Attention, ladies. If you've been out of the workforce for a number of years or you recently lost your job but feel you might need to buff up your skills or get counseling, a new program is here.
The program from Gesher Human Services and is called Springboard to Success. It's helping metro Detroit women find work, and it's 100% free.
Dafina Brown of Sterling Heights is a single mom. Shortly after giving birth to her son last year, she was laid off.
"I felt as if the roof had been pulled off from over me and the ground, and I didn't know what to do," she said.
Months went by with no luck finding a job, so she signed up for the Springboard to Success program. It combines the non-profit's Women to Work program with its Computer Basics class.
“The program is so many things. If you think that you're going to come here and you're just going to work on your resume, that's not what you're going to do. You're going to come here, and you're going to find out about you. You're going to find out what your strengths are and what your weaknesses are," Brown said.
Judy Richmond, Gesher's employment specialist and Women to Work coordinator, runs the program. It offers computer training, vocational assessment, career counseling, and help with resume writing, networking, and interviewing skills.
"We meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and that's when we spend a lot of time discussing how to find a job — even if someone hasn't worked for as long as 20 years or perhaps not have worked at all except for taking care of young children and even elderly parents," Richmond said.
Jason Charnas is Gesher's Director of Business and Career Services. He said laptops are provided for the classes along with expert instruction.
“We pack a lot from financial education and budgeting to mindfulness to resume, job search, LinkedIn, networking. Again, one-on-one assistance also," Charnas said.
Dafina Brown started applying for jobs using the skills she learned in the Springboard to Success program and was hired for a part-time position last December. A few months later, she was promoted to a full-time position as a behavior technician trainer.
The Springboard to Success program is held at Gesher Human Services at 29699 Southfield Road, Southfield, MI 48076. The informational meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 9:00 a.m. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 5. The first classes will start on September 12.
To apply, call (248)233-4232 or email Judy Richmond at jrichmond@geshermi.org. If you’d like more information, visit www.geshermi.org/womentowork .
