Mary Jo was a stay-at-home Mom for 15 years. She decided that it was time for a change of scenery and found a job outside of home. Right when she was settling into her new way of life, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and she was out of a job. She quickly realized she was going to need help making ends meet while searching for a new job, as she couldn’t receive unemployment. But Mary Jo didn’t give up hope. She was determined to overcome these barriers and learn the ins and outs of employment training. Mary Jo got to work and contacted us to point her in the right direction to get back on track.
Starting From Scratch
When Mary Jo came to us, she was met by her case workers, Aimee and Gina, who immediately enrolled her in the Wisconsin Works (W2) program. They discussed the current barriers she was facing and helped shape her goals: to receive a job in food service or customer service, and to work hard at the job and grow with a company to become a supervisor down the line. Once Mary Jo’s goals were established, she was enrolled in the Essential Skills Training courses to prepare her for her job search. She was also given Gas Vouchers to accommodate her traveling and make it easier to attend classes and job interviews.
Mary Jo also took the Financial Literacy Class, which she found was extremely helpful. Mary Jo also thoroughly enjoyed the Career Connections class taught by Kim, a class that brings in local employers that are currently hiring. She appreciated getting the inside scoop on what hiring managers were looking for and what jobs were out there in her area. While attending classes, Mary Jo also met with her W2 Case Managers, Gina and Aimee, weekly to talk about how her employment search and interviews were going and to assist her with anything else she needed.
“Mary Jo has a fantastic attitude! She always participated in the program, always came to her appointments, and despite any struggles she was going through, she always sounded so cheerful while interacting with everyone! She is so motivated to become more knowledgeable in her career field of interest and has wonderful communication skills,” her case managers raved.
The Sweet Pay Off
With all her hard-work and participation, Mary Jo crushed her goal and landed a full-time employment position at a company she can see herself growing with and moving up in the chain of command. She is also very happy to be working in a kitchen and baking again, something she missed at her previous position before the pandemic. Mary Jo is flourishing and is even setting goals for the future; to finish college, get an even better job, and hopefully buy a house!
Congratulations Mary Jo!
Mary Jo benefitted from the following services:
- Wisconsin Works
- Essential Skills Courses
- Gas Vouchers
