Ed Gapate

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT ED GAPATE

I do not believe everyone in this world follows a perfect or straight path. Things do not always pan out exactly as we had planned. Although it sounds inconvenient or even scary, that is a good thing! As a quiet shy kid in high school with good grades, I was expected to move on to a post secondary education of my choice and follow on straight to the professions that it comes with. For me, that was electrical engineering. Along the way, I experienced hardship that made me question if what I was doing was the right thing for me. I took a step back and switched to a college, where I regained my focus and more importantly, my confidence. After graduating with awards, I believed in my heart that I was meant to go back and get that degree. Two years later, I was a proud graduate with a shiny new degree. Surely I was back to following the straight path into the workforce, right? Breaking in isn\'t always about jumping right into the role you wanted. Its about getting in and working your way up, and I started that with a field technician role, which to this day I remember fondly. The \"plan\" was to take steps. One of those steps was moving into a management role in which I was now training the same technicians who were my peers. Despite initially viewing the role as a stepping stone to a future engineering role, I really began to fit in well for the long run. I was thoroughly enjoying myself and found an energy from my work that I had never felt in the past. My work was having an impact on others and I too was learning many things, both professionally and about myself. I never really noticed the transition, but that shy and quiet high school kid was gone! Who would have thought he was going to be making a living by speaking and guiding people enthusiastically? The curve was that I had found passion in training and helping others to succeed in their roles. Having spent 18 years in learning and development roles, I have not only honed my skills in instructor led training, but also am highly experienced with e-learning content development, as well as administration in learning management systems. Along the way, I have also mentored others to do the same, and be an influence in others\' careers. I have enjoyed every minute of the deviated path. The winding or curvy road is a beautiful thing. As I embark on a new journey professionally, I am excited to see where it takes me and I plan to immerse myself and enjoy the ride. Being open minded, always learning, experiences over possessions, and being good to others are the simple things that keep me going.