| Since Marilyn Beste began her career as a placement specialist, she has touched the hearts of many, giving clients encouragement and hope, but most importantly, Beste helps clients realize their full potential in life. Now in her fourth year servicing clients at the Monroe Service Center, Beste has learned various techniques that help her lead by example and continue to be a positive influence to others. Let’s take a walk with Beste to learn how she makes it happen. |
 Marilyn Beste, placement specialist for the Michigan Works! Monroe Service Center. |
| What is a typical day like for you at the center? | Beste: I meet with Work First customers’ interested in Vocational Occupational Training and administer the Adult Basic Education Test. In addition, I educate customers on various training programs and assist with Pell Grant applications. I also visit with customers who are currently enrolled in training programs and school staff to make sure they are meeting their class requirements. I also keep the schools up-to-date on our services so that they can refer customers to me if they meet the Work First qualifications. |
| What are some of your daily pressures? | Beste: Customers not calling me when they are experiencing trouble at school or personal problems at home. |
| What goals do you set for yourself when performing this type of job? | Beste: I treat customers the way I would like to be treated. Most of my customers want someone to listen as well as encourage them to move forward. Once I had a customer bring in her grades from school and they were fantastic. I told her that she had done a great job and that I was very proud of her. She explained that most of her life she was told that she would never amount to anything. Since then, she has graduated from nursing school and is working as a LPN. |
| Since you began working at the Monroe Service Center, how many individuals have you helped? | Beste: For the past four years, I have helped 293 customers with Vocational Occupational Training. We have assisted customers with the following: Accounting, Administrative Assistant, Associate Degrees, Business Management, Court Reporting, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Elementary Education, Emergency Medical Technician, Ferrier, Licensed Practical Nursing, Machinist Training, Massage Therapist, Medical Assistant, Medical Billing, Medical Office Specialist, Medical Transcriptions, Phlebotomy, Power Plant, Quality Control, Radiologic Technology, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Therapy, Semi Truck Drivers, Social Workers, Speech Therapy, Surgical Technology, Teaching, Computer Training, Welding. |
| What percentage of those have obtained success? | Beste: Seventy-nine percent. This is a team success, without my wonderful co-workers who make referrals to me for training, this success would not happen. |
| Is there a particular story that helped you realize you are an inspiration to individuals? | Beste: There are so many stories that it is hard to choose just one. One story that comes to mind is a customer that I sent to the Toledo School of Practical Nursing that recently passed her State Board Nursing Exam. She said that she couldn’t have done it without us. She now wants to tutor customers who are considering training in nursing. |
| For individuals who have just started in this profession, what advice would you give to them? | Beste: To listen and be understanding and you will be rewarded with more than just a paycheck. Receiving calls from customers who tell you that you have changed their life is so gratifying that you can’t wait to come in to work the next day. Also, an intimate relationship with your vendors is important, because you can rely on one another to accomplish goals. For example, my training vendors know the qualifications for the Work First Program and have referred many students to me for assistance. |
| What about people who may feel burned-out because of the daily pressures of this job? | Beste: When a customer comes in with his or her small children and hands you a bouquet of flowers and says “thank you from the bottom of our hearts”, you know you made a difference in someone’s life. That is a feeling I can’t put into words. |
| Is there a theme or a motto you live by? | Beste: To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might just be the world. |
Return to Working Together main page
Return to Main Table of Contents