was so excited when I was accepted into the X-Ray program at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. Many of my friends inquired, “Why aren’t you pursing nursing?” I informed them that “I did not want a job that required giving shots or enemas.” Unfortunately, without researching this chosen career, I found out that the two main exams of an X-ray tech were IVPs (shots) and barium enemas. I was now going to do the two things that I did not want to do as a nurse.  Boy, it would have been so helpful to spend time observing at a hospital to learn more about my chosen field of study.  

After completing a year in the radiologic technology program, I accepted defeat and withdrew from my studies. Now what? I decided to review the career interest inventory that I took in high school. This inventory basically told me that I had no interest in health careers. My focus should be on business, management, education and training. I refocused my energy to focus on business management and to eventually become a business teacher.

I truly love my profession. I have owned my own business, been a teacher, a counselor, a school-to-work coordinator, career counselor and now an education specialist for CTE and College and Career Readiness. I want students to have every opportunity to pursue their passions and gain the real world experiences that will help them find a career that they love. Learning what you don’t like is as powerful as discovering what you do.

Christine Holecek
Region IV, VP (elect)
Education Service Center Region 12
Education Specialist, CTE and College & Career Readiness