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Figuring out what to do with your life is a challenge for anyone. Students are often told to get their bachelor’s degree and find their passion and they’ll eventually be rewarded by landing their dream job.

For most people, it’s not that simple.

Along the way, Isis Harris in Portland, Ore., says, “I kept hitting walls and I kept running into obstacles.” Then she took a course designed to sample different jobs in construction, and while wiring a light bulb, a switch flipped in her head. Almost five years later, Isis is finishing up her apprenticeship to become a certified electrician.