Success stories
Success Stories
Here is what just a few of the people we help each year have to say about the help they received at WDI:
April 2012
Suzanne April 18,2012
I was employed at a local company for over ten years in a variety of computer support and project team roles. When the economy took a downturn in 2008, my work was sent overseas to India, where the company was able to get cheaper labor. After searching for work for several months with no luck, I decided to take the offer of free tuition for Dislocated Workers. Since the job market didn't seem to be improving, I wanted to expand my skills and be able to pursue work in other areas. I didn't want to look back two years down the road and wish that I had gone back to college.
I don't think I could have reached my potential without the training that I've received in the Medical Administrative Assistant program. I'm able to apply for many more positions than I could when my training was only in computer support. My computer support skills will still be useful in almost any job I choose.
Note: Suzanne is beginning a new job in the healthcare field in May!
Renee April 2,2012
In 2009, I lost the job I had for the previous six years. With the assistance of the Dislocated Worker program, I was able to go back to school and complete my bachelor's degree. After graduating in December, I was able to get immediate employment with our local school district. I wouldn't have been able to do this without the funding from this program.
February 2012
Crystal February 13,2012
I have always been interested in the nursing field. The Healthcare Academy was a great place to start for me. I finished the program with the goal of finding a great job, and I have successfully completed that goal! I am employed at a great nursing home now, and I love what I do! Without my Nursing Assistant Certificate, I would still be staying home with my children. With this program, I was able to stabilize my family financially, and I have a job that I absolutely love!
Rita February 14,2012
I had quit my full-time job and wanted to change directions with the kind of work I was doing. I sought assistance at the WorkForce Center with career exploration, skill assessment and resume writing. Most helpful to me was having the chance to bounce ideas off a neutral person in my life!
My Career Counselor and I did practice interviews, which really helped me feel relaxed. I knew what I was going to say so I didn't have the "deer in the headlights" look when asked an interview question.
The funny thing is that I didn't end up changing fields, but I believe I ended up with a job that fits me to a "T". I love all of the challenges I face in my job now instead of the challenge of just forcing myself to go to work.
I believe the WorkForce Center staff helped me stay confident while searching for a new job. I was very pleased with their valuable assistance and appreciate having them available. I have referred others and will continue to do so.
January 2012
Jim January 17,2012
I was unemployed and couldn't find work. I went to the WorkForce Center to take the World of Work test to see what kinds of jobs I'd be good at. Truck Driving turned out to be one of them! I had previous truck driving experience, but the area trucking companies were looking for people with recent experience. It had been several years since I had driven trucks.
With the help of the WorkForce Center staff, I enrolled in a heavy metal truck driving program and completed the course. I was hired for the first job I applied for.
Without the help from the WorkForce Center staff, I know I would have had to sell my house. I had to cash in my retirement to pay my bills and my finances were very low. Now I am planning to pay off my house and rebuild my retirement account.
December 2011
Thomas December 06, 2011
I had gone through a bad divorce, a job loss and had been living in my truck for about three months when I came to the WorkForce Center. It was a life changing event for me. Everyone was so helpful, providing testing, computer use and constant encouragement. After a handful of job leads I was able to land a job I love!! If it wasn't for the resume help and all of the other help form everyone at the WorkForce Center, it would not have happened. All of the work and help with my resume paid off. I am forever grateful!
Without the assistance I received, I think I would still be in my truck feeling depressed and hungry. Without Workforce Development, Inc., I would be homeless, hurting and hungry
Mavis December 14,2011
I was a salaried foreman at a factory where I had worked for 19 years and hoped to continue working. With the closing of the business at that location, I had the opportunity to re-train in the medical field.
I really liked working with the Workforce Development, Inc. staff. They promptly addressed any questions I had.
I have acquired an additional certification using the skills I learned in the training program and am now at a job that I am happy with. My training helped me get this job.
August 2011
Richard August 04, 2011
I was laid off from a company where I had worked for over thirteen years. I came to the WorkForce Center as a Dislocated Worker. The staff was very helpful. They found a program to help send me to school; it was great! I finished school with honors and now have a good job.
Sandy August 10,2011
I was in employment transition following a lay-off from a job I had held for five years. I heard about the Dislocated Worker program and came to the WorkForce Center to apply. The assistance I received through the Dislocated Worker program is the reason I achieved my degree. My Career Counselor was great at assisting me with any help he could provide. I have achieved my LPN degree; it has inspired me to keep going. Next year I will be working on becoming an RN.
Shelley August 15,2011
I worked in a factory for almost twenty years. I never thought I would get laid off; the company never laid anyone off! Another business bought the company and 250 of us were laid off. Once I was laid off, I went to the WorkForce Center. I am so glad I did!
The WorkForce Center has a great, friendly staff. They don't make you feel like a number, they make you feel like you are a person. The services and programs they offer are wonderful! They really help a lot. The information you receive from the staff gives you a good grasp on things. You can learn so much from the programs!
WorkForce Center staff made a difference by teaching me how I should handle myself with employers, such as what to say and how to say things appropriately, teaching me skills I didn't have before. Their programs have taught me how to have more confidence in myself and know what I want to do in life. They have also taught me how to build a better resume and to work through any obstacles I may have. I feel I have accomplished so much! With these programs I was able to go back to college, graduate with honors, learn new skills, meet a lot of new friendly people and understand more of what employers need.
Meeting the team at the WorkForce Center has been a great experience for me!
Terry August 30,2011
After being downsized from a couple of companies, I was eligible to go back to school through the Dislocated Worker program. The staff at Workforce Development, Inc. was wonderful! They understood my situation and helped me make the best out of a bad thing. I ended up with a job that I absolutely love; it is a perfect fit.
Kasey August 30,2011
In 2009, the company where I had worked for two years shut down and everyone was out of a job. We all had the opportunity to go back to college. With the help of Workforce Development, Inc., (WDI) I took that opportunity to go to school to become a Medical Assistant.
I had a great experience with the staff, services and programs offered by WDI. WDI helped provide the training and necessary resources to go on to achieve my goal. I chose the medical field because it seemed like a solid field to go into and also because I want to help others. I never thought I would have a chance to go back to college. WDI helped me make a good choice and accomplish my dream.
Mark August 30,2011
I was laid off from my job after 22 years. The staff at Workforce Development, Inc. was invaluable in their efforts to assist me. I can't say enough about how they kept my spirits up and assisted me to find a new job. They made it possible for me to move to a new town where I am currently employed in a better job with better pay and better living conditions.
I am so glad to see that WDI is still in business because that means other people are getting the help they need.
Lisa August 30,2011
I was a Dislocated Worker when a friend sent me to Workforce Development, Inc. to find out about getting help to pay for my Certified Nursing Assistant training. The staff was all very friendly and helpful. They set up a job shadowing experience at a local care facility so that I could be sure this was what I wanted to do. With their help, I was able to get back to work. I truly appreciate what they did for me.
Scott August 30,2011
I was laid off from my job, so I went to Workforce Development, Inc. to get help finding another job. The staff was great and helped me a lot. I have a new job.
May 2011
Sonji May 4, 2011
When I moved to Rochester almost four years ago, I stayed on the couch of a relative and had no job. I came to the Workforce Center and worked with a Career Counselor who help me apply for 20 to 30 jobs each week. Not long after I started working with my Career Counselor, I found a job!
I was pleased with the treatment I received from the Workforce Center staff. My Career Counselor didn't patronize me, and provided just the right amount of pressure to perform. Once I found employment, the staff helped me with childcare for my two boys just in time! I couldn't be more grateful.
When I left my husband, I was forced to leave my job. I had to leave the city I grew up in. Within six months' time, in a bad economy, I found employment and a place to live. I had childcare and a new life. Please accept my gratitude.
March 2010
Workforce Development, Inc. is providing all the help I need!
Last year, I couldn't find a job on my own. Your staff helped me! They helped me learn more about the working world. I have become more knowledgeable about getting a job, and finding work that I enjoy.
I was brought to the WorkForce Center because I needed help finding a job. I worked with the Summer Youth program, and was very happy that the WorkForce Center staff was able to help me find a job. I hope they will be able to help me find new job experiences this summer!
My experience with the staff was good. They were really nice and caring. The services and programs are good. I have become better with money, and learned that I like to work with groups of people.
A friend told me about the Summer Youth Program; I thought it would be a good way to earn some money over the summer. My experience with the WorkForce Center staff, services and programs has been a good one. All of the staff members are very kind and understanding. I could tell that they really cared about me, and wanted to do what they could to help me find a summer job. The Summer Work Program made a big difference for me. Working over the summer kept me out of trouble and gave me something to do instead of just sitting around doing nothing. The Summer Work Program helped me learn how to save money. Now I have money saved for a car. Being in the Summer Work Program has taught me how to be a responsible adult. I would really like it if there was another Summer Work Program so I could gain even more work experience.
When I heard about this (Summer Youth) Program, I was looking for a summer job. This was my first job! The staff was very nice and very understanding. They helped me experience my first job, and I got to find out what it was like having a job for three months. I was able to become a better worker. I would love to work with this program again.
February 2010
I am a single mother of two girls. I needed help finding a job, so I went to the WorkForce Center for help with a resume, and filling out job applications. The staff helped me a lot to keep me on the right track and keep me looking for the right job.
I was able to take classes to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. I was able to get help when my car didn't work. With a good job I have now, I was able to buy a newer car!
January 2010
Back in November of 2008 I took part in the Manufacturing Academy held in Rochester. I wasn't sure this was going to be a good fit for me but I wasn't working and couldn't seem to find a job so I thought why not try it.
The three-week long class turned out to be something that helped me a great deal. Prior to this I just seemed to drift from one short job to another. Even following this I couldn't seem to break that habit until I started putting the things I learned in the Manufacturing Academy into use.
My first job following the academy was as an Assistant Manager at Taco Bell. It was a decent job, but just not for me. My second job was at Chipotle. Once again, it was not what I wanted to do for the long term. Now I am working at Seneca as a warehouse forklift driver, and I love it.
In all the jobs,I found that what I was taught in the Manufacturing Academy was right on target with what I needed to know. I heard the lessons that were repeated over and over on attendance and have taken this to heart with my job at Seneca. It has made a difference in my life.
I'm grateful to all those who helped me at the Workforce Center and especially to John Knippen in being a driving force in me changing my old habits. He would provide extra time with us if there was something that was a difficult concept for us. For me, it was the math. I never understood it in high school but was able to learn things in this area that I didn't think I could do.
Thank you again. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.
I am a student at Kingsland High School, and am an outdoorsman. I came to the WDI office in Preston to earn money for a car, and to fix my truck. My experience at the Preston office was awesome! I was able to obtain work through the Summer Youth Program. I met new people, learned how to communicate with other employees and the boss in the workplace, and learned how to run machines that a lot of people don't know how to run. The class was awesome and I got a lot of good help. I've been able to fix my truck and improve my ability to communicate with others. I hope others who deserve it have the chance to have these same experiences that I have had.
December 2009
I would like to express my appreciation for the WDI Youth Connections program. I come from a background of dysfunction and poor choices. I have also made quite a criminal background for myself. I am now almost 23 and I have a seven month-old daughter. I have been trying to grow up and change my life, and seeking a chance for a new start. I wanted to build a positive employment record, to be a positive member of society and provide for my family.
This program has given me a chance to change my life. WDI Youth Connections has given me the ability to work hard and prove, to my employers, probation officer, others in the community, my family, and most of all to myself, that I can be successful. Through this opportunity, I have been able to achieve a positive new start on life.
I wish there were more programs of this nature, to give people who are in my situation the opportunity to build a better future, a new life, greater standing in society, and the ability to live beyond the general expectations of one's history. THANK YOU!
November 2009
I had worked for the same employer for eight years when I was laid off at the end of 2008. A co-worker told me about Workforce Development, Inc. The staff was very helpful and understanding. This was the first time I had ever applied for unemployment, and it was overwhelming! WDI services helped me get the education I needed to join the Real Estate field again. I feel you have given me the tools I need; now it is up to me to succeed.
October 2009
I am 16 years old and go to Mabel-canton High School. Workforce Development, Inc. came to the school and talked with my class. The staff was very helpful. They would answer any questions I had, and made sure I knew where I was to go and what I was to do. Everyone was really nice.
The program really helped me. It gave me more confidence for job interviewing and working outside my usual comfort level. It helped me build my self-esteem by showing me that I was a valuable worker.
I gained confidence. I am able to get a job! Thanks for everything; you have been a big help.
(I) Just wanted to let you know that after three weeks of over the road trucking, I am enjoying seeing the country, meeting new people and the opportunity to be somewhat independent.The opportunity to earn a paycheck after being unemployed since January, 2009 seems almost too good to be true. It has restored a sense of self-worth. I drive about 2,500 to 4,000 miles a week, and I am usually home every weekend. A BIG Thanks to you and your staff for helping me, and so many other people find new opportunities and get back to work. Thanks again.
I had always worked in a factory; after many years at once place, they let me go so I needed to find another source of income.Since the first day of going to the WorkForce Center, I was always greeted by smiling faces and friendly staff. They offered great support, advice and opportunities. They helped me realize what was available. They helped me financially, and also by providing computer knowledge.
I have been better able to deal with not having a job; they help me realize I'm not alone, and that I need to take it day bay day. I have now found a stable job that I like. If I ever need a smiling face to lift my spirits, or if I am ever unemployed again, I would surely come in to see the staff.
September 2009
Three years ago, I was a single parent of two school-aged children considering going to college. I read an article in the Albert Lea Tribune about scholarship opportunities for non-traditional students considering college. I contacted the WorkForce Center, and Val helped me get started with the process.
I have nothing but praise for the staff, programs and my experience as a whole. My questions were always answered in a timely manner; my counselor was extremely courteous and professional. She really helped me gain the self-confidence I needed by encouraging me all the way through this process.
One goal I had from the beginning has already become a reality; I have been able to attain employment! I am currently working on a B. S. degree from Metro State University. I am in the midst of realizing the dream of a lifetime - a college education!! You have helped me in more ways than I could have imagined. Thank you so much!
I came to WDI looking for a job for the summer and found a program where I could do different things with people I like to work with and save money for college. For the first time I got a job doing what I liked. Working with WDI over the summer will help with school.
I heard about Workforce Development, Inc.'s Summer Jobs program through my teachers. The staff was really nice and helped open my eyes. I have learned responsibility, teamwork, punctuality and how to work well with other people. I always show up on time. I am never late to work. I (have learned that I) work better with someone else.
I had been looking for a job for some time with no luck. One of my teachers told me about the (Summer Jobs) program and helped me get into it. The experience helped me learn to work.The staff was helpful and the program was great.I thank you all for it!
Workforce Development, Inc. helped me find a summer job and (develop) job skills. Jody has been a big help to me. She even helped me get my driver's permit! This (Summer Jobs) program helped me learn about jobs I can do and like. It helped me make some much-needed money for school clothes and books. Money is tight in our family, so we've been able to do some things we wouldn't have been able to do without me helping out. I have learned that I love working with old people, and plan to get a job at a nursing home as soon as possible.
August 2009
I wasn't getting enough hours at my job. I went in for assistance, and my life changed. I was able to get a job in the Workforce Development, Inc. office. Everyone was so understanding and helpful to me. They helped me get a career and changed my life. This program is the best for teen parents. Anyone that doesn't come here has lost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I was introduced to this (Summer Youth) program while I was trying to figure out how to get my GED. It was very helpful. I now have a job, and a good reference for future employment. I have become more responsible, wanting to be at my job instead of not being on time and wanting to leave. This is a great program to get started with hands-on experience, and learn about what having a job can and will do for you.
My youth counselor introduced me to the Summer Youth Program. I work more hours, earn a better paycheck, and have a better work schedule. My family is proud of me; I am proud of myself. I have a better, more positive outlook on life. I have told others to ask about the (Summer Youth) program; they will not regret it.
I worked at a company for 23 years when my position was eliminated. I have been out of work for nine months. The Red Wing WorkForce Center has been very supportive and a great help. I learned a lot about interviewing and resume writing. With the help of WDI, I went to an 8-week truck driver program and can now find work driving. Thank you all so much!
July 2009
I was laid off from RDM of MN quite unexpectedly in October 2006. Through the dislocated worker program at WDI, I was able go to RCTC where I graduated with high honors with an AAS degree in Health Information Technology. I now have the education to get past entry level jobs and work in low level management in the medical/healthcare industry.
Through the dislocated worker program, I was able to get the education that helps me be more confident and to realize that I can bring something of value to the job market.
This story is somewhat unusual, in that we learned about it after a 15-year time span.
Things have gone pretty well for me since we last spoke over 15 years ago. I left RCC after one year to pursue my B.Sc. in geology at the U of M Twin Cities. From there, I got a M.Sc. in hydrogeology (groundwater science) at the U of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Then I moved to Canada to get my PhD in hydrogeology at the University of Waterloo (which is the top groundwater school in the world). I stayed there after graduating as a Postdoctoral Fellow for a few years and, to my surprise, I was offered a job on Waterloo's faculty in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department. I now have my own army of grad students who obey my every command (usually), I conduct environmental research that addresses water resources issues and I teach courses here in the department. I really love what I do. It is a very different life than the one I had when I came to see you after being laid off as a machinist!
I would like to thank you for your confidence in me and the financial aid your organization gave me, which helped me get to where I am today. I am not sure I could have done it without your help and I am very grateful for it. Thanks for a second chance!
June 2009
I was 58 years old when I was laid off from my truck driving job of 12 years. I had driven truck for 32 years, and no longer wanted to drive. I came to Workforce Development, Inc. for help as a Dislocated Worker. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. My career counselor helped me make the decision to go back to school.
I am now 60 years old, and have graduated from college. I have a job with the Army Corps of Engineers. I graduated with a 3.09 GPA, and have the self-confidence to try anything. I thank the Dislocated Worker program and Workforce Development, Inc. Without my career counselor, I would not have gotten as far as I did.
May 2009
I have worked as a Director of Human Resources and Safety for 15 years. I was laid off twice in the last three years. Both times your staff has assisted me with programs that helped me prepare myself for the new field I was about to enter.
It is a huge challenge to go through two layoffs, and then re-enter the workforce in a new field. The On-the-Job Training program helped me take on new challenges and opportunities.
Keep up the great job. You probably do not realize the power of encouragement you share with those of us going through major changes in life.
I dropped out of high school thinking life would be easy. It turns out that it was not as easy as I thought it would be. I enjoy working with your staff. They are great in all ways.
The services and programs you offer are very helpful. They have changed my life. I have opened my eyes and decided that I didn't want to live the rest of my life on assistance. Better opportunities are now opening up for me. I couldn't ask for anything more.
April 2009
I am a full-time student at Riverland Community College, working on a degree in network security. I lost my job in January of this year, and needed help to stay in school.
The staff at Workforce Development, Inc. has been great. They knew how to get me the help I needed to stay in school. Thanks to them, I have been able to afford gas and stay in school. I think the staff at WDI has done the best they can to help me in every way they can.