Wendy Perez came to Future Pathways looking for a job. She left knowing what she wanted to do with her life. 

Like many Regional Center clients, Wendy Perez wasn't working or in school when she found Future Pathways. She was looking for a job, and running into the same wall every time.

"My life was really hard," she recalls. "I had difficulty fixing my resume, and that was one thing holding me back."

One day, while scrolling through Instagram, a Future Pathways post caught her eye. She brought up the program with her social worker, who helped enroll her.

​"I was so interested," Wendy says. "I did not know anything about applying for jobs before I joined."

One of Wendy's biggest breakthroughs was learning how to build a strong resume, and discovering that what not to put on your resume is as important as what you add.

She also learned how to research employers before applying, a skill that has stayed with her.

Working alongside her classmates was equally meaningful to her. Wendy deeply valued the program's team-based activities, not only as skill-building opportunities, but also as essential preparation for the workplace itself.

When Wendy started Future Pathways, she wasn't sure what she was good at or what kind of work would suit her. Through the program, she found her answer. She loved interacting with kids, and she had spent years helping take care of her three nephews.

Working through the curriculum helped her see that experience for what it was: both a valuable, transferable skill and a genuine calling. Her long-term goal is now to open her own daycare. "I want to help kids," she says. "If their moms are working, I can help them out watching their kids."

​That clarity is shaping her job search. Wendy is actively applying to childcare centers and she has already started identifying and pursuing the credentials she'll need to get there.

Wendy completed Future Pathways with a clear sense of what she's capable of and a determination to keep going. She feels confident about her chances and positive about what's ahead.
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​That mindset, she says, is something the program taught her.

When asked what she'd say to someone considering Future Pathways, Wendy's message was straightforward: "This is an opportunity because it will help you with so many things that you might not know. I did not know anything before I joined. I feel like I can help somebody out by sharing this opportunity."

Future Pathways is a joint initiative of Autism Society Inland Empire and Daivergent. The program is designed specifically for Regional Center clients who are ready to take meaningful steps toward employment, education, and the experiences that lead there.

Future Pathways runs for 130 hours across approximately 13 weeks. It combines small-group instruction led by ACRE-certified vocational specialists with personalized coaching and customized career planning. Participants build skills in communication, digital literacy, professionalism, and self-advocacy alongside a small cohort of peers who are working toward similar goals. 

80% of Future Pathways participants agree that they developed the skills to get a job within six months in the program. 

The cost of Future Pathways is fully covered for eligible Regional Center clients.