Each month, we will highlight the journey of individuals’ professional development into roles within and outside of the CHW profession. The first story is about Oliver’s journey from CHW to Teacher. The second features Emilia, who also became a Teacher, but unlike Oliver, she did not start out as a CHW. This story is included to illustrate how the CHW profession builds skillsets that are desirable across industries. It is also included to illustrate the key differences between the CHW profession and other careers in related fields.

Oliver worked as a CHW for many years at an organization that specializes in providing financial assistance. His role as a CHW involved providing financial education for individuals in the community. He enjoyed many aspects of his position, especially holding education sessions. However, he disliked the long drives to various locations to conduct each session and the lack of autonomy over the material covered. One day, during a conversation about considering a possible career change, Oliver’s friend recommended he look into becoming a teacher. His friend explained that Oliver would continue to educate individuals but would stay in one location and have some creative freedom over his lessons. Oliver carefully considered transitioning into a teacher role but was apprehensive as he would need to obtain a bachelor’s degree and was worried about paying off his student loans after graduation. Ultimately, he decided that this was the right path and because of his background in finance focused on becoming a high school economics teacher.

Oliver enrolled in a bachelor’s program that allowed him to take some classes online so he could continue to work full time as a CHW. During the program, he was required to work under a teacher for one semester and during this period he scaled back to part-time as a CHW. School was difficult for Oliver and he struggled to remain focused throughout but after seven years, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Following graduation, he left his position as a CHW and began working as a substitute teacher. It was a pay cut from being a CHW, but he could gain classroom experience while he studied for the teaching certification exam. During his time as a substitute, he began making connections and heard about an opening for an economics teaching role for the following school year. He swiftly completed his teaching certification and applied for the role. He received a job offer and started his role as a high school economics teacher in the new school year.

Emilia worked at a daycare in a room for young toddlers after graduating from high school. She initially took the role because she had enjoyed working with children. She was learning a lot about early childhood education, though she left each day exhausted after the high level of physical care required for her work. Luckily, the toddlers in her room were adorable! She also was not compensated well and continued to live at home with her parents to save money. Her dream was to work as an elementary school teacher. Emilia’s favorite Aunt Lisa had been a third-grade teacher and was now retired. She guided Emilia on the steps necessary to become a teacher.

Emilia began her journey by joining an education program at a state university. The program she enrolled in incorporated student teaching, which allowed her to finish the requirement while in school. During her time in school, she took online and evening classes and ended up leaving her job at the daycare to work as a CHW. She came across the role because CHWs would frequently conduct education sessions for parents at the daycare. She figured it would provide useful experience as an instructor and the compensation was higher than her caretaker role. She still intended to leave the CHW role once she graduated as becoming an elementary school teacher was still her passion. Eventually, she earned a bachelor’s in elementary education. Swiftly after graduation, she earned her state teaching certification and began the search for a job. After a couple of months of searching and interviewing at a few schools, Emilia got a job as a first-grade teacher.

Note these stories are based on real-life scenarios but contain fictional characters.

Our CHW Career Web Model resource demonstrates the numerous ways that an individual can find themselves becoming a CHW or how they may progress their career under various ‘career clusters’ like social work, clinical, or advocacy after being a CHW. The resource can be used as a tool by organizations that work with CHWs such as community-based organizations, CHW Associations, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Primary Care Associations (PCAs), and Area Health Educations Centers (AHECs) to help explain the different career trajectories those in the CHW workforce have.