Sarah
Sarah epitomizes what WIOA customers can achieve. She was determined to make a better life for herself and her children. She knew she was capable of more, and she was right. Sarah first applied for assistance in late July of 2021 as a single mom of 3 girls, a Certified Nursing Assistant, and, although working full-time, she still qualified for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), struggled financially, and lived in a tiny, cramped two-bedroom trailer. Sarah wanted to be a nurse but decided to wait until her children were just a little older, as she did not want to miss their early development. She said they were ‘just living, not living life, but surviving life day-by-day’. She applied for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant to obtain her Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) license. She also applied for SNAP Supportive Services while she was in the nursing program.
Sarah scored high with healthcare services on her WorkNet Career Cluster assessment and stated that her inspiration to be a nurse came from her mother, who is also a nurse. She scored well on the nursing entrance exam, which gave her the confidence she needed. Sarah’s research determined that the nearest nursing school for her was 72.4 miles round-trip and that without transportation reimbursement, she would be unable to complete her training. Later, her clinicals were even further at 117 miles round trip. Sarah received tuition assistance, books, fees, scrubs and shoes, mileage reimbursement for training from WIOA, and monthly gas cards from SNAP to cover getting to work.
Sarah’s employer worked with her, taking her to part-time on weekends, so she could continue her training, and offered her a position as an LPN when she was licensed. Sarah stated that she was able to survive and thrive because she was not working full-time and trying to excel at a rigorous course of study. She graduated on June 30, 2022, and is still awaiting her final licensure test in July of 2022.
When Sarah started in our program, she was receiving an $15 per hour and barely covering her monthly expenses. Keeping her Pell Grant helped. She received subsequent raises to her current salary of $20/hour. This enabled her family to move into a larger home.
As an LPN, Sarah will make $27/hour at her current employer. Sarah has almost doubled her income, moved into a home that fits her family, and because of WIOA, has a sustaining career, all within a year of her original application.
Sarah stated, “I did want to add a huge thank you to you, and the WIOA program. I couldn’t have done this without the support. Your program allowed me to not only complete the program, but absolutely thrive. With your help, and the support from WIOA, I graduated valedictorian.”