Kelly successfully completed her training program at Aurora University, receiving her BA in Business Administration in August 2018.
Kelly needed to figure out her next move when she found herself laid off mid-career. After twenty-two years working for IBM in business operations management and sales support, her job security quickly vanished when her position was moved overseas.
It wasn’t too long, however, before she discovered an opportunity and grabbed it. At a job search workshop, she met someone in a similar predicament who mentioned they were getting financial support to go to school from the workNet DuPage Career Center. They shared the Center’s flyer detailing job seeker services for laid off workers setting off a chain of events. Kelly wasted no time and reached out to the contact on the advertisement, Rapid Response Specialist, Susi Pihera.
Kelly Doner, workNet DuPage client
While Kelly had real world job experience, she had always wanted to finish her college degree. “I was a bit older. I had 48 credits left to complete my degree and it was just something that needed to be done. I had been wanting for years and years to do it. Susi was incredibly helpful to know what I should be doing to make that happen.”
With support from workNet DuPage she signed up for training at Aurora University and successfully completed a BA degree in Business Administration. Were it not for the grant program at workNet DuPage, she says she wouldn’t have been able to do it. “I found workNet to be incredibly flexible, encouraging, supportive, and one of my biggest motivators. I cannot begin to say how well it worked out for me and how much I appreciate the opportunity to have gone through the program.”
“I would get down from the stress of finding a new job and all of the disruptions from being laid off,” Kelly said. “Deb was phenomenal in encouraging me and making sure I didn’t give up. She was part of a support system that I needed during a difficult time.”
During her studies, Kelly received one-on-one career assistance from her career counselor, Deborah Hoffman. “I would get down from the stress of finding a new job and all of the disruptions from being laid off,” she said. “Deb was phenomenal in encouraging me and making sure I didn’t give up. She was part of a support system that I needed during a difficult time.”
Kelly said the process of getting funding from workNet to finish her degree was very easy and the school was also accommodating. Given her firsthand experience and appreciation for the program, she’s become an advocate stating, “This is a program that works and should be expanded to help more people that need it.”
Shortly after she completed her degree at Aurora, Kelly got a new job in project management with Met Life as a Client Acquisition Consultant and her potential is only rising.
Getting her degree enabled her to move ahead. In her own words she notes, “Now that I have this degree, it’s increased my potential for higher paid work, work that I actually have the skill set for. It gave me a much better chance than I had before.”
Need Help Paying for These Skills or Certifications?
A WIOA grant can pay for up to $10,000 of training.
Peek Inside: At this location, we offer our customers a wide range of manufacturing capabilities, from CNC machining all the way to complete product assembly and fulfillment.
Fun fact about our company: a robot works right alongside our machinists to produce parts with quality and efficiency!
You would like to work at our company if
you are interested in the wide range of evolving technologies, processes and creativity that go into the world of modern manufacturing.
In the next year, we expect to hire CNC machinists
To get that job, you typically need a high school diploma and vocational or technical training in machining. We offer additional on-the-job training once a new machinist with the foundational skills and experience joins the team so they can continue to master their craft.
Our best machinists have: a passion about the art and science that goes into taking a raw piece of metal or plastic and forming it into a high-precision design.
CNC Machinists From this position, you could grow into
Master Machinist
Machining Business Manager
Owner of your own machining business
In the next year, we expect to hire Assembly Operators
To get that job, you typically need a high school diploma, a mechanical aptitude and a willingness to learn and closely follow processes and work instructions.
Our best assembly operators are eager learners and pay attention to details. They enjoy working on different types of mechanical work every day.
Assembly Operators From this position, you could grow into
lead operator
supervisor
manufacturing manager
FEATURED ORGANIZATION:
Company Name: The Jel Sert Company
DuPage Location: West Chicago, IL
Total number of employees in DuPage: 900 during peak season
Peek Inside
The Jel Sert Company is a leading manufacturer of food and beverage products. For the past 20 years, our team has been dedicated to establishing an exemplary manufacturing infrastructure that supports the needs of some of the world’s largest Consumer Packaged Goods and pharmaceutical companies.
Jel Sert is committed to providing employees with development opportunities as we are invested in their long term success and advancement within the organization. An individual development plan assists employees in career and personal development and allows employees to reach short and long term career goals.
You would like to work at our company because
We are committed to attracting the best talent and developing our employees to exceed their potential. Our employees take pride in their work and are always looking for ways to contribute their ideas, skills, experience, and passion. We reward and value creativity, professionalism, teamwork, honesty, and longevity.
In the next year, we expect to hire 2-3 technicians
To get this job, you typically need a Minimum of 3 years’ experience working with electrical, hydraulics, programming, and mechanical PLCs is required.
We pay $2.00 per hour shift differential for all time worked on 3rd shift. *Rate of pay depends on one’s experience, education, and skills.
Our best technicians have: Strong mechanical and electrical skills Additionally, someone that takes pride in their work, is honest, creative in their ideas, and works as a professional in a team environment.
All Technicians are sent to College of DuPage for classes. Technicians are scheduled for a series of six mechanical and six electrical classes. Classes are during work hours, so Technicians are paid for their time in class. We adjust their hours to spend half their shift on the floor and the balance in the class. Jel Sert pays for this training which includes classroom and lab work. All Technicians are involved in this training despite their experience level.
TECHNICIAN
From this position, you could grow into
