After twenty years of raising her children as a single mom, Annette went back to school to earn her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification. Eager to enter the healthcare field, she took the first step toward her career goal of becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) by completing the CNA program at Hennepin Technical College.
Her success during the often challenging transition to school and back into the workforce was supported by HIRED’s Pathway to Healthcare Careers program. HIRED is a Minneapolis-based workforce agency that provides job skills training and employment assistance to dislocated workers, low-income adults, people making the transition from welfare to work, recent immigrants and youth.
Throughout her enrollment in the CNA program to her job placement, she benefited from HIRED’s career navigation services, job search and resume workshops, and transportation assistance.
Now working full time at St. Therese, a Senior Care Facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Annette describes her new work as challenging but rewarding. She says that her confidence and outlook for the future are growing quickly and states with pride, “my kids, who aren’t really kids anymore, are proud of me and they say that I inspire them.”
Annette’s determination and HIRED’s support continues to fuel her academic and professional success: she recently completed another HIRED training that earned her a Trained Medication Aid (TMA) credential – and a raise!
Annette’s participation in HIRED was supported by Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program. The Minnesota Department of Human Services partners with HIRED to provide E&T services to SNAP participants in the State.
Now that Annette is stably employed and continuing her education, she has transitioned off of SNAP. Thanks to the HIRED program and her new career in healthcare, along with the support from her family, Annette has more self-confidence and feels equipped for success.
