Lori

As a young girl, Lori* watched her father, an aeronautical engineer, fix things in the garage. Though she was interested, he taught her brother but not her or her sisters.  

Later, as computers became more common, her father returned to school at night to learn.  

“I had that example of him always learning and trying to improve himself.” 

She truly took his example to heart and graduated from college with a graphic design degree, but quickly her priorities changed. Lori married, had three sons, and became a stay-at-home mom to raise her boys. Over the next 25 years, Lori raised the boys while her husband worked and continued his education, eventually attaining a PhD. She was shocked when he brought divorce to the table.  

“I’ve been in survival mode for a long time, so I want to work on getting out of that so I can leave that behind me and move on.”  

After the divorce was finalized in late 2018, Lori moved with her children from Nebraska to Arizona. She started working at Target as a seasonal job to quickly bolster her income. Over the next five and a half years, Lori moved her way up at Target, but as she aged closer to retirement, she felt the pressure to quickly start a career that would help her reach her financial goals.   

“I finally realized I needed to start thinking about my future and retirement and setting things more firmly. I didn’t want to just stay at Target until something else came along. I decided to make something come along instead of waiting.”  

By the time she started looking into her field, the graphic design landscape had changed so drastically that she didn’t feel she had a place in it. Following her father’s footsteps, she went back to school and attained a social media marketing certificate in December 2023.   

“I still didn’t feel like I really fit in there. It’s a much younger group that’s working… and it all happens so fast now. But I still wanted to be doing something with my hands. There’s a connection with my hands and brain, and if I’m doing that work, I’m happy.”  

Lori heard about Fresh Start through social media. Ads for the organization continued to pop up on her feed, and she thought, “I’m a crafty person, and I do need a new career.”  

She applied to several programs at Fresh Start and was accepted into the Cable Harness Wiring program that began in Spring 2024.   

“My main goal in coming to Fresh Start was to find a higher-paying job to help me get to retirement… I’m not looking to bounce around. I want to find a good employer that values my skills and loyalty.”  

The first few days of class were filled with PowerPoint instruction, which was an adjustment for Lori, who was eager to work with her hands. She also had a jigsaw of a schedule to manage daily. She was awake by 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning, worked an eight-hour shift at Target, and then came home for about an hour before taking off for the Cable Harness Wiring program.   

“Even on my long days, I still thought, I get to learn, and I’m excited to learn and use the tools in my toolbox.”  

In the women-only environment at Fresh Start, she found comfort and a safe space. Lori and her peers shared experiences and knowledge both in and out of the classroom.   

“It became clear that I’m not the only one standing in this corner; other people here are in the same situation and just trying to improve themselves. We just cheer each other on.”  

Back in the learning environment, Lori’s eyes opened to new things, and she discovered doors that she might not have gone through before.   

“I’m sort of realizing that I lived a very tunnel life. There are things going on outside the little tunnel that I built for myself. There’s a lot out there that I want to experience.”  

Lori was reminded of her definition of success as the class wound down. Growing up, she used to put substantial weight on grades and performance, but she’s learned a true measurement of success.   

“I learned a lot through the divorce and letting go of what I envisioned for my life: two parents, children, a perfect home. As I worked with my kids to get them to a good spot, I learned that happiness doesn’t mean picture-perfect. Happiness is all over.”  

With her tunnel expanded and the future bright for a new career, Lori feels relief knowing that her children don’t have to carry the burden of caring for her.   

“I always worried that they would feel that way like they needed to financially take care of me. Maybe getting a better job and career to help me through retirement will ease that burden, and they’ll go on.”  

On the eve of her last day of the program, Lori received a call from her youngest son. He recalled how he had come home early one day a few weeks prior, and she hadn’t been there as he had expected. Lori hadn’t told any of her children yet that she was attending classes as part of the Cable Harness Wiring program.   

“I didn’t want them to see me fail. And then my son told me, ‘I didn’t tell you then, but I’m so proud of you because you just did it. You didn’t think. You just did it.”  

She smiled while recalling the moment, which signified that her children were still watching and looking up at her, for example. She hopes that one day when her children face their own challenges, they’ll remember how their mom fought through difficulties to have a better life, just like she had the example of her father returning to school.   

Next, Lori hopes to continue taking Fresh Start programs in composite and sheet metal. By diversifying her skill set, she will be a great job candidate for future employers.   

“I never would have thought in December 2023 before I started seeing Fresh Start ads that I would even consider such things. Now I think, ‘that sounds kind of fun,’ so it’s an empowerment.”  

She hopes that other women will continue to resist giving up and find the resources they need to gain self-sufficiency, financial freedom, and confidence.   

“I’ve been up and down, and I’m climbing back up… we’re all on this one road, just in different spots, so when you can see someone up ahead on that road, you know where to go, and that you can make it, there’s someone waiting there.”