At CCANO’s Workforce Development program in St. Charles Parish, locals like Tricia have found a valuable resource. Tricia was a stay home mom for many years when her husband had an accident, and she had to join the workforce again. She did not know where or how to begin. That’s when she came to our St. Charles Workforce Program in partnership with the United Way to receive services to help her get back on her feet.
Tricia was assisted at multiple levels from creating her resume to renewing her licenses and securing required uniforms. Soon, she was successfully employed by a company that was helping her earn her nursing degree. After her employer needed to reduce her hours, she came back to us to develop further skills to find a second job because she felt this was the best place for her to go based on her previous experience. A CCANO staff member assisted her in tailoring her resume with a summary that was specific to each job she applied for instead of sending out a general resume en masse. Together, they were able to identify key skills and traits each employer was looking for in the job description, match her transferable skills, and use language in her cover letters that would demonstrate that she was the right fit for the job. Tricia shares, “It was overwhelming at best. I can’t thank CCANO and United Way enough. Your agencies have made this transition a little less scary.”
Tricia is just one of the many clients we see in St. Charles parish. “Shelby,” a single woman living in Norco, had a similar experience after recently losing her job due to a downturn in the oil and gas industry. Although she had been on many interviews, Shelby was unable to find an appropriate position that matched her skill set. Our Workforce Program staff met with her to review her resume, teach her how to network with her existing contacts, and explore job boards. In a few months, Shelby landed a temporary position while still searching for her desired job. Eventually, she gained employment at the pay rate that coincided with her experience and has since reported that she is very happy with position she has found. Shaula Lovera, CCANO Division Director, says, “This program is special because it takes the intimidation out of the entire process of finding and applying for a job. Our emphasis on education and our welcoming environment show that we’re here for people when it seems like there’s nowhere else to go.”
