Carina enrolled in the EARN program in June 2024, seeking support from PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley staff. Carina came into the program when she was at a very low point in her life. Carina is a single mother who was encountering barriers to securing employment, while also going through college courses. She was forced to put her education on hold and face these barriers that were keeping her from securing employment. Carina came into the program with a determination to make things right for herself and her child.

Carina was active and engaged right from the start. She successfully completed her employability skills workshops and joined the Customer Service Boot Camp. She earned a state and industry recognized customer service certification, which would assist her in moving forward with employment. She maintained a positive and cooperative attitude throughout all of her activities. She knew her next steps were to mitigate her barriers and find employment.

First, Carina needed to locate childcare. Once she found a daycare provider that her and her child felt positively about, she introduced her child to the day care setting and ensured she was making the right decision with the provider. With assistance from her recruiter and career advisor, Carina found employment as a customer service representative at a local hotel, offering a set schedule that worked with her new childcare and class schedule. Carina did not stop there, as she was able to mitigate another barrier to securing employment through expungement. 

Carina is in her sixth month of retention, and is well on her way to completing her 12 month retention in the EARN program. With childcare and a new job to support herself and her child, Carina is preparing to return to school in the coming months at Northampton Community College. Carina is pursuing a degree to help her earn a position in her desired field of social work. She is a great example of using the resources provided at PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley to accomplish employment goals.