Thursday, April 19, 2018

Student Spotlight: Kirsten Scannell

Career Goal: To have opportunities for a rewarding career that earns a better wage than my previous positions.

Why did you join the program? I joined the program to expand my skills and challenge my limits. 

What was the hardest part of the class? Honestly the hardest things were sitting in the classroom instead of hands on.

What has been your favorite part of the experience? I really loved the hands-on experience. It was empowering.

What are your hopes for the future? I hope that I can provide a stable environment for my family.

What would you tell someone who is considering joining the program? I would highly encourage all women to attend this program. The knowledge was invaluable, and my self-confidence has improved.

Student Spotlight: Akimi Warren

Career Goal: I aim to learn about different areas of trade work, so I can plan a career path to become a successful model for my family.

Why did you join the program? To get a great start on my path to success.

What was the hardest part of the class? There was no hard part for me. I truly enjoyed this experience.

What has been your favorite part of the experience? Creating friendship with my peers, getting certified, and learning new skills.

What are your hopes for the future? To become a strong example for my children and other women.

What would you tell someone who is considering joining the program? This program is worth your time.

Student Spotlight: Stella Sigambris

Career Goal: I would like to obtain a position in the trades or an apprenticeship where I would be able to expand my skills and be of value to a company.

Why did you join the program? I learned about the program after reading about it in a brochure. I found it very pertinent to my interest in joining the trades, and it is geared towards helping women to gain some basic training and expose them to do trades.

What was the hardest part of the class? As I expected, there is a manual work involved and skills that I never used before that I have learned from the program.

What has been your favorite part of the experience? To complete a project is the most satisfying part to see. I have learned about building materials, construction tools and how to properly work with them, and it's very gratifying.

What are your hopes for the future?To be able to obtain an apprenticeship or entry-level position in the trades, where I will be able to further learn and fine-tune my skills, and be more valuable to the company I am with.

What would you tell someone who is considering joining the program? I would highly recommend the program to anyone interest in the trades. It will give them an excellent introduction to the trades and allow them to have hands-on experience.

Student Spotlight: Caitlyn David

Career Goal: I would like to start my own company one day. I'm mainly interested in the real estate industry, so this class definitely gives me more confidence and increases the level of independence I could achieve in that industry.

Why did you join the program? Around the time I found this program, I was just finding myself thrown into the world on my own and this time with a one-year-old little boy. When I found the advertisement for this class, it listed that it was free, and they offered child care and transportation assistance. I was amazed how all my current setbacks were relieved by this one program.

What was the hardest part of the class? The hardest part of the class was keeping up with the fast pace learning that the short class offers.

What has been your favorite part of the experience? My favorite part of the class was being able to work with my hands and create something from nothing.

What are your hopes for the future? I hope to be an inspiration to other women stuck in dead-end jobs to step out of their comfort zone and realize their full potential. 

What would you tell someone who is considering joining the program? Don't doubt yourself. The class is available to you free of charge, and if it doesn't already meet all of your needs, they will be more than accommodating.

Student Spotlight: Sinafea Lindsey

Career Goal: It's either going to be in the electrical or welding field. I'm leaning towards electrical right now because that's everywhere every day.

Why did you join the program? I wanted skills to take care of my home and to make a living. Child care was my biggest barrier in the past. WinC lifted that burden for me, and that made a huge impact on being focused.

What was the hardest part of the class? Nothing was hard. I enjoyed every part of training. Any challenges I might've encountered were just tests of my character - they were opportunities to grow where needed.

What has been your favorite part of the experience? Anything that involved heavy lifting was my favorite. I enjoyed our demolition project because there was a lot opportunity for me to do that.

What are your hopes for the future? To simply pay the bills  and take care of the kids by making a good living wage in the industry.  

What would you tell someone who is considering joining the program? Join! But show up 100% percent with a solid goal in front of you. Keep your eyes on the goal with an open mind. And BRING A GOOD ATTITUDE no matter what. That makes a big difference in everything you do.