Success Stories

These were just some of the issues Kyle L. struggled with when he entered the Personal Training Program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

We all struggle with a lack of confidence at some point in school. Kyle’s doubts extended beyond academics to the way he related to people. He second-guessed almost every decision. He desperately wanted to fit in.

What worked for Kyle was a set of personalized questions to help him prioritize what to focus on and when to do so. We strengthened his social skills; reading social cues from students and teachers and responding appropriately. We also built different perspectives to build his confidence when initiating interactions with others.

Scripting is a common learning strategy. How do you approach an instructor? How do you ask a question so that you get the information you need? By starting small, Kyle was able to confirm that he was on the right track.

I worked with Kyle for an entire academic year. Some sessions were more frequent than others – when he was dealing with a new situation or when time management became critical. Over time, he had more confirmations and affirmations to draw upon. His confidence grew significantly.

By the time he graduated, Kyle was on the dean’s list. Quite an accomplishment for someone who didn’t think he would make it past the first semester.

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I entered a Hospitality Management program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) because I was 30 years old and I needed to do something more with my life. But I didn’t think I could pass my exams or even complete the program.”

Sheena D. had actually worked in the hospitality industry for years. She was ready to move up the ranks into management to gain job security and better pay.

When Sheena took tests, she panicked. It was the same situation when she studied. Nothing seemed to relate to her experience and she felt like she couldn’t absorb the information.

I worked with Sheena to try different approaches to studying than she had been taught in high school. We built a routine that was consistent and meaningful throughout her first semester in the program.

Slowly, the results became more encouraging.

By the time she began second semester, Sheena had a weekly plan ready to go. By the time she graduated, Sheena had earned an honours certificate – something she never could have imagined when she first started out.

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Frank F. was 29 when he began the electrical program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). On the outside, he was the picture of a confident, mature student. He had the advantage of “life experience”.

Frank had a secret, though; he was haunted by the terrible academic experiences he’d had in high school. He knew he was a strong person, but he didn’t think he was a strong student He also knew he needed help.

I worked with Frank for 3 months, meeting weekly and sometimes twice per week. He started to recognize the learning advantages he developed after years away from the academic environment. There were many, including judgment and the ability to see how subject matter applies to real life.

But real life presented another issue. Frank now had to balance a young family and work with his studies. He struggled to manage time in a way that met competing priorities. He went from feeling like he had control of his life to feeling like nothing he did was good enough.

Managing the small victories became a key confidence-building strategy for Frank. Eventually, he began to trust their cumulative effect. He also began to trust himself.

As his program progressed, Frank became more resourceful and confident. By the time he graduated, he called me to tell me his family would be at the commencement ceremony to cheer as he walked across the stage to accept his diploma. He asked if I could be there, too, and I gladly accepted.

After he had time to reflect, Frank said “Being able to balance life was a skill I needed in school. I’m surprised at how it’s helped me now that I have more responsibility at work. It never goes away. But it does get easier.”

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Lana M had always felt confident in her academic abilities. She was one of the few women to get into her engineering program at the University of Alberta. She had a bright future ahead.

Then a serious car accident left Lana with cognitive impairment. The ability to form new memories – one of the baseline learning skills – became very challenging.

Lana bravely entered the Civil Engineering Technology program at NAIT when she was in her 40’s. I worked with her to build her confidence. To start, we confirmed what she already knew. Then, we uncovered skills she forgot she had and identified skills to develop.

With her motivation reignited, Lana also learned the value of patience. Setbacks are bound to happen in academics. Instead of getting discouraged, Lana found a way to connect her style of thinking to the material she was learning.

“Adversity is not going to stop me from becoming successful. I can do this!”

And with that, Lana graduated from her engineering program.

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