Teton Area Program Update: Spring 2023
TRAINING: Commercial Driving (CDL)
Families Served: 7 moms + 18 children
Photo Above: Wendy gives her kids a tour of her truck during Climb’s CDL training, which included eight weeks of lessons, from learning difficult backing maneuvers, to memorizing pages and pages of pre-trip inspection lists.
Before starting Climb’s Commercial Driving (CDL) training, the moms in this group were unemployed or working in low-wage jobs without opportunities for growth. They all had confidence in their ability to break into the trucking industry, knowing that a CDL certification opens doors to high pay, benefits, daytime shifts, and lots of different work options. The program provided extensive support in helping moms prepare to enter this new career field with a series of “work success” classes covering topics like how to advocate for yourself in the workplace and give and receive feedback in a professional manner. After training, moms started job placements with local employers, including a construction company helping with emergency road repairs after flooding in Yellowstone National Park. The moms now have job skills that will take them far in life—and move their families from surviving to thriving.
“I hope to be able to use my CDL for the rest of my life, adding experience, knowledge, and dependability to the career path ahead of me. Climb has been life-changing as I discover all the wonderful opportunities out there that I never knew existed.”
-Wendy, Teton Area Graduate
Photo Above: Ally celebrates passing her “Class A” commercial driving test.
Photo Above: Climb’s Teton Team: Amy Boillot, Mental Health Provider, has almost 20 years providing individual and group counseling for moms and was recently selected as a “Wyoming Woman of Influence.” Christy Thomas, Program Director, holds a master’s degree in social work and has been with Climb for more than seven years. Greta Frohlich, Business Liaison, has strong connections to the area’s business community and works to partner graduates with local employers.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for supporting moms in our community working hard to overcome poverty! One of our top priorities during the last year has been to help the women we serve with work readiness so that they have stability in all areas of life in order to gain meaningful employment, including connections to housing and childcare resources, food access, and counseling services. After seven years at Climb, I so appreciate how our community partners work together to provide these critical services. Powerful collaborations, along with support from trainers, employers, donors, and more, make families stronger and our community a better place to live and work.
With Gratitude,
Christy Thomas
Teton Area Program Director
Community Workshops
Climb recently offered a series of free workshops for single moms in the Teton Area looking to advance their professional skills. Topics included Microsoft Office™, customer service and communication, resume writing, and more to help moms excel in a variety of career options.
