Program Details

Paula Winterfeld’s life began a metamorphosis over two years ago when she gave up drinking and willingly entered a long-term women’s life recovery program at the Rockford Rescue Mission. Her journey in rebuilding her faith and sobriety included a lifelong love of technology, a goal she was determined to pursue upon successful completion of the recovery program.

YW Tech Lab helped Paula take the necessary steps to jumpstart that dream, offering her free training, a promise of a paid internship, and help with job placement. The first step involved leading Paula through a series of classes in Front-End Web Development, Google IT Support, and finally, CompTIA A+.
Nobody told her it was going to be easy.

Every Monday through Friday for the past seven months, Paula would get on the bus at 7:30 am and ride across town to YWCA Northwestern Illinois, walking the last few blocks, come sun, rain, or snow. Inside, she opened the provided laptop to receive in-person instruction in tech and the soft skills needed for a professional position. Weekly stipends rewarded her diligent attendance and helped her save to get her license back and to plan for the eventual move back home. Paula was an avid student, eagerly participating in discussions and class assignments.

After a full day, Paula would return to the Mission and attend the required weekly meetings. She often served in the Mission kitchen to give back to the organization that helped her find a new life. Paula was also trying to rebuild bridges with her two children and start preparing for life on her own again.
Due to her diligence in studying, Paula could pass most of her certification exams the first time she took them, but CompTIA A+, a “fast-track” class, was another story. The two required timed exams needed for certification were challenging, but Paula was a woman of faith. She believed God would do the rest if she did the hard work and did her best. On June 25, she nailed her last test and earned the coveted certification, an accomplishment she says makes her “very proud.”

Paula then interviewed for and received a paid internship with Rockford Public School District 205. All those soft skills lessons and help with her resume and interviewing skills paid off.

Paula learned software support for the next four weeks, sitting on a help desk and processing laptops. Her work was exemplary, and her supervisor called her “a breath of fresh air.” She was then extended an offer for full-time employment.

“The programs and opportunities the YWCA offers are essential to one’s life,” Paula said. “The selfless guidance and wisdom have inspired me to be diligent, determined, and mindful of the abilities I have in me and use them for the greater good to be the best that I can be and spread inspiration to others who walk the same journey as me.”

Nobody told her it would be easy, but Paula said, “This is not the end. It’s only the beginning of greater blessings to come.”