SOUTH BAY ONE-STOP BUSINESS & CAREER CENTERS
Meet Karen Gutierrez
Workforce Challenge:
Karen Gutierrez is a single mother from Long Beach. Being a stay-at-home mother who recently separated from her spouse left her financially scraping by to provide for her and her son. After multiple unsuccessful interviews and disappointments, Karen turned to assistance from her DPSS case worker who referred her to the South Bay Workforce Investment Board’s Transitional Subsidized Employment program.
Workforce Solution:
The program placed her at a temporary worksite where she gained the necessary skills to find full-time employment. Karen was accepted as the front desk representative at her worksite of choice at Rancho Dominguez AJCC. She was also guided and supported by a case manager throughout the program.
Outcome and Benefits:
Karen completed her worksite hours and with the hard work, training, and encouragement from her case manager, she found full-time employment at Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families as a Job Developer to Volunteers of America. The program provided Karen with self-sufficiency and is no longer living paycheck to paycheck.
“I went from being a single mom taking care of a baby trying to survive to reconciling with my family, no longer needing to live off the system. Thank you SBWIB, DPSS, and the GAIN program, my new life would not be possible without any of you.”