Blogbeiträge

Making a career change: Frances's story

6/14/2023

After working as a buyer and manager in retail for nearly a decade, Frances O’Brien felt stuck. At a crossroads, she left her job to pursue a new path. She signed up for a training program in software engineering and decided she wanted to make this her career, but she wasn’t sure where to begin.

“At the end of the training, I felt like I had the experience to get a job in software engineering, but I didn’t know how to start or exactly what jobs to look for. I didn’t really know anyone who could help; I didn’t have any contacts in the field,” Frances explained.

She discovered PA Women Work and was connected with a staff member who encouraged her to participate in 3 Cups of Coffee. She was matched with a mentor in the software engineering field who provided her support and guidance to get her new career off the ground.

“My mentor helped me learn how to develop relationships with people in this industry. She helped me identify the skills I had gained in the training, and the skills I was bringing from my previous work experiences,” Frances said.

Frances accepted a software support role at ConnectiveRX earlier this year. She’s building her skills and growing her connections and hopes to further her career in the field.

Thank you to our 3 Cups of Coffee funders for making stories like Frances’s possible: Arby’s Foundation | Arconic Foundation | American Eagle Outfitters Foundation | J. Jill Compassion Fund | Jack Buncher Foundation | CNX Foundation | Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation

A happy, satisfied, working mother: Francesca’s story

3/27/2023

Francesca was new to the United States. She and her husband moved to Pittsburgh from Italy for her husband’s career. Francesca put her professional life on hold while they started their family.

After giving birth to her son, she felt isolated and lonely. She loved her son but didn’t want to leave her career behind. She found out she was pregnant with their daughter, but decided it was time to begin her job search with hopes to line up a job following her maternity leave.

“I knew I wanted to go back to work. It was very hard for me being a stay-at-home mom. I was very lonely,” Francesca remembered. “I started applying for jobs but wasn’t hearing back. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong.”

A friend told Francesca about PA Women Work. After refreshing her base-level career development skills in New Choices, Francesca signed up for 3 Cups of Coffee and was connected to volunteer mentor, Samantha Caruthers.

After working together on her resume, doing mock interviewing, and a few helpful discussions, Francesca obtained a job within her field. “I’m happy to have this job. It’s such a great starting point for me, and I can use my experience and knowledge,” Francesca said.

Ultimately, she is grateful for the allies and friends she met through her experience at PA Women Work. “During New Choices, I shared my experience with other women like me, going through the same things. And during 3 Cups of Coffee, Samantha was kind, open-minded, and so helpful,” Francesca shared. “I believe my kids need a mother that is happy and satisfied, and I feel grateful to be where I’m at today.”

Thank you to our 3 Cups of Coffee funders for making stories like Francesca’s possible: Arconic Foundation | American Eagle Outfitters Foundation | FedEx Ground | J. Jill Compassion Fund | Jack Buncher Foundation | CNX Foundation | Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation

2022 Empowerment award: nithya maneish

10/31/2022

When Nithya moved to the United States more than a decade ago, she put her career on pause to support her family. In 2019, she decided to begin her job hunt but found it difficult to navigate the online job search process. She was not receiving any responses to her job applications and was feeling frustrated. She discovered PA Women Work, where she participated in New Choices and 3 Cups of Coffee. She was connected to a volunteer mentor who helped her broaden her search, build her confidence and ultimately get hired in a new position where she is thriving.

<<Previous

Forward>>