Choosing the correct career path can be tough but with the right tools and knowledge, the steps towards the decision can become much easier.

Moorpark College’s Career Transfer Center coordinator, Judi Gould, strives to help make those steps much clearer for students.

Before settling into her current career, Gould had several jobs including being a business manager at a Ford dealership and a program computer contractor. She decided to go back to grad school because none of the paths she had chosen were working. Gould knows first hand what it means to be confused with a career choice.

“The journey is everything,” said Gould. “Don’t think about the destination, think about where you are, and how you’ll get to where you want to be.”

After 15 years of service at Moorpark College, Gould has decided to retire. She spent over eight years working as a career counselor after helping create the career Transfer Center. Counselor Donnie Munshower will be taking over the transfer aspect of the center once Gould retires and counselor Wendy Berg will be taking over the career part. According to Gould, there are going to be exciting things happening in the coming years from the Transfer Center, despite her absence.

“The hope is for all students is to set goals for themselves,” said Gould. “Both short-term and long-term.”

In school, Gould was always a good student, so it took her by surprise when some of her career choices didn’t pan out. Gould said that she was ready to give up, but instead decided to start investigating into what she really enjoyed doing, which was helping others.

Gould heard that she should meet with a career counselor and decided to give it a try. Her decision altered her path and showed her she wanted to help students figure out their future.

“I love to empower a student,” said Gould. “Demonstrating to each individual student that they can make it.”

Gould is extremely passionate about her job and both students and her coworkers take notice to her level of commitment.

“Judi is super hard working,” said Lynn Hastings, an adjunct counselor that works in the career transfer center. “She always puts the students first and she makes me want to be the best counselor that I can be.”

Gould meets with students frequently in order to help them choose a career and gives them different ideas on how to make their dream career come true. She mentions networking, interviewing people already in the field, and many others as ways to gain knowledge about a career.

“When I first came to Moorpark I had no idea what I wanted to do,” said Zachary Scott, a business major at Moorpark. “After speaking with Judi, I had a better idea.”

In addition to meeting with students in the Career Transfer Center, Gould teaches a Self Career Placement class which is a two-week course that meets twice over the course of two weeks.

According to Gould, it is an opportunity to investigate ones’ interests, values, and personality while understanding how it all correlates into choosing a career. The class uses activities to help students engage and learn from each other, which is what college is all about.

“Working at the Career Transfer Center has been the highlight of my career,” said Gould. “I always tell students to do what they love.”

Due to Gould’s retirement, Berg will be taking over teaching the Self Career Placement class.

“Mrs. Gould really helped me figure things out,” said Lauren Kaplan, a communication disorders major who took Gould’s placement class. “I have always had an idea what I wanted to do, but she helped me focus on what I liked and it helped me expand my options.”

Gould has a favorite quote, which she emphasizes to each student.

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life,” said Confucius.