Finding her dream job… even during a global pandemic: Sonya Thomas Story – 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD

Sonya Thomas, a single mom of two with a criminal background and challenging history, was working hard to get her life on track. She was going to school at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) full-time, working on her degree in social work foundations and fundamentals. She was going to graduate soon and wasn’t having any luck finding a job.
 
After a long morning of classes in December 2019, Sonya saw a ‘free pizza’ sign outside of a room and decided to head inside. What she didn’t know was that she was about to discover a program that would change her life.
 
“It was a workshop for 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD. They said they could help me work on my resume and interview skills. I got signed up in under 15 minutes,” Sonya remembered.
 
After working with the team and her mentor, Sonya was ready to ramp up her job search. “They cleaned up my resume, and a lot of companies complimented me on it. I also learned how to dress more professionally. Most importantly, because I have a criminal background, I always struggled with that question in interviews. Through 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD, I learned how to be honest, handle the question, and move on,” Sonya said. 
 
Not only that, the 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD team helped Sonya find jobs to apply for. She was hired in March 2020, but after the pandemic hit, she was let go before even starting. She stuck with 3 Cups of Coffee GRAD and eventually landed her dream job even during the pandemic.
 
“I work at Genesis Health of Pittsburgh now as a case manager. I love my job,” Sonya explained. “I want more students and especially single moms to use this program because it works. This program helps people achieve their goals. It is worth it.”
 
Sonya started her new job in June 2020 and is proud to be working toward stability for herself and her family. 

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