What were you doing before enrolling in the Step Up For Women construction program?
Before joining Step Up, I was unemployed and Door-Dashing because I lost my job at a local treatment plant, and I was fighting to get back on my feet and have my own place.
Last year I left a bad situation regarding my relationship, and I was trying to make it on my own and take care of my child. I realized I needed to figure out a way to become more than just a mom and nurturer to my kid but a provider to him as well. I didn’t want to be codependent on anyone anymore. I wanted to be independent and self-sufficient.
I’ve heard about this program for years in the recovery community, and I have even helped other women get into this program. I just never had the opportunity to do it myself. Eventually, the time was right, so I enrolled.
Now I have a new home that I’m renovating. Step Up taught me what I needed to know to continue working on my house.
How did you hear about the Step Up program?
Four years ago I was a Peer Recovery Support Specialist, and I heard about the program through the recovery community. I had a lot of clients who were in my situation and often suggested the Step Up program to them as a way to build their future, and I hope I see a lot of them get into it eventually.
What was your favorite thing about participating in Step Up?
My favorite part was the bonds I made with the women in my class. I’ve never had a lot of female friends in my life, and I’ve always longed for those great friendships that are like a sisterhood. I also wanted good female role models in my life. The women in this program absolutely fulfilled that for me. The bonds we created are going to last a lifetime. We still have the group chat we created for class, and we’ve decided to keep it going since we know we’re going to be friends forever.
My favorite skill I learned in class was welding. I’ve always been interested in it as well as intimidated by it at the same time. I experienced a lot of anxiety at first, but it went away as I practiced. I liked it so much I’m considering applying to the Iron Workers.
What was the biggest challenge you experienced while completing the class?
It was the fact that I didn’t have electricity or a home. It was hard. I was living out of my car, living out of boxes and bags, staying at different places. I didn’t have a proper place to get showered and dressed, but I pushed through all that and completed the class despite it.
It was hard to manage so many responsibilities because I was working the whole time I was taking classes. I also have a dog, and I had to keep her at different places and drop her off before work. I also had to set up my room to accommodate a roof leak before coming to class every day. It was insane the things I had to do to get to class, but I made it every day on time.
What do you want to do now that you’ve graduated?
I think I’m going to inevitably own my own business which was my plan all along, but initially, I wanted to be an electrician like my father. However, I enjoyed so many things I learned from Step Up like HVAC, and I love carpentry. I would love to be a handy lady extraordinaire who provides affordable services because I’ve always wanted to do something to help people since I’ve been in bad situations myself. I’ve always wanted to help people, but it never occurred to me that I could accomplish that through the trades. There have been many tradespeople who helped me for free when I needed help, and it’d be nice if I could do that for others.
Interview conducted, transcribed, and written by Marlynda Arnett, Program Innovation Leader for West Virginia Women Work.
