Marie was applying for jobs, but she didn’t have the right equipment.
“I did not have a laptop. I was using my phone, and it was very difficult to write resumes,” she says.
Marie lives with a back problem, frequent injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
She read about Neil Squire’s Digital Jumpstart program on Facebook. Thinking it could help her get back to work, she decided to reach out.
Marie received a laptop, as well as an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. She is waiting for a laptop riser to arrive. Along with equipment, she also received training.
“Gordon was a very good instructor. He was very knowledgeable about programs and he managed to answer all my questions during his classes. I’m really really grateful that I went through this refresher class.
“We were doing word processing, Excel (opens in a new window), and PowerPoint (opens in a new window). It helped me remember some things I have done in the past, but which I have forgotten. He also showed me some new things, like PowerPoint. It was really helpful.”
Although Marie prefers face-to-face methods of teaching, she found the setup of the online lessons convenient.
“I’m a person who usually learns by doing something, rather than listening,” she explains. “[But] I was actually surprised how good it was. I really liked it – from the comfort of your home, you can just get on a computer and have a class.”
When it got difficult for Marie to focus, they worked out a solution and shortened the lessons, which was helpful for her.
“I feel more confident to apply for a job now, and saying that I actually know how to use a program,” she says. “Some of these programs I had actually worked on before – like Excel. But if people would ask me if I know Excel, I would say, ‘I’m not sure.’ I wasn’t even aware that I was working with this program! So this refresher course helped me realize how much I know and made me more comfortable to go for an interview and apply for a job.”
All the best, Marie!
This project is funded by the government of Canada’s
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities