Digital Skills to Jumpstart a Career: Jessica’s Story (Part 1)

Jessica Crosman doesn’t have a lot of time to reflect on how far she’s come. She’s busy working toward her college degree. She also has three kids at home whose virtual learning and online schoolwork she supervises each day.

But when Jessica can slow down and share her remarkable story, the scope of her personal and professional transformation seems to even take her by surprise.

Today, Jessica, who is 33, and her three children live happily all together. In 2019 she married Nathan, a loving and supportive partner. Her mom and dad live nearby, as do Nathan’s parents, and the whole family is close. In the past couple of years, Jessica has earned her GED, completed two internships, and will soon graduate with honors with a degree in sociology.

Yet these personal and professional accomplishments have been hard-fought for Jessica. She hopes that her courage in telling her own comeback story might inspire others to change.

Jessica’s educational and career pathway began at CWEE in 2018. She had dropped out of school years before and was doubtful she could have career success. But at CWEE Jessica found a unique combination of personal support, education and professional training that transformed her goals for the future.

In CWEE’s computer lab, Jessica’s confidence grew. She earned several certifications demonstrating her skills across a range of programs and topics. Novella Leslie, a long-time CWEE instructor, encouraged Jessica’s progress and helped her set new goals.

“I am not a textbook learner; I learn differently. Ms. Novella saw that and nurtured that in me.”

Jessica left CWEE’s program when she moved to Longmont, taking her computer certifications and growing professional confidence with her. She connected with a GED program and completed her high school equivalency. But that was only the beginning.

Click here to read the rest of Jessica’s inspiring story.