S O U T H B A Y W O R K F O R C E
I N V E S T M E N T B O A R D
A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Meet Kim Brisco
Workforce Challenge:
When 52-year old Kim Brisco was laid off from her job in the Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment field in the summer of 2018, she realized that she needed to improve her job search skills and gain employment quickly so she could meet the needs of her three children, pay rent, and make car payments. CalWorks was helpful but not providing enough.
Workforce Solution:
Kim turned to her local GAIN office and soon found out about the Transitional Subsidized Employment (TSE) Program. Her caseworker referred her to the South Bay One-Stop Business and Career Center in Gardena. She was enrolled in the Job Club by her case worker. While working with the center’s TSE coordinator, Kim was able to develop Microsoft Office skills and learn organizational structures, which helped her to understand various functions such as payroll and problem solving. She also learned interviewing techniques and how to improve her resume.
While participating in her Paid Work Experience at Gardena One Stop, she received excellent training and continued advice/guidance on job retention & LinkedIn strategies. Kim was appreciative of all the help.
Outcome and Benefits:
After eight months, the Gardena One-Stop Center offered Kim a full time position as Administrative Assistant to the TSE Coordinator starting at $15.67 an hour.
“My Grandmother always taught me that a closed mouth don’t get fed. I knew what my challenges were but wasn’t afraid to seek out help. I’ve come so far from where I was. The resources are there at the One-Stop you have to reach out and don’t give up.”