Kaylee ‘21 was looking for a fresh start when she considered moving to Hamilton. Her resolution to apply for Mohawk College proved to be the motivation for her new beginning.
“I decided to attend Mohawk for a career change,” she says. “Once I was accepted, I moved to Hamilton which was nerve-wracking. Looking back, it was definitely the best option for me.”
As a creative person with many interests, Kaylee had a tough time choosing which program to enroll in. She ultimately chose the Business Administration program because it felt like the perfect fit for her to inventively apply her skills and learn something new.
Kaylee says, “I’ve always seen myself being a business owner one day. The Business Administration program helped make my goals realistic and taught me a lot about how to run a business.”
Mohawk’s three-year, provincially accredited Business Administration diploma program provided Kaylee with teachings on business strategy and training in marketing, operations, and administration in order to understand how different parts of a business work together to remain competitive in today’s market.
The program offers various pathways to hone in on specific disciplines after students complete the first semester, which assisted Kaylee in her goal of being an entrepreneur.
“When I first started as a Mohawk student, I wasn’t quite sure what direction I wanted to take,” she says. “Having a blend of marketing, accounting, and entrepreneurship courses appealed to each side of my skillset and helped me build the foundation to someday get my business up and running.”
Kaylee’s ultimate decision to attend Mohawk and change course in her life helped her blossom into the versatile working professional she is now. Today, she works as a Project Administrator with Heddle Shipyards, one of Mohawk’s Premium Employers.
Kaylee credits the diversity of skills she was taught at Mohawk as an integral piece in her present success.
“All of the skills I learned at Mohawk now help me in my position at Heddle Shipyards,” Kaylee says. “I always wanted to help achieve objectives as part of a business team and Heddle has helped me reach my own goal in enabling me to do that.”
While her goal of having her own successful business is still in the works, Kaylee is thriving in her career as a businesswoman working in a local shipyard. This isn’t the path she expected to pave, but she is grateful to be on it.
“If it wasn’t for Mohawk, I would not have had the confidence to work towards my business and to be successful within my current position,” she says. “Mohawk was able to provide the opportunity to find sustainable employment.”
Though she isn’t in a skilled trade herself, Kaylee is an integral part of the business operations at Heddle. Not many people can say they marvel at ships when driving into their workplace, but that’s not the only thing Kaylee takes pride in with her job.
Kaylee says, “What I enjoy most about my job is the diversity and the people. I am proud to be a part of an amazing work environment. It makes a huge difference when you wake up every day and enjoy where you’re going.”
Business is a vast field with many components to navigate in order to achieve success. Kaylee hopes her journey and experience as a woman in this sector inspire others to explore this industry. For those that are looking to be in the same professional place in their own careers, she has some insightful recommendations.
“Network with everyone possible,” Kaylee says. “I found out about Heddle through conversations with peers, where I ended up researching the company and being amazed by their work.”
Three years ago, Kaylee was dreaming about being in the bright future she now lives out each day. She would not have succeeded if she didn’t take that first leap of faith.
“Another piece of advice would be to just go for it. Put your best foot forward and take the risk, don’t keep doubting yourself or letting fears hold you back.”
