Amy had been disabled for a prolonged period while recovering from back surgery. She then became employed as a waitress for six months until the restaurant where she worked went out of business.
Subsequently, Amy, as a participant in the Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW) program, volunteered at Culpeper County Human Services where she developed a love for social services work. Amy has a GED but didn’t realize she might not need a college education to achieve success. Her volunteer work led to a 3-month paid internship during which she developed promotional
materials for Sam’s Place, a community outreach center where individuals and families can access information and referrals to other community partners.
Amy had applied for a number of positions, and after interviews with several employers, she was hired as a backup receptionist at the Fredericksburg City Department of Social Services. When a full time receptionist left, Amy, because of her demonstrated work ethic and job performance, was selected to fill the full time position. Amy also was sponsored for Microsoft software training.
Amy’s next career goal is becoming a benefits specialist. Her manager is encouraging this and is receptive to further training for Amy to support her goal.