SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — “Women to Work”, a free four-week course offered by Gesher Human Services [geshermi.org], one of the largest human service agencies in metro Detroit, will hold an informational meeting on April 20 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The program aims to provide women who have been out of the workforce for some time, or whose family circumstances have changed, with vital skills necessary to gain immediate employment. “Women to Work” will be held in person at Gesher Human Services’ headquarters in Southfield (29699 Southfield Road, Southfield, MI 48076). The program’s eight sessions will run from Tues. Apr. 25 to Thurs. May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Thousands of metro Detroit women have benefitted from the program which started in the 1980s. This year’s program will focus on topics including in-depth vocational assessment; help with networking, resume writing and interviewing; financial management advice; employment-related group counselling and emotional support; information and referrals to support services; and stress management.
In the summer of 2022, Judi Gorniak-Rosas, of Royal Oak, signed up for the “Women to Work” program. After raising her family and spending years doing volunteer work at her children’s school and with the scouts, plus a variety of jobs not using her professional skills, she decided it was time to go back to being a social worker. “But I’d lost my confidence, I didn’t have an up-to-date resume or good contacts, and I didn’t really understand the online job search process,” she said.
Unfortunately, in the second week of that program Gorniak-Rosas contracted COVID-19 so she had to drop out, signing up for the program again in the fall of 2022. This time, everything went to plan. “I met other women who had the same kind of fears and concerns as me, who hadn’t worked for some time, and the group dynamic was so supportive,” she explained. In March 2023 Gorniak-Rosas obtained a job as an assistance payments worker with the State of Michigan using her master’s in social work from Wayne State University to help clients access medical care, emergency food assistance, financial support, and other services they are entitled to. “It feels really good to be back using my professional skills in the community again,” she said.
For more information and to register for “Women to Work” contact Judy Richmond at 248.233. 4232 or email her at jrichmond@geshermi.org.
