Creation Date: 10/25/2022

Location of Service: 60538-0001

Program Details

Theresa Corral was laid off from Caterpillar (94281) on 2/28/2020. At the time of her layoff, Theresa worked as a Change Control Coordinator/Material Planning Analyst. Theresa’s salary at Caterpillar was $76,387.92 annually or $36.94 per hour. Her job duties included engineering changes to tractor parts with manufacturing engineer’s logistics and communication with suppliers/buyers to ensure smooth and timely transitions to the manufacturing floor with zero defects. Theresa was employed at Caterpillar from 07/07/2008 – 03/01/2020. Theresa worked her way up at Caterpillar over the 11 years she was there. She knew that to reenter the workforce at a similar pay rate to what she was making, she would need to add to her credentials and increase her skill set.

When she applied for TAA Services, Theresa had a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Northern Illinois University. But, with all her skills and experience being so specific to Caterpillar and their machinery, Theresa was finding it difficult to find and apply for comparable jobs. Theresa wanted to transition into a growing field, Education, and knew that to do this, she would need a Master’s Degree.

After months of Career Research, Theresa was able to enroll in the Master of Arts in Higher Education program at North Central College beginning 8/24/20. Theresa participated in full-time TAA training from August 2020 until April 2022. Theresa graduated with her Master of Arts on 5/8/2022.

For two months, Theresa job searched intensively. She was looking for student teaching jobs and other educational opportunities that would allow her to use her degree but not require additional education. On 7/18/2022, Theresa was hired as the Scholarship Advisor at Waubonsee Community College. Theresa loves her new job. She is not quite making what she was making at Caterpillar yet, but to start, she is making an annual salary of $57,967.00 or $24.50 per hour. Theresa works about 45 hours per week and can use the skills she obtained while in training. She is building relationships in the community and recruiting new students. In her first few months on the job, Theresa matched a student with the Lincoln Laureate scholarship, and the submission won out of all the submissions in the State. This was Waubonsee’s second winner in the history of the school’s existence.

Theresa is grateful for the opportunity; the job is an excellent fit for her. Something she would have never been able to do without the help of the Trade Program, especially with her children and other financial responsibilities. Theresa’s mission is to continue paying it forward by helping students find scholarship funding for college and career readiness.