Meet Kim
Illinois - Meet Kim
Workforce Success Story Submitted By: McHenry County Workforce Network
Workforce Challenge
Kim Gittings was laid off from her CNC Operator position in October 2010. She obtained information from McHenry County Workforce Network (MCWN) that she might be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance. She had worked 30 years in her machine operating position and believed it might be time for a change of careers, since manufacturing in the area was declining.
Workforce Solution
After assessment, case management, and research, Kim received the go-ahead to enroll in TRADE-Approved training to learn Medical Office Administration and Coding and Billing. She began an 8-month program ending in December 2011. Afterwards, Kim participated in numerous job search activities and volunteered at a local hospital. She searched for job openings in which she could use her newly acquired knowledge and skills. Throughout this process, she frequently heard the same concern about her ‘lack of experience’ in a medical office. Despite repeated rejection, Kim made a point of staying positive and having a good attitude. Eventually, Kim opened up her search to include warehousing and machine operation, her former occupation.
Outcomes & Benefits
Kim landed employment in March 2013 as a CNC Operator for a company in Wheeling. Kim emailed: “MCWN has been a wonderful tool from the very beginning of this long journey. I have learned so much about myself which helped me transfer that into a resume that truly reflected my background and experience that got me this job.” Kim stated that the confidence she built through her work with MCWN empowered her to negotiate her position as the first female machine operator in her new company.
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