Preparing for the transition from school to career.

1. Preparing for the Transition from
Education to Career
Design Thinking Action Lab –
Empathize and Design Assignment
by Cathy Luders

2. The interviewee is an 85-year-old retired minister. He is
celebrating his 60th anniversary of his ordination. He is and has
been reminiscing on when he just started out in the ministry.
He has a joyful demeanor. He is a sweet, very kind person. He
remembers this transition from school to new job surprisingly
well even though he is not as sharp as he used to be. He gets
by with a walker and a cane. He is much shorter and hunched
over than when he was a younger man. But there is a glint in
his eye as he remembers his start in life and the blessings of a
good education, internship and foundation for his career.
I am his daughter and have never heard this story before
tonight. It is quite touching to relive with him the thoughts and
steps he took as he prepared for this new life with my mother.
The Stakeholder…

3. Say….
After
graduation
I worked at
a Mercury
Dealer to
make
money
I graduated the
first week in
June and
started my job
the end of
August
I was married and Andrew was
on the way
I started my
permanent
job on the
same day I
was married.
One year
later.
It was a very
special day
for me for
two reasons
because I
married
Schatzi and I
was starting
my ministry
itself
We needed
a lot of
stuff. We
were
moving
from an
apartment
to a house.
Andrew was on
the way. I wanted to
make as much
money as
possible to
have a good
start.
Seminary
prepared m
for the work.
Prep school,
internship.
At the
internship I
preached every
chance I could
I felt blessed to be
prepared because I
had X for my Bishop.
I had to do a
sermon every week
and special holidays
all thru the year
I had the
best
vicarage
of any
guy in
my class
I had the best Bishop –
he taught me more
about homiletics that I
learned in school
Sat down
together
before each
sermon
My
Bishop
became a
homiletics
prof after
my
internship

4. Think…
He was very
pleased with
his mentor /
Bishop
during his
internship
He worked in a
very hard menial
job during the
summer before he
started working at
his chosen
vocation to make
lots of money
In his chosen
vocation he
did not make
much money
otherwise he
would have
started
sooner
He felt he learned all
he needed to during
his prep school,
seminary and
internship to be fully
prepared for the role
He felt that he
would time his
career to start on
his very special day
- his first wedding
anniversary and
that helped him
make more money
He needed
a lot of
stuff to
start this
new life
He needed
stuff for
the baby
coming –
furniture,
clothing,
After the
baby came
his wife
would not
be working
He only
had the
furniture
that a
small
apartment
would hold
His goal was to
set himself and
his wife up as
best as possible
and to have a
day he would
always
remember for
two very special
reasons

5. Feel…
He felt he learned all he
needed to during his prep
school, seminary and
internship to be fully
prepared for the role
He felt like
he was the
luckiest guy
– blessed –
for having
the mentor
he had
because this
guy was that
good!
He felt like he was the luckiest
guy – blessed – for having the
mentor he had because this
guy was that good!
He felt he would not
make much money in his
chosen field
He felt like he
was setting his
wife and unborn
child for success
by working at the
Mercury
manufacturer
He is newly married and with a child on the way. He
is moving across states to the new job location. He
gets housing and it is much bigger than the
apartment he is in. I feel as though he is setting up
the start of the new role as it is an auspicious
occasion – like a wedding day or an inaugural day.
One that he will always remember. Now 60 years
later he did just that! I can feel the energy of making
the best preparations possible. By working hard at a
car manufacturer doing heavy labor to make the
money he needs. Also picking the date of his one
year anniversary., to start his career. A day he will
always remember !
He felt so good
about his
education that
the only thing
he did to
prepare for his
new chosen
field was to
make money

6. The Problem Statement…
The Stakeholder needs a way to start his new life
on as firm a foundation as possible because there
will not be time or resources to catch up later.