Crystal Aube describes herself as a “hands-on” person. It was this desire to work with her hands that led her to pursue her Associates Degree in Automotive Technology at Central Maine Community College. After getting her degree, she found work in the automotive industry but realized the environment wasn’t for her. The combination of being dirty; doing work that was hard on her body; and the expense of buying tools led her to leave this field.
Not sure what to do next, Crystal enrolled in a career exploration class, Creating Your Future, through Women, Work and Community to see how her skills might be redirected. In this class, she had the opportunity to consider her work values and interests; skills she enjoys using; the sort of environment she might like to work in; and where there are opportunities in the job market. Creating Your Future made her realize that working with her hands was still vital to her.
As she began to pursue job opportunities, she was offered a position with Texas Instruments, formerly National Semiconductor. There, she is a maintenance mechanic responsible for all aspects of preventative maintenance on the machinery that produces computer chips. This new position satisfies Crystal’s desire to continue to work with her hands while also being in a comfortable environment that is constantly providing her new learning opportunities.