Sylvia describes her experience receiving WIOA services in her own words. “Workforce has been such a blessing to me. The whole program itself took a lot of stress off of me so I could focus on my studies while attending Capital Area School of Practical Nursing. CASPN was not easy at all. It takes a lot of planning, dedication and perseverance to be able to finish. I had car trouble. Some weeks I struggled with studying and grasping the material. Other times, I just didn’t feel like I could finish. The program is definitely a commitment and you have to make sacrifices in order to finish successfully. About 3/4 of the way through the program, my father passed, suddenly. Even then, I had to keep going, because I knew that this goal, this dream that I had been wanting for so long was close. My classmates, my teachers, and my caseworker were supportive as they could be. In the end, it’s about discipline, the will to want better; even in the face of adversity and when things seem like they are falling apart. If I could give anybody any advice it would be, ‘Remember why you started and why you are going.’ Use that as your motivation to keep going when things may not be working out.”
“My caseworker, Sherrie Manney, was always available to answer any questions I may have had. She was very understanding and knowledgeable, and always giving good advice. She checked on me frequently, and if she didn’t have the answer right then, she always made sure to get back to me as soon as she could,” Sylvia explains.
“I took advantage of multiple services through Workforce, such as tutoring—which at times was a blessing as well, especially in Anatomy. I also took advantage of Tuition/Books/Fees assistance from Workforce as well. This helped tremendously. It gave me peace of mind knowing that school itself was already paid for and I could focus more of my time and energy on my goals. As we all know, life doesn’t just stop when you’re going to school. Transportation assistance also helped as well, especially with the rising prices of gas and having to travel from Decatur to Springfield. Workforce also helped me remain accountable by requiring monthly check-ins, so that I updated my caseworker of things like grades and anything else that I may have needed, which also prepared me for a new career in nursing where we have to be responsible and accountable for our actions. It also helped me develop my time management skills more by just making sure I check in on time because it is easy to forget when you have so many other things going on,” Sylvia says.
“I most definitely would recommend Workforce to anybody. Overall, it’s a great program. I think, if possible, everybody should experience Workforce if they are looking to go back to school and may need some assistance. Since graduation, I have passed my NCLEX and have accepted a position at the Women’s Correctional Facility here in Decatur. I am forever grateful to Workforce and to my caseworker, Sherrie, for all the support along the way. I couldn’t have done it without you all. Thank you so much,” Sylvia exclaims!