NW Works in Profile: Caitlin Buchanan

Caitlin Buchanan

Meet Caitlin! Caitlin serves as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS), or job coach, for individuals receiving employment services through NW Works. As a VRS, Caitlin acts as a support for individuals at their place of employment and encourages them to advocate for themselves, increase their skills & confidence, and maximize their independence as they work in the community.  

Caitlin hails from Winchester, VA and has worked for several local businesses including wineries, Sweet Tooth Bakery, and Firefly Cafe. Caitlin’s connection to NW Works began at Firefly Cafe, where she worked as a baker and was encouraged during Firefly’s closure to join NW Works’ main campus. Caitlin found joy in working with others and building relationships, and although she enjoyed baking, she wasn’t sure it served her well as an occupation rather than a hobby. Shortly after Firefly’s closing, a Career Services Business Administrator role opened, and Caitlin was encouraged to apply by many of her coworkers who thought she would be a good addition to the team. Caitlin secured the job and bounced around to a few different roles at NW Works before deciding that she wanted to return to school to pursue a master's in social work. While Caitlin continued her education, she took a brief break from working at NW Works to focus solely on school. When she returned, she jumped into her current role as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS).  

Caitlin’s favorite piece about her role is the commitment our organization holds to maximizing independence and seeing that play out through her role. Watching an individual succeed and grow in their role and later being offered opportunities for advancement has been a highlight of Caitlin’s time at NW Works.  

As a job coach, Caitlin spoke to the individuality of each person’s role & their support, sharing that she appreciates how individualized NW Works’ plans are for service recipients. Each plan of support is geared towards an individual and their personal goals. A key piece of Caitlin’s job is knowing when to transition the individual out of job coaching services and ensure they are comfortable at their job with less support. While Caitlin said this was a bittersweet moment in her role, she also stated it made her feel proud of the individual and the progress they’ve made as an employee.  

Not only has Caitlin seen substantial growth in many of her clients, but she’s also seen growth in herself after switching career interests and landing in the Human Services field. Caitlin remarked that her comfort level as a VRS is much higher than she’s felt for any other job and cited how the role seemed to come naturally to her, allowing her to quickly adapt to the many situations that come from being a job coach. 

In Caitlin’s free time, she enjoys reading books, drinking tea, cooking, and loving on her three cats: Sarafina, Isabella and Stella. If you, like Caitlin, want to provide individualized support to jobseekers and employees, visit our “Join our Team” page.