Lara’s Worth It!

When Lara got a notice in the mail stating that she needed to start FSET to keep her Food Stamps, she did not know what the program would offer. She was not expecting to find passionate teachers, contagious energy, and her long-lost confidence. Now she’s starting the job she “never thought in a million years” she would be able to get, thanks to the team that “changed everything.”

It all started when Lara came to her first skills training course. Her instructor, Korissa, had the dedicated spark of energy that brought Lara’s motivation back to life:

She was so excited and passionate about the class, and really cared about each and every one of us. Her energy was contagious and I found myself going home with a renewed sense of vigor. I was more confident with my job search and caught myself doing things I wouldn’t normally do, telling myself it was “because I’m worth it.”

She taught Lara how to craft a powerful cover letter, tailor her resume to each job she applied for, perfect her interviewing skills, and more. “I now have 5 different versions of cover letters and resumes, reference lists, letters of explanation, and a whole lot more ammo to prove myself to the working world that I am more than capable.”

On top of her training, Lara discovered that “a multitude of other resources” were now at her fingertips, ranging from transportation assistance to Goodwill vouchers. She was especially happy to learn that the Women’s Career Closet could provide her with professional attire that “helped me nail my interviews. I even found myself enjoying the volunteering requirement,” she says. “I made friends at St. Vincent de Paul and have genuinely enjoyed donating my time to help those in need – not to mention gaining job references along the way! Lisa has also been a wonderful case worker since my initial introduction to the Brown County Job Center and the FSET program – she’s been there with me since day one and is helping me still as I work on maintaining my recent employment.”

“Long story short – the program helps. These people are here to help you with anything and everything you might need. They want you to succeed. To quote Korissa, they ‘don’t want to see you back here,’ because they genuinely want you to get that job and move on. Thanks to the program, I am now employed with the Brown County Public Safety Communications Department as a telecommunication operator – a job I never thought in a million years I would have been able to get, yet here I am. I have the program and these awesome, dedicated people to thank for it. I am worth it!!!”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Congratulations, Lara!