Maureen Juma thought it was nearly impossible for her to further her education while caring for her children at home. An immigrant, with little access to educational resources, she faced challenges finding employment due to her lack of skills and training.
Maureen discovered Goodwill and Google’s Information Technology program through ads she saw on social media during the pandemic. The timing seemed perfect. She connected with Goodwill Columbus and learned that this opportunity would allow her to enroll in a self-paced program while being able to care for her children at home.
Maureen went through a series of assessments and shortly afterwards, she was enrolled in the Google IT Certificate program. In addition to the program, she received one-on-one training that allowed her to strengthen her engagement to complete the course. She also participated in job coaching. She created her resume and practiced the interviewing skills necessary to look for work. She met with recruiters to get insight on how to approach employers in the field.
Maureen has been enrolled in Goodwill programs since June of 2021 and throughout her process, she was always excited to further her training. She then registered for another virtual program, where she was able to complete a Google IT curriculum and obtain a Google IT Support Professional Certification. Maureen finally enrolled in our virtual Data Analytics program and has since completed the program.
Thanks to Goodwill and Google, Maureen now feels that she has the necessary skills and knowledge to get hired for an IT job in the future. In the meantime, Maureen is still building her educational background. She is now studying to become a nurse at the Columbus School of Practical Nursing. She hoped to use her IT credentials along with a nursing degree so she can focus on healthcare informatics.
