MassHire Lowell Career Center Success Story: Denise

By Jim Foley, September 2023

WIOA Adult customer Denise Warren embodies success through overcoming obstacles. “It's not simply a matter of falling on hard times. It's being picked up and body slammed on hard times,” Warren sighed.

MassHire Lowell Career Center assigned Romaine West as Denise’s career advisor. “She had lost a parent during that time period. She was also having some issues with her housing,” West said.

West discovered Warren’s biggest barriers to getting a job were projecting confidence and solving her lack of car transportation. Denise got upgrades to her wardrobe, resume and interview skills, all thanks to MassHire Lowell. All of this helped Warren’s confidence.

Then they solved the problem of transportation by finding an opportunity at the nearby Lowell Judicial Center. Warren was prepared and aced the interview for the job she wanted as a probation case specialist.

“I absolutely love my job. It's more than what I expected,” Warren exclaimed.

Now Warren can easily get to work every day because she lives within walking distance.

“There's a release of anxiety that I think so many people learn to live with, that they almost become numb to it,” Warren stated. "Then, you realize, now I'm actually living life, and I'm not living my life just for a job. That's just a small part of my life, because if you enjoy what you do and you're comfortable and confident doing it, it's wonderful. It's part of what makes living really great.”

Warren said she wants her story to inspire other jobseekers going through similar tough times. “It's really important that you get out of bed in the morning and come here [to MassHire Lowell.] The people here really do understand that, and they really want to help. It's genuine.”

MassHire Program & Services are funded in part by US Department of Labor (USDOL) Employment and Training Administration grants as well as non-federal funded grants. Additional details furnished upon request.