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Bart Doan
Bart Doan
00:55

Bart Doan

Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Indianapolis, IN USA

"The end of a chapter is not a dead end."

Career Roadmap

Bart's work combines: Government, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People

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Day In The Life

Associate Director Youth Initiatives

I oversee the workforce development programming for young people in the state of Indiana.

My Day to Day

I could be in a school talking to students about suicide prevention and how to better their communities. I could be meeting with coworkers across multiple state agencies about how to better connect our Hoosier youth with education and workforce opportunities. I could be meeting with partners regarding how to best implement goals that are outlined in state legislation. It's never a dull day and it's never the same. My job exists to help people, particularly Indiana youth, become successful.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

If you're looking to go into a career in public service, while communication is important, I'd more recommend going into public affairs as a major in college with perhaps a political science minor. I'd recommend some level of graduate school depending on how high you would like to serve. I'd also encourage doing an internship in a public service agency prior to graduation.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Mass Communications

    Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Associate Director Youth Initiatives:

Bachelor's Degree: Public Affairs

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    When I was in high school, I didn’t really have plans for what I wanted to do beyond playing basketball in college.

  • 2.

    I did play college basketball and graduated with a degree in communications and theology.

  • 3.

    After college, I wanted to be a golf pro and run pro golf courses—I did that for a few years in Indianapolis.

  • 4.

    When that opportunity dried up, I stayed in the industry for a while teaching golf lessons and fixing golf clubs.

  • 5.

    When the recession hit, I bounced around through a few different industries, including construction, human resources, and journalism.

  • 6.

    I started coaching basketball for eighth-graders and realized I really loved helping kids—I decided to stay in the field and build my career helping young people find more focus.

  • 7.

    I currently work for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development where my team oversees the workforce development programming for young people in Indiana.

  • 8.

    I’ve also been volunteering for JA Jobspark in Indiana for the last six years, helping Indiana eighth-graders explore careers in a variety of different clusters.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    You can't do that. You'll never get anywhere.

  • How I responded:

    I heard these themes often, especially as I struggled in college and after. I didn't discover where I was meant to be until 10 years out of school. Find what you're truly passionate about and pour everything into it. Surround yourself with positive vibes. After years of dead end paths, I achieved my dream of head varsity basketball coach in the inner city. I couldn't have done it without committing to seeing things in a more positive light and trusting in God and my family to take me there.

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