Education Empowers: Aimee Long
Aimee Long, a single mother and former teacher, used the skills she learned through ed2go to break into a new career as a Children’s Crisis Counselor. After teaching middle and high school English for ten years and then taking some time off to care for her children, Aimee decided during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that it was time to consider returning to the workforce.
With her passion for helping people, Aimee decided to make a pivot in her career. As someone in recovery since 2007, Aimee wanted to help children in recovery and provide education for the community about recovery. As a teacher, Aimee noticed that if students are not getting their basic needs met, they can’t function and participate fully in their learning. She says it can be especially hard for those living in her area of rural northern Maine where the distance from resources can be an added challenge.
Aimee enrolled in the Professional Recovery Coach course from ed2go, which is about 60 hours of instruction over six months. The flexibility of ed2go was essential in allowing Aimee to go back to school while raising four kids and working as a substitute teacher. Aimee said, “I love school, but I can’t do it like I did when I was 19 and in college. I have to do it in a way that works with my life. That’s one of the key things about ed2go. There are so many opportunities to make it work with your life. And it opens doors.”
EdTech Opens Doors
Taking classes through ed2go helped Aimee get ready to return to the workforce in many ways. Being out of the job field for several years, Aimee noticed that things changed significantly. The biggest change was the advancement of technology over the last decade. However, she found ed2go easy to navigate and a great way to help build her confidence by using technology to access her online classes. She found ed2go very user-friendly and flexible. She was able to complete her coursework while still prioritizing her family.
Aimee recommends online learning as a great way to get your initial education, continue your education or prepare for a certification exam. She’s grateful for the opportunity to meet people and get different perspectives, not just from the people in her geographical area.
ed2go Helps Teach the Importance of Effective Communication in Recovery
Aimee shares how learning from ed2go helped her communicate more effectively with her clients in recovery and even her own children. She discusses the importance of recognizing stigma in the language you use.
The Advantages of Online Learning with ed2go
In this video, Aimee shares how the online ed2go program allowed her to further her education while still managing her busy life. She discusses the flexibility of the program, how it can work with anyone's schedule and how it has helped open doors for her.
Filling Skill Gaps in Healthcare
In this video, Aimee discusses the staffing shortage in rural mental health agencies and the challenges of finding trained staff to meet the needs of these communities.
Read More About How Education Empowers
If you enjoyed learning about Aimee's story, explore more stories in our Education Empowers series:
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