When Robert Ramirez began working, he made money from odd jobs. He was the child of two immigrants: his mom was a homemaker, and his dad was a construction worker. “That’s all I knew,” says Ramirez.
After graduating from high school, Ramirez didn’t have any guidance or pathway already set out for him. So, those odd jobs are what he knew best. One of them was working at a pharmacy, sweeping the floors and stocking the shelves. While he wasn’t sure what career paths were possible, he still had a work ethic that made him stand out, and he ended up becoming the manager and lead technician of that same pharmacy.
After that, Ramirez’s whole world opened up. His coworker, who was another technician, was also a registered nurse. “He would encourage me and say I should go to school and that I would be a great nurse,” says Ramirez. “I finally listened and said, ‘Let me give this a try.’” So, at 27, he enrolled in Westchester Community College’s licensed practical nurse program.
Upon graduating in 2014, Ramirez landed a job as a licensed practical nurse at Westmed Medical Group in White Plains. After just two years in the position, he qualified for the clinical quality coordinator role, and since then, he’s continued to rise through the ranks at the healthcare organization that is part of Summit Health, including going from associate clinical manager of internal medicine to cardiology/nuclear/neurology, and now, his current role as clinical director. Ramirez’s continued upward mobility was possible all because he took control of his career and went back to school in 2019.
“It wasn’t that I wasn’t looking to grow, I just didn’t know where to go,” says Ramirez. “I didn’t have the mentorship or guidance to show me the path.”
That’s why Ramirez gives back in that way today, hoping along the way to broaden the horizons of at least one or two students who aren’t sure of their path. It’s one of the reasons that Ramirez is a panelist at Westchester County Association’s World of Healthcare event, where young professionals share their career journeys.
“Not all high schoolers have an opportunity to go to college right away,” says Ramirez. “Even if they do, they might not know what they want to do in college. This gives them the opportunity to receive information from us as panelists to guide them into different healthcare careers that aren’t your typical doctor or nurse roles.”
Ramirez will be joined by other panelists for the next World of Healthcare event on September 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pace University. Westchester County Association’s next high school event will follow in October.
“It’s fulfilling because I can give back to the students,” says Ramirez. “I would’ve wanted someone to be my guide through school when I was younger. I would’ve wanted these programs that are available now.”
Westchester County Association is also hosting a World of Business event on September 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercy University — a similar forum but for students who might be interested in business.
“Our Career Pathway events help high school students learn from young professionals about in-demand jobs and careers,” says Jason Chapin, director of workforce development at Westchester County Association. “My favorite part is seeing all the students approach the panelists at the end to meet them and ask more questions. And everyone enjoys participating.”
If you’re not able to attend one of these events, Ramirez has advice for young professionals today: “Surround yourself with what you want to be, where you want to go. Surround yourself with people you see as mentors. Your environment will play a big role in how you grow in any field.”
Next Steps
If you are interested in learning more about Westchester County Association, visit the website for additional resources.
Related: A Dutchess County Truck Driver Shares Her Career Story
