Job searching can be tough in today’s job market. It can be even tougher for parents, especially single parents, when finding childcare is also on the list of the priorities. This is the situation Kira found herself in just a few short months ago.
Kira and her son were staying with family while she was looking for a job, but knew that it was coming to an end soon. As money was getting tighter, they needed a new home lined up quickly. Not only did she need the money, but Kira wanted to find a job that could support her as a single parent. She knew FSC would be the place to make that happen.
Kira made her way to our Winnebago office and met with case manager, Rachel. Kira knew that finding a place to live and find childcare were top priority on her list to get herself on track to meet her goals. Rachel co-enrolled her into our Wisconsin Works (W-2) program and our FoodShare Employment Training (FSET) program so Kira can get the help she needed quickly.
Being enrolled in the W-2 program, Kira was able to get some extra funds to help with bills as well as a CARE Network list of resources to use to find housing and childcare assistance programs. With the help of the FSET Program, Kira was also able to get transportation assistance like gas vouchers to help her with her commute to interviews and picking up her son.
As they talked about her career goals, Kira mentioned that she wanted to find a job that would allow her to support her family as a single parent and also give her the flexibility to time to spend with her son. Rachel suggested she take our Office Professionals Course to help level up her skills and was even able to loan her a laptop to take the class. After completing the course, Kira came out with a polished resume and clearer direction of what jobs will make her and her family the happiest.
In a few month’s time, Kira was able to find a place for her and her son to live comfortably and was even able to get on the waitlist for childcare. With two major items checked off her list, Kira is feeling more relaxed, less worried and is actually excited for her future. She has a perfected resume in hand that will surely get her the job of her dreams.
“Kira is extremely persistent and doesn’t let anything get in her way or stop her”, beams Rachel with pride. “She has achieved so much over a few months and is continuing to push and keep going forward. She is a superstar!”
If you’re a parent who is needing a little extra support during your job search, check out our W-2 and FSET programs!
