Jacqueline Pushes Through to Success

Life has an interesting way of showing us when it’s time for a change, whether we’re ready or not. Normalcy can be changed in an instant, and with it, perspective and priorities will follow suit. This is a story about a strong woman, who pushes through painful obstacles and finds the hope that leads her back to happiness.

A Change of Course

Jacqueline was a jack-of-all-trades. Throughout the years, she worked in many fields servicing people and animals alike with her recent being in construction and furniture installation. But when she started to experience a medical issue that needed to be addressed and her home life changed, she knew that she needed to find a different line of work. As a mom of three, she knew that sitting around wouldn’t fix her dilemma. She knew she needed to develop a different set of skills outside of physical labor to find employment that could accommodate her physical needs.

With her determination and a willingness to try new things in hand, Jacqueline was primed and ready to start her journey with FSC.

A Change of Pace

When Jacqueline walked through our doors, she was quickly enrolled in our Wisconsin Works (W2) program. She soon met with her W2 Case Manager, Emily Seiltz. Together, they discussed her current situation, her employment goals and devised a plan that was flexible to her physical needs. With needing flexibility to attend treatments, doctor’s appointments, and physical therapy sessions, the virtual Job Skills Trainings were a perfect fit for Jacqueline. Emily immediately signed her up for the next training session available, and Jacqueline was ready to get started.

At first, Jacqueline enjoyed the trainings as they allowed her to learn at her own pace when sitting for too long at a computer became difficult. But as her treatments improved, little by little, Jacqueline worked her way through the course. When she continued to improve, she decided to enroll in the Call Center Professionals Training Course so she could potentially work from home as a customer service rep. Once she completed that training, she was eager to try the Office Professionals Training. She successfully graduated from the training and began going on several job interviews.

“I could see her confidence grow throughout the trainings. She learned a lot as well as got a lot of refreshers in skills she may have used in the past. Jacqueline worked hard, always attended her meetings, and is very reliable,” says Emily, her W2 Case Manager.

As Jacqueline was gaining job skills, her medical condition also improved to the point where she felt ready to look for work. She worked with our Job Developer in her area and attended every career networking workshop to learn from employers and potentially get her foot in the door. Not too long after, her Job Developer received a referral to a contact at HSHS looking for work at the hospital, the perfect job for Jacqueline. Jacqueline nailed the interview and was hired on full time as a Clerical Associate Assistant.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Despite all the obstacles, Jacqueline stayed the course, kept focus on her goals, and is now happy in her new full-time job. She’s excited to grow and learn in her new position at the hospital. After accomplishing this goal, Jacqueline is now set on learning how to budget and save for an emergency fund for a well-deserved family vacation.

Congratulations, Jacqueline!

Jacqueline benefitted from the following programs: