My start with HireAbility Vermont:
Well, I started out with HireAbility Vermont when I was done with high school. They’ve been a godsend for me from then until now. They helped me get my LNA license. School had always been hard for me, so I was scared and didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. I love taking care of people, especially the elderly, so I went to talk to one of my counselors and told her that I was interested and she asked ‘what’s holding you back?’ I said I’m just scared because I don’t read and write very well and it’s going to take me a long time. Her response was, ‘don’t worry about it, we’ll fix something up for you.
HireAbility Vermont gave me extra help, paid for my classes and time, and materials that I needed to take the class. I was the last person to finish, and the nurses were really good and told me ‘you got this, you can do this and you know the right answers. Just think hard.’ I passed and cried my little eyes out because it was a really hard test to take, and HireAbility Vermont was right there at my side.
Working and having a job at the time when my kids were little, I was able to have a job and money that I was making on my own. I wanted my kids to be proud of me. School was hard for all of them, and I wanted them to know that just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you can’t get what you want. If there’s something you want to do, go for it.
What HireAbility Vermont means to me:
There was one counselor who was just great to me. She said ‘whatever you want to do, Trisha, we’re here to help you in this. We’re going to do it.’ They also helped me pay for class to become a phlebotomist. I worked really hard with that, and I worked with adult basic education and they give me the extra help that I needed.
One of my proudest moments was passing in that class and telling people that didn’t think I could do it, that I did it. You would be a very lucky person to have HireAbility Vermont in your life. I felt very lucky to have them in my life. They didn’t treat me like I was this individual that wasn’t going to be able to do anything, and even though they knew about my disability, they didn’t ever make me feel like I couldn’t do it. If there was something I wanted to do, they were going to help me go do it.
My advice for anyone who is thinking about connecting with HireAbility Vermont:
HireAbility Vermont is the best. Don’t be shy about asking for help because they’re not gonna make you feel different. You’re a human, you know, and that’s the way they’re going to treat you. It’s a wonderful organization. There are passionate people out there who want to help you get to where you need to be. If you’re willing to do the work, that’s what they’re there for. They’re willing to help.