“The more I tried, the more I realized I could actually do this” -Phoebe Chow
Phoebe’s path to meaningful work did not follow a straight line. Trained in geography at university, she worked part-time at Dairy Queen to support herself as a student. Like many young people, she wasn’t sure which direction her career should take. What she did know was that she wanted her work to matter and she wanted to teach.
That was when she connected with Community Family Services Ontario (CFSO), an organization that provides culturally responsive services to Asian-Canadian families and has long partnered with Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) to create inclusive pathways into employment. Through RWA’s Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP), Phoebe had the chance to step back and think about her skills, interests, and goals for the future. With the support of director, Anna Wong and the career counselors at CFSO, she began to see her career options more clearly.
At first, Phoebe wasn’t sure if she was ready. Coding wasn’t part of her academic background, and she worried she didn’t have the technical skills. But Anna Wong and her colleagues at CFSO encouraged her to try, providing training and connecting her with mentors. With their support, she began working as a coding instructor during school breaks, running camps for children from grade one to grade nine.
It was a turning point. Teaching a classroom of students, many with different needs and learning styles, gave Phoebe real experience and confidence that she had been missing. “At the beginning, I was scared,” she admitted. “But I learned how to plan lessons, adapt for different students, and create a classroom where everyone could learn. Each camp made me a little stronger.”
That experience soon translated into new opportunities. Phoebe picked up tutoring work, expanded her resume, and began to picture herself in Teachers College. More importantly, she began to picture herself in front of a classroom not as a student this time, but as the teacher she had always wanted to become.
For Phoebe, the support of RWA and CFSO was more than just career preparation. It was an invitation to imagine a future she had once doubted was possible. “I would say, don’t be afraid to try something new,” she said. “Even if it feels unfamiliar at first, you never know what skills you will discover.”
With support from RWA and CFSO, Phoebe found a path that fit her skills and interests. Teaching coding camps helped her gain confidence and experience, turning a small step into meaningful progress toward her future.