Allison – Gaining Confidence and a Path to a New Career 

Allison Taylor worked as a health care aide for her entire career when a desire for change led her to enroll in MaKami’s Business Administrative Assistant certificate program.  

“I was in a rut. I wanted to change careers,” says Allison. “I wasn’t in a good place in relationships, and I felt like I needed some growth, and things just weren’t happening.” 

After she saw an ad for MaKami College on Facebook, Allison decided to meet with a Student Advisor. “I was very hesitant at the time,” she admits. “I had no self-esteem, no confidence. I was in a horrible relationship. I didn’t know if I should do it.” 

Despite being unsure and afraid, she decided to enroll in the Business Administration program.  

“On my first day, I remember I opened my new laptop and realized I didn’t even know how to start it up. I had this thought of ‘What am I doing?’ Keyboarding was not my thing. Laptops weren’t my thing. Computers weren’t my thing. I was in health care. I knew health care.” 

After her initial panic, Alison reached out for help from the Strategic Academic Learning Team (SALT). She accessed tutoring and dedicated herself to working hard at her studies and improving her computer skills. She also received counselling and benefited from it. 

“MaKami has so much help you can utilize,” she says. There are tutors, learning strategists, counsellors, and more. You name it, and they were there. I felt a bit of relief knowing there was help there when I needed it.” 

As she received help from the school, Allison made some other remarkable changes in her life. “My relationship ended, and I learned how to put up boundaries and how to stand up for myself, as opposed to just doing things for everybody else and people pleasing. With all their support and the pushes that they were giving me and the checking in and holding my feet to the fire, I was able to complete the program,” she says. 

As part of her program, Allison completed her practicum at The Animal Rescue Foundation (ARC) of Alberta, which allowed her to combine her administrative skills with helping the animals at the rescue. “It wasn’t exactly doing everything I was taught, but I fell in love with something else,” she says. 

Allison graduated with a 98% average. “I couldn’t have done it without all the support I had.” 

Completing the Business Administration program is not the only notable change in her life. 

“I stand up for myself now, I fight for me,” Allison says. “MaKami was my catalyst to change and to grow. And that’s what I needed. As much as I love health care, I felt like I was in quicksand and couldn’t grow as a person. And MaKami really helped me do that.” 

While Allison is working as a health care aid, she is interviewing for business admin roles. She feels optimistic about her future, knowing that her experience and confidence will lead her to the right job. 

For anyone considering coming to MaKami, Allison has some advice. “Stay focused and know that there’s a community of people just waiting to help you. Don’t be afraid to reach out, and don’t be afraid to not know what you’re doing. Because once you ask for help, it’s there.”