“IT JUST CAME AT THE RIGHT TIME. THIS WAS JUST PERFECT.”
“I didn’t think I’d get another chance.”
Jessica Tafolla wanted a career in healthcare. But at the age of 26, with two young kids at home and unemployed for 11 months, she thought the chance to have a medical career was not to be.
“I had looked into Basic Nursing Assistant (BNA) programs, but I didn’t qualify for financial aid and as a family, we couldn’t afford it on our own,” Jessica recalls. “But one day I saw Skills for Chicagoland’s Future’s ad for the Rush program on Facebook and it just came at the right time. This was just perfect.”
Though Jessica felt some hope that the partnership between Skills and Rush was exactly what she needed, she did not apply for the program right away. Instead, it was a push from her husband that spurred the action.
“I didn’t apply because I didn’t think they’d take me because of my age and because I have kids,” said Jessica. “My husband encouraged me to apply. He pushed me to apply. He wants me to have a career and to better the lives of our children. My husband is the biggest supporter I have.”
Now that Jessica’s healthcare career is off and running, she’s looking to the future and thinking beyond her current situation.
“I want to become an RN and Rush will help me achieve that dream,” Jessica said. ”This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I want to take full advantage of it.”