Terrence Walker

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

One of my biggest challenges was when I got my first Supervisor role. I didn’t necessarily receive the training or support I had hoped for and found myself lost. My peers weren’t exactly excited to share information with me and it was an environment where other supervisors used their secret knowledge to get ahead of everyone instead of sharing. It was the most frustrating experience ever. Not only did I have to be proactive and take the initiative, I also had to be creative to expand my skill set and knowledge to be successful. Not only did I develop processes and find my way around, I became the best at it and even shared my knowledge with others so their teams could excel as well. Nonetheless, my resilience, growth mindset, and teaching ability is what got my promoted to Manager after being with that specific organization for 6 months!

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

I graduated from high school in 2009 and didn’t get my Bachelors until 2019. During that time I was actively working in the Supply chain field, which is what I was pursuing my Bachelors in. Having the experience to compliment my degree did wonders. Everyone may not have the same circumstances but there are a number of professional organizations that can help develop someone who is a current student and no work experience. Even as I was a student I took courses at Udemy for Project Management and other areas to build my skill set. Here are a few ways you can develop your skill set as a student. 1. Take a Project Management course and sign up to become a student member with the Project Management Institute (PMI). Purse the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification. 2. Read books that pertain to self-development, leadership, and your targeted career field. 3.