By Michelle Gunnerson 

NE MN Office of Job Training

Telisha has always known she wanted a better life than the one she experienced as a child raised in North Minneapolis. Her childhood was extremely difficult as her mom was in jail, and she was put into the foster system. Telisha never wanted to have to rely on the welfare system as an adult. Her life changed in a big way in February 2010 when she became a mom to her beloved son. She knew her son was a miracle, and she wanted her son's childhood to be happy.  Read more...

SHE KNEW SHE WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE

By:  Dave Cook, Career Counselor

NE MN Office of Job Training

"It's nice to have your dad go, 'Hey, I'm proud of you - you're doing good.'" ~ Melissa Etheridge

"It has been 14 months since I had my last hangover" was the first thing Kailey said when she sat down to talk about the road to where she is today.

"I knew I had always wanted to help people," she added. She needed to learn to take care of herself first. "I made a lot of bad decisions over the years." Read more...

DISLOCATED WORKER PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY

The following Dislocated Worker, Tom, worked with Dena Edstrom, Career Counselor with the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training.

Source:  This article is from the MN Employment and Economic Development Partner Express Newsletter

Tom, Dislocated Worker, NEMOJT

I want to thank all the people from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for all of the assistance I received to help through my transition in life. I was permanently laid off after 10 years of employment and am grateful for the opportunity to learn a new skill with a much better paying new job and future.  Read more...

A NINETEEN YEAR OLD'S JOURNEY TO SUCCESS! 

By Leticia Sarazua  (Leticia worked with Career Counselor Clare Balow.)

My name is Leticia Sarazua. I am nineteen years old and I am currently a registered nurse employed through Essentia Health. In addition to that, I have a three-year-old son. In 2016, I graduated high school and I graduated from Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College with my associate of arts degree with high honors.  Read more...

SET ON A POSITIVE CAREER PATH

By Bill Asp (Bill worked with Clare Balow while in the Youth Program during high school)

I worked during several summers as a custodian at the Cromwell-Wright School when I was in high school. I did everything from mowing the grounds to resurfacing the gym floors. I was lucky enough to work with Clare and some great mentors who were also custodians at the school at the time:  Jamie, Harold and Stan.  They all taught me the value of working hard, working smart and working as a team. Read more... 

MAKING A DREAM A REALITY

By Aaron Barney (Aaron worked with Career Counselor, Clare Balow.)

I believe I was in the 11th grade, which would have been in the year 2000, when I enrolled in the Youth Work Experience program through the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training. While in the program, I worked out at the Cloquet Forestry Station. I maintained the grounds and worked with some pretty intense machinery, at least for a 17 year old! Read more...