Vocational Rehabilitation, and his can-do spirt, allows Trent to excel in school and work
Trent had been working toward getting a job since graduating from high school in 2017 at the top of his class. Starting at Linn-Benton Community College, Trent originally had a dream to be a veterinarian.
However, Trent quickly realized he would have to drive to do the kind of veterinarian work he wanted to do. Driving was not possible due to his optic nerve hypoplasia. Therefore, he started to look for a new career path.
After a few months of searching and discovering different types of jobs and talking with close relatives, Trent found a new passion.
After taking one computer science class, I knew this was what I wanted to do.
Trent
Trent excelled in his computer science coursework and quickly finished his transfer degree from Linn-Benton Community College to transfer to Western Oregon University in fall of 2019.
During his first year at Western, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and many companies stopped hiring interns.
Without an internship, I knew this would make getting a job right out of college very hard.
Trent
However, Trent was able to succeed with the help of his vocational rehabilitation counselor, Barbara Majors, who offered support and services, including informational interviews, interview preparation, and resume review. With this support, Trent was able to broaden his career network.
After graduation, Trent quickly secured a job as a software development engineer at Capsa Healthcare in Portland. This new job was another challenge Trent took on with gusto as he made the move to Portland, learned how to use public transportation, and began his new career.
Trent’s success was made possible due to his willingness to ask for help when he needed it and most importantly, his great attitude throughout the entire process. His journey has truly inspired the people around him.
