From Layoff to New Opportunity: Patty's Story

When Patty learned her job at NASCO was ending after more than two decades, she didn't wait for the dust to settle. Patty had worked at NASCO since 2001, and when word came of the closure, she picked up the phone and called the WorkSmart Network for help.

That’s exactly what the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Dislocated Worker Program is for. Locally, it's delivered through the WorkSmart Network — a team of Career Planners stationed across south central Wisconsin, ready to help workers navigate a layoff and everything that comes after, from the first phone call through landing a new job. 

That early call set the tone for everything that followed. Her Career Planner offered weekly office hours, and Patty showed up every week until she found work. Her goal: land a new job before her last day on the floor at NASCO — a tight eight-week window, made tighter by her must-haves. She needed at least $17 an hour, a regular first-shift schedule, and a job within driving distance of Fort Atkinson.

A New Kind of Job Search

Patty hadn't looked for a job since 2001. The world of online applications, job boards, and digital resumes was completely unfamiliar to her. She wasn't afraid of computers, she just didn't know which sites to trust, how to tell a real opening from a dead end, or whether her applications were even being seen. Before connecting with the WorkSmart Network, she'd reached out to dozens of employers on her own. Only a handful ever wrote back.

That kind of silence wears on a person. But Patty kept going.

Building a Plan, One Step at a Time

Working with her Career Planner, Patty put together a resume that reflected her experience and built a real job search strategy instead of sending applications into the void. She got job leads tailored to her must-haves, career planning support to keep her focused, and — critically — access to on-site hiring events at the Job Center, where she could talk to employers directly instead of guessing whether her application had landed.

One of those events, a hiring session with Spacesaver, is where things came together. Patty was hired directly as a result of that connection.

A Rockstar Through and Through

What stood out most about Patty wasn't just that she reached her goal — it's how she got there. She approached a stressful, uncertain situation with persistence and a genuinely positive attitude, even on the frustrating days. She'd never used WIOA services before and admitted to being hesitant at first. But once she started, she leaned in fully, showing up week after week and using every resource available to her. At one point, her Career Planner had to remind her to take breaks and be kind to herself along the way.

Landing Better Than Before

Patty didn't just find a job — she checked every box on her list. Her new position pays $3 more per hour than her previous role, keeps her on first shift, and gives her a Monday–Thursday, 10-hour schedule she loves. And she's still working right in Fort Atkinson.

Since landing her new role, Patty has become one of the program's biggest advocates. She regularly encourages former coworkers and friends to reach out to their local Job Center, and is quick to bust a common myth:

"I wish people understood that the services don't cost money. People are afraid because they think it will cost them something. It was a great help to have the resume assistance and meet with the recruiters there onsite."

If You're Facing a Layoff

Patty's story is a reminder that support is available close to home — and that reaching out early can make all the difference. Through WIOA programming, the WorkSmart Network offers resume help, job search guidance, skill training help and direct access to hiring employers, all at no cost to dislocated workers.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by a layoff, reach out to your local Job Center to learn how the WIOA Dislocated Worker program can help.