Tammy
In her own words, “My name is Tammy, I am 40-year-old married mother of three children. When I entered the program the company I worked for closed/merged. I lost my job and our household income decreased by 50%. My colleagues and I tried to petition for trade adjustment assistance, since we trained a company from India before ours closed. The petition came back denied and I was left unemployed with no college degree. I did receive unemployment assistance. I tried unsuccessfully entering back in the workplace at a pay scale to make ends meet. I only had a high school diploma and a lot of the jobs I would normally qualify for are now requiring some sort of college education.”
“Very quickly our family was struggling financially. We could not sell the house because we owed more than what we could get for it. We became months behind on our mortgage. My car was repossessed because we could not make the payments. Grocery shopping was a challenge. School enrollment fees for my children were borrowed. We ended up doing a household budget worksheet and cut out a lot of necessary items. With my husband’s income and what I was getting from unemployment, we were still in the negative.”
“When I went to unemployment, I was advised to go to an orientation that was sponsored through The Workforce Connection. I did not think I would qualify, but I went through the process anyway. I was approved for job training and was put in touch with my Career Planner at The Workforce Connection. He was very knowledgeable and explained what this program could offer me. I left the office and cried because there was a chance for me and my family. I decided to become a registered nurse through a local college of my choice. The Workforce Connection offered tuition assistance up to a certain dollar amount. I chose Rock Valley College because it was affordable and fit into my schedule as a mom.”
“I just completed my job training through The Workforce Connection. I have my associate degree in nursing, and I found employment as an Operating Room Nurse at OSF St. Anthony Hospital. It was not easy going to school full time, having a part time job, and taking care of a family. The hard work does pay off, you have to want it and put in the work. I will be pursuing my bachelor’s degree in nursing soon.”
“During the program I received job search advice, workshops, and job training. Without the resources available to me through The Workforce Connection I’m not sure what would have been. I would probably still not have a college education, struggling financially, using food stamps, or back on unemployment. My family and I are immensely grateful that this program exists. Everything this program offers is exactly what our community needs.”