Julin Perez-Berntsen had an established career until the housing industry crashed in 2005. After several years raising her daughter alone, Julin remarried and spent years proving herself as a real-estate agent. Her husband also ventured out to start his own construction company. With two steady incomes, they bought a house and were enjoying their piece of the American Dream.
But the housing crash changed everything in Julin's life. The family quickly went through their savings and found themselves “self-unemployed”. Unable to find other employment, Julin started getting rid of everything to pay the bills. She even thought they were going to lose their house to foreclosure. At that point, Julin realized she could not make her daughter live through all of that and made the hardest decision of her life--to send her 9-year-old daughter back to Venezuela to live with her parents.
"I was disappointed with life and with myself," Julin says. "I was devastated because although I had been through rough times, these were the worst. I didn't know how to get out of our situation."
That was the point at which she saw an ad in the paper for Opportunity Junction's Job Training and Placement Program. But it was the last day of recruitment and the session was about to close. Julin quickly got ready and made it just before the cut-off time of 10:00 am.
"I couldn't believe they chose me for the class! I was so excited to have a new beginning and to learn new skills. This was my hope that things would start changing for me and my family," Julin remembers.
"I really need the computer class to update my skills, but the Life Skills part of the program taught me how to appreciate and evaluate things I used to take for granted. The counseling program also helped me cope with my daughter being away from me."
Immediately following the training phase of the program, Julin made plans to bring her daughter back from Venezuela. "We missed her so much; we just couldn't leave her there anymore."
Near the end of her internship, Julin accepted a job with FPI Management, a property management company, as the Community Director for the residential building. She is now making $20 an hour working full-time.
"I feel so much relief right now. Things are still tight, but we are hopeful. The path to the right job was worth it. I am learning so much about the industry that will not only help me in this position, but in my future career as well.
"Sometimes you have to hit bottom to evaluate your life and appreciate what you have and what other people can offer you. Opportunity Junction is a place where I know I will be loved and supported no matter what. It is a second home for me."
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