Susan's Story

Susan was enrolled in the WIOA IS Youth program and had just finished up her junior year at Neillsville High School.  Susan was interested in exploring career options in housekeeping/janitorial fields.  She did not have any work history and would benefit from a work experience to gain skills and references.  WIOA set her up with a work experience at a Retirement Community as a Program Assistant and did housekeeping/kitchen and life enrichment job duties.  Susan needed scrubs for the position so WIOA purchased $105.33 of scrubs and shoes so Susan could work at the retirement community.  While there, Susan thrived.  She went from a very quiet, reserved teenager to happy and bubbly.  Susan received excellent feedback from the agency director and was offered a position when the work experience was complete.  She was hired on for $14.50/hour and worked 20 hours/week through her senior year of high school.  While doing the work experience, Susan completed basic first aid for her educational component.  In May 2023, Susan graduated from high school.  She has decided that she is happy with her position at the Retirement Community and is going to stay there for now.  Susan knows that she has options to obtain her CNA or go into other health care fields in the future to grow with the company.