For years, Tracy L. was living the American Dream. Her husband was in the mortgage industry at the peak of its boon. Tracy, her husband, and her two kids had it all: a great house with pool, two new cars, a boat, a commercial property, and enough income to allow Tracy to stay home and raise her kids.
All of that changed when the economy changed. As the mortgage industry failed, Tracy's American Dream slowly slipped away. Her family first lost their commercial property, and then their boat, a car, and finally their home.
"It was not until we had lost everything that I realized how serious the situation was," Tracy shares. "I thought things would bounce back. When we had to move in with my mother-in-law, I knew I was going to have to go back to work."
But Tracy had been out of the workforce for 12 years raising her family. Although she had past professional experience, her skills were outdated and her confidence was lacking. Tracy happened upon a flyer for the Job Training and Placement Program while waiting for her son at the Antioch library. As she wrote down the information, she thought it seemed too good to be true: free training and paid work experience.
"Coming here showed me I was smart and capable and that I had a contribution. As a stay at home mom, you forget that—you get taken for granted and you don't get the acknowledgement you get in a workplace. Opportunity Junction helped me regain my confidence," Tracy says.
But like so many looking for work today, Tracy's journey toward her new career went slowly. She applied for dozens of jobs during her internship with almost zero response. In June she sent in an application for a position with Contra Costa County. After a month of hearing nothing, she was asked to come in and take the County Pre-employment Exam. Several weeks later, she received an email for a first interview.
Although she felt confident about her interviews and test results, Tracy was slightly disheartened finishing her internship without finding a position. But she remained steadfast in her determination to find a job. Only a couple weeks after the internship ended, Tracy was called in for her second and third interviews. In early October, Tracy began her new full-time, benefitted position as Intermediate Clerk Project with Contra Costa County with a salary in the mid 30's.
"I love my new position and the career I can have with the County. I hope to pay off some debt, save some money, and move out into our own place. Within a year, I plan to be totally self-sufficient."
Tracy also hopes to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement program through the County to get her Bachelor's Degree. "I am focused and driven and excited to be in a position to help my family reach our goals and get back to our previous lifestyle—but a little smarter this time around."
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