After more than two decades with one company, Tina found herself stuck in a cycle of job hunting and short-term, temporary work. But after meeting Adecco along the way, her job loss turned into an expected gain with the help of the Aspire Academy.
A steady career, interrupted
Tina was in the middle of a fulfilling 20-year career as an IT operations team lead. She started with the company as a temp in customer service, and through her strong work ethic and performance, she was hired full time and moved up the ranks in project management. Tina stayed on with the company through multiple mergers, even working remotely from Massachusetts when it was acquired by a Texas-based company 10 years ago.
That changed suddenly in 2019 when Tina’s job was eliminated when her employer significantly reduced their workforce. She spent much of the last year searching for work and periodically picking up short-term jobs. From a stage manager and costumer to a health assessor and project coordinator — Tina did it all.
In March of this year Tina connected with Adecco, landing a role as a call center representative for a company who needed extra support during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Right away I felt like Adecco was different from other staffing firms. The communication and support I received was excellent”, said Tina.
A career game changer
Shortly after starting with Adecco, Tina received an email letting her know that she was eligible to enroll in the Aspire Academy, an online skills training program free to Adecco associates. She took a look at the list of programs and right away the Basic Blueprint Reading course caught her attention.
“I had interviewed for so many project management positions over the last year, and one of my biggest hurdles in landing a job was that I didn’t have experience with contractors in construction or reading blueprints. Many project management roles are in this industry, so it was a big roadblock to my finding work in my preferred field.”
She got started right away, albeit a little nervously knowing that her study habits were probably a little rusty. Luckily, just as the blueprint course was exactly what she needed, Tina found the format of the Academy to be a perfect fit.
“The fact that the program is self-paced was a huge bonus. I found it very easy to use, the lessons are self explanatory, and the subject matter is presented in a way that makes it easy to learn the material.”
She’s through the first part of the program and is adjusting her schedule to find time to continue on with the course while working. Tina hasn’t looked ahead to determine which course she’ll take next, but that hasn’t stopped her from realizing the benefits that will come once she’s finished with the first program.
“This certification is something that I can add to my resume to make me much more marketable to employers, and it increases my chances of finding a project management role. I’m just so grateful for this opportunity.”