Success Stories

Laura

Laura M. came to Ross IES after leaving an abusive relationship with just the clothes on her back and her two children. They were forced to live with relatives as they had no money and no transportation. Laura had been out of the workforce for a couple of years and although she had some good jobs in the past, most of her skills were outdated and in low demand. Her goal was to improve her skills enough to make her employable and self-sufficient.

At Ross IES, Laura was able to get assistance upgrading her resumé and her computer skills. She worked to improve her computer skills utilizing programs provided by Ross IES. With bolstered confidence, she was able to secure a position at a local law firm. Laura was able to get a car, and Ross IES was able to help with getting it repaired and insured. In addition, she was also provided a voucher to pay for professional clothing to wear to work.

Today, Laura handles accounts payable and receivable and inventory control. She loves the fast pace and variety that her job entails. She is thankful for the help that she received through Ross IES.

Anna

Anna G. had been a waitress for 21 years when her place of employment closed in December 2003. Since food service was the only occupation she had worked since she left high school, she felt scared and lost. She did not know what she wanted to do or what career path to take.

The only thing she wanted to do was to improve her situation, which is why she came to Ross IES to attend the Dislocated Worker Orientation. While in the program, Anna did some career exploration and attended job search seminars. She learned that she was eligible for short-term vocational training and decided on the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) training to help her reach her goal of working as an administrative assistant.

Anna completed a 10-week program in only eight weeks and passed all four of her exams. Her instructor even wrote to praise her diligence and accomplishments. Once her training was completed, she started her job search and applied for a position as a customer service representative. She was very proactive in her approach to acquire this position as she actually went to observe the program for a day. Her initiative paid off. She got the job, and we are very proud of her success.

Rebecca

When Rebecca W. entered the Ross IES Displaced Homemaker program last year, she was a single parent with severe back problems who could not get child support and had to rely on the state for assistance. Making things more difficult was the fact that she had unreliable transportation, no phone, minimal work experience and limited family support. Rebecca was determined, despite her multiple barriers, to become self-sufficient.

While at Ross IES, Rebecca identified her skills and career goals and received information on completing job applications and preparing resumés, as well as practical interviewing tips. During her participation in our program, Rebecca was able to survive very tough legal and emotional barriers, and through perseverance, was able to secure a managerial position. She has been very successful in her position, and she currently calls Ross IES to recruit for openings in her facility.

"The program has been extremely beneficial to our organization. We have participated in programs like this in the past, but have not had employees who were as motivated and competent as those from Ross IES. They are well informed and demonstrate knowledge and ability to become successful full time employees."

"We would like to take the opportunity to thank Ross IES for allowing us to participate in the job fair and for all the work you did to make the job fair a success. All of our positions were filled."