Hidden Potential
It was almost 20 years ago when I was still in High School, I did my first personality and career test. I remember the result clearly. On the paper, it said that the top two industries that would be perfect for me were entertainment or arts and education. I expected entertainment and arts, but not education. As a stubborn and vocal teenager, I immediately told the psychologist and my teacher that there was something wrong with the result. After all, arts were what I was trained for since little.
Fast forward to many years later, here I am with AddedEducation, serving as a Lead Counselor. The funny thing is, this is not where it began. A few years ago, I landed a role with EducationUSA under the U.S. Department of State as an education adviser.
I worked as an advocate on behalf of the U.S. Higher Education Institutions to promote American Colleges while at the same time as a source of information for Indonesian students. Through this journey of advising and inspiring Indonesian kids to study in the U.S., I knew I found my reason to work with students. My perspective on the education industry finally shifted.
As I grew up, I realized that being in the education industry does not only mean being a teacher or a school principal. It is so much more than that. With my horizons expanded, I looked back and realized, even when I thought being in the education industry would not fit me, my actions proved me wrong. From helping out some classmates with school projects to raising funds to help another classmate who couldn’t pay the tuition, I did all those with contentment. I wanted to see my peers do better and go further. This leads me to my purpose with AddedEducation. I want to help these kids to find their path in higher education and experience living abroad. Through my journey of studying abroad, I learned a lot of things that helped me grow beyond the classroom experience including finding this career path.
Through counseling, I hope to be able to guide our clients in what may be one of the most crucial decisions that they have to make. At the end of the day, it all comes down to I want to see our clients achieve their greatest potential or even unlock the hidden ones.
Caroline Darmanto, Lead Counselor
