How My Volunteer Experience Led To My Dream Career
May 26, 2020
As a volunteer with All Hands and Hearts, you learn key skills to prepare you towards your future goals. From becoming a “rolfball” athlete to pouring concrete like a pro, All Hands and Hearts provides an immersive and meaningful way to gain professional experience that you can utilize on your resume.
Aaron Berke first volunteered with All Hands and Hearts in Ecuador in 2016 when he was 16 years old. Now at 20, Aaron reflects on how his experience as a disaster relief volunteer with All Hands and Hearts helped him stand out amongst his peers when applying for his first apprenticeship position. Check out Aaron’s story below, and learn how you can incorporate volunteer experience when you apply for your dream career!
I started my dream job thanks to the practical experience I gained on program.
After a year of college, I realized that wasn’t the right path for me. When looking for alternatives, I visited a trade school and was so inspired by the introduction to the plumbing courses available that I enrolled then and there. I completed a plumbing program, earning an OSHA certification of competency and, with my newfound passion, was determined to take up an apprenticeship.
Being based in New York City, securing my first apprenticeship started to seem impossible. So many candidates were competing for the same role and I couldn’t even land an interview. The limited feedback I received was that I didn’t have enough hands-on experience. I found myself asking, ‘how can I get experience if I need experience before being considered for my first job?’
I started my dream job thanks to the practical experience I gained on program.
After a year of college, I realized that wasn’t the right path for me. When looking for alternatives, I visited a trade school and was so inspired by the introduction to the plumbing courses available that I enrolled then and there. I completed a plumbing program, earning an OSHA certification of competency and, with my newfound passion, was determined to take up an apprenticeship.
Being based in New York City, securing my first apprenticeship started to seem impossible. So many candidates were competing for the same role and I couldn’t even land an interview. The limited feedback I received was that I didn’t have enough hands-on experience. I found myself asking, ‘how can I get experience if I need experience before being considered for my first job?’
I spent six months in Rockport, Texas on the Hurricane Harvey Relief Program. During that time, I was involved in installing plumbing systems while fitting kitchens and bathrooms and was able to learn from qualified contractors working on more technical drainage, septic tank and boiler issues.
I also learned much about constructing homes, from hanging drywall to fitting doors, windows and flooring. Given that everything apart from the technical work was carried out by volunteers, there was also plenty of opportunity for me to pick up creative problem-solving skills. In fact, when I returned home and updated my resume, I was really impressed by the list of skills I’d gathered in that short space of time.
When I started applying for jobs again, I immediately noticed a shift in responses from employers. It was encouraging to finally be offered interviews and I was ecstatic to be hired as an apprentice plumber by the first company I interviewed with. I really feel I owe that all to All Hands and Hearts. I wouldn’t have the job I have now if it hadn’t been for the skills, self-confidence and work ethic I learned while volunteering.
For anyone currently being told they need hands-on experience before you’ll be considered for an entry-level trade position, consider volunteering on program long term. You’ll learn a variety of skills that can be translated to suit many jobs. My story is proof.
If you’d like to equip yourself with some of the volunteer skills Aaron learned to help you break into your own dream career, you can complete our interest form here. If you’ve already spent time on one of our programs and are looking for how you can market the expertise you gained, check out our Career Development Toolkit.
With over 7,500 members the All Hands and Hearts Alumni Network is the perfect place to connect with people from a huge range of industries. The Network has a built in Mentoring facility and we’ve created this guide to help our alumni make the most of the mentoring opportunities available across our community.
