An ability to work with people led to a career in Human Resources for Paula Rady.

Human Resources graduate Paula Rady credits Fox Valley Technical College with helping her find the ideal career. “I’ve always been a people person,” says the 26-year-old from Appleton. “Fox Valley Tech helped me realize that my love for working with diverse individuals could turn into a rewarding career. Now I have skills to better understand talent, tasks and policies as they relate to human resources.”

Recruiting talent is something Rady first experienced while working for a local staffing agency right after graduating from FVTC. Although she found that opportunity to be helpful in her career path, Rady wanted a broader set of responsibilities.

Today, Rady is the office manager for Rebuilding Together Fox Valley, a local nonprofit organization that rehabs homes and buildings for disabled, special needs and elderly people. “I keep the office up and running,” she says. “I review applications for assistance, do background checks on volunteers, set up home assessments, work with licensed contractors and manage files on every project.”

Rady credits the instructors at FVTC for helping her grow both personally and professionally. “The instructors at Fox Valley Tech truly made a difference in my life,” she states. “They helped me understand critical aspects of my job like employment law, HR record keeping and contracts.”

Rady was a bit apprehensive about going back to college. After high school she had enrolled in a four-year college and found it difficult to balance full-time work with classes. “It was also very expensive,” she says. “A friend recommended talking with a Fox Valley Tech advisor. That’s when I found out about the accelerated program for working adults.”

Attending an accelerated class format worked fine for Rady. “Anytime I hear someone complaining about his or her education or career, I recommend Fox Valley Tech,” she says. “Right away you start learning something relevant.” Rady is pursuing a second degree from FVTC in Business Management and plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in business as well.

HR Power

$42,700 = average annual starting salary for graduates of FVTC's Human Resources program based on the class of 2014.
91% graduate employment for graduates of FVTC's Human Resources program.

Fox Valley Technical College Graduate Employment Research Report, 2015