When Esther Cing immigrated to America in 2013, she never dreamed that she would one day work for the United States Department of Defense (DoD). However, thanks to supportive instructors, mentors and ultimately the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), she found a pathway to a bright future.
Esther and her family were refugees from Myanmar who settled in San Diego, California. After enrolling in high school, Esther quickly joined several after-school programs to help her acclimate to her new environment and excel in her studies. “Becoming active in those programs helped me connect with teachers and role models who steered me toward college and a career,” she says.
After graduation, Esther entered San Diego State University (SDSU) where she majored in public administration with a minor in communications. Because she is legally blind, she enrolled in the Workability IV program, a partnership of SDSU and the State of California Department of Rehabilitation that serves students with disabilities. When Esther’s Workability counselor told her about the WRP program, she was eager to explore it and enroll.
“I attended every mock interview and job fair that the Workability IV offered,” she says. Soon, DoD contacted her about an internship opportunity with the Compact Fleet Human Resources Office (HRO) Southwest. She took the job and worked in a temporary appointment as an HR Assistant. “Even though there was no guarantee of a full-time job after the internship, I kept working hard,” says Esther. “And toward the end of my internship, they offered me a full-time, two-year position.”
Today, Esther is supporting a team of staffing specialists with the Fleet’s recruitment and pre-hire process—and learning the ins and outs of employment law and employee relations in the process. “My goal is to learn more about HR management, manage a team, and support several commands in the Defense Department,” she says.
Esther is thankful for her WRP School Coordinators and the Workability IV staff members who helped her polish her resume and strengthen her interviewing skills, noting that support from others has been a constant theme in her school and career journeys. “I am grateful to everyone who supported me in every step of my life,” she says. “The United States of America welcomed me and my family to this new place and gave us a home, food, education, and wonderful people. I am immensely happy to work for the government of this great country.”