Taylor Payne, an electrician technician (ET) student at United Education Institute’s Morrow campus, is the 2025 recipient of the Be The Change Scholarship — and she has already been hired in her new field before completing the program.

There has been growing talk about artificial intelligence replacing workers, but for Payne, it became real.

“I was laid off from my job doing IT because they rolled out AI at the company where I worked and a bunch of us were let go,” she said. “I had just bought a house, and I didn’t want to lose it, so I had to figure something else out.”

As AI reshapes the workforce, Payne, 30, is proof that resilience remains an entirely human skill. Instead of giving up, she chose a field she felt no machine could replace.

“I asked myself, ‘What is something that AI physically cannot take from us?’ If the lights go out, you can’t use AI to turn the lights back on,” she said. “That’s when I decided to look into becoming an electrician technician.”

She soon enrolled in the Electrician Technician program at UEI Morrow — a decision that is already paying off.

“UEI has been an amazing experience for me,” Payne said. “The instructors are fantastic. They really go out of their way to help students. Mr. Griffin is my absolute favorite.”

“Taylor has been an outstanding student from day one,” said instructor Mr. Griffin. “She approaches every challenge with curiosity and determination, always striving to understand not just how something works, but why. Her commitment to learning and her positive attitude set an example for everyone in the classroom.”

Job Before Graduation

About halfway through the program, Payne began looking for work.

“Every time I was on campus for lab days, I went into Career Services to ask for help,” she said. “I told them I wanted to find something right away, even if it wasn’t in the ET field.”

Her persistence paid off. Before finishing the program, Career Services helped her secure a job as an electrician technician with the U.S. Postal Service. She has been in the role for several months.

“I help install and maintain the mail conveyor and scanning systems,” she said, adding that she hopes to become “the most valuable person” as the Postal Service transitions to electric vehicles. “I want to stay there. It’s going great.”

“From the moment Taylor came into Career Services, you could tell she was driven,” said Miriam Guillory, director of Career Services at UEI Morrow. “She showed up consistently, asked all the right questions, and followed through on every lead. Seeing her placed into a new position before graduation was incredibly rewarding.”

Thanks to flexible scheduling, Payne is able to work full time and attend labs on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

“It’s a lot to manage, but I need to stick it out and complete the program because this is the program that got me to where I’m at now,” she said. “This is paying way better than me working in IT — and I actually get to see what I build come to life.”

Serving Others Earns a Scholarship

This fall, Payne’s reinvention came full circle when she was awarded the 2025 Be The Change Scholarship, a full-ride honor recognizing her leadership, resilience and community service.

While volunteering at a church food pantry, Payne noticed long lines of working parents, seniors and children waiting for basic groceries. Instead of walking away, she organized a community food drive called “Help Fill a Cupboard,” placing decorated collection boxes in schools, coffee shops and community centers.

“I thought everything was kind of gray and black and white, so adding some colors might be what draws somebody’s eyes to this box,” she said.

She posted lists of needed staples — rice, beans, pasta, peanut butter, tuna — and watched donations slowly grow. Then, momentum hit.

“That coffee shop was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Taylor, you have to come see this box,’” she said.

By the end of the month, Payne had collected more than 500 pounds of food for local families. Her effort inspired others to start their own drives.

Her approach wasn’t just charitable — it was practical. She encouraged stores and restaurants to donate end-of-day food and asked employees to help spread the word.

“You can repurpose the food that’s ready to throw away and help someone in the same process,” she told them.

The experience reshaped her idea of leadership.

“It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about inviting others to be part of the solution,” she wrote in her scholarship essay.

Her essay was selected as the first-place submission, earning her the full scholarship.

A School That Meets Students Where They Are

Payne said UEI’s flexibility has been essential as she balances work and school.

“They recently opened a middle tier for classes. There are different time frames, and they’re willing to work with you,” she said. “If it weren’t for this flexibility, I wouldn’t have been able to start the new job and continue my studies.”

The scholarship, she said, gives her the motivation to keep going.

“Sometimes I feel like I just really have to push through,” she said. “Now I’m actually doing ET work, and then I go to class and do it again. It’s a lot to manage, but I need to stick it out and complete the program.”

Payne encourages other students to apply for every opportunity.

“I’m so grateful to UEI,” she said. “I’d say take maybe an hour out of your day to apply for every scholarship. You never know what that hour of writing could do for your life.”

She’s continuing her community service, too. Payne is already working with classmates to launch a campus food drive in Morrow to help families during the holidays.

“Taylor’s story embodies what UEI is all about — resilience, purpose and transformation,” said Gregory Falcon, campus president at UEI Morrow. “We are all filled with pride watching her achieve her goals and represent the spirit of our students. On behalf of the entire campus, congratulations to Taylor on this well-deserved honor.”