SUCCESS
The Lake County Workforce Development Newsletter
Winter 2011/2012
Medical Trainee Becomes Phlebotomist
What’s Inside?
WIA Training
2
Youth
3
Business
5
Transportation
6
Doreen had just sold her last IRA in order
to pay rent in August 2011 when she was
hired as a Phlebotomist by Life Source.
“The timing couldn’t have been better.” She
had spent the past three years in what she
calls “employment uncertainty”, trying to
transition from manufacturing into the
medical field.
She was laid off from an office position with
a large pharmaceutical company in 2007.
Following that she spent over a year caring
for a relative with Parkinson’s disease. This
experience reminded her how much she
enjoyed caring for others. When she
learned about the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training grant, she decided to apply.
After meeting with a Career Specialist at
the Lake County Job Center, Doreen
decided to enroll in medical training at the
College of Lake County. When she graduated in May 2011, she had three certificates:
Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy and Medical
Office Assistant. She received a job alert
about the opening at Life Source from the
SimplyHired website. She went to the interview with a portfolio featuring her certificates and letters of recommendation from
former employers and teachers. She was
hired in September 2011 and receives a full
benefits package. She is part of a mobile
unit that visits organizations that are having
blood drives throughout the county. She
draws blood and processes donations.
Every day on the job is different.
Doreen says the three years of career transition were worthwhile. “When you love
what you do, it’s not a problem to get where
you’re going.”
Professional Resume Gets Results
Raymond stopped by the Job Center in December 2011
to update his resume after happily working for nearly two
years as a Mental Health Technician/ Counselor at an agency
that specializes in the treatment of substance abuse. He
worked on his first resume with a Workforce Development staff member in 2009 and asked for the staff member
again when he recently returned. In the interim, Raymond
had been promoted once and completed training at the
College of Lake County. He hopes to soon earn his
CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor). When asked
why he keeps returning to the Job Center, Raymond said
that he appreciates the
quality of service the staff
members provide. “I came in
and we didn’t waste any time. I
got what I was looking for—a
professional looking resume.”
For information about resume
assistance and other workshops, view the schedule at
www.lakecountyjobcenter.com/calendar or call
847.377.3450.