October 4, 2022 | Bryan Wanzer

Instructional Design Careers: Andrea McEneaney guides students through careers in instructional design

Andrea McEneaney is a freelance instructional designer who owns her own business that connects freelance designers to potential clients.

We humanize career exploration by featuring real humans doing real things. Our mentors provide candid advice on how they got started and the steps to get there.
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Andrea McEneaney grew up in a small, not wealthy city across the Hudson River from Albany, NY. Her dad was a police officer and her mom cleaned houses. Andrea had always wanted to be involved in education in some way and she always ended up being the unofficial trainer in her jobs.

She later found out that in instructional design, you get to be creative making educational materials of all kinds without having to deal with the annoying part of “regular” school. Andrea also knew she didn’t want to be tied down to one office or company forever, so freelance/business owning was inevitable. Andrea has been in the Instructional Design field since 2016 and loves it because she gets to help people learn.

“What you’re doing in your teen years can have as much or as little to do with your adult life as you want. Some preferences and choices have long-lasting effects on the rest of your life, and some other things will fade totally away. You can choose which is which if you’re careful.”
Andrea mceneaney, Instructional Designer and find your grind mentor

Andrea has a unique perspective on success: it’s not about the money you earn or the specific job title you have, it’s about enjoying your time. There will of course be challenges, but Andrea explains that being able to see the bigger picture and focusing on your long-term goals will make it worth it. That way, you’re willing to put in the work because they are your choices, and will ultimately get you to where you want to be.