‘WorkBC helped me regain my confidence’: Admin assistant lands dream job in Vernon

Sharon Hamming has done it all. She’s cleaned barns and milked cattle as a dairy farmer. She’s cared for the sick and the elderly as a healthcare assistant. She’s raised a child.

Then, her allergic reactions to latex gloves and chemicals started getting worse, and she knew it was time to find a new path—one that would give her hands a much-needed rest. Only, after decades of physical work, she didn’t know how.

“I felt like I was falling behind in computer skills,” says Sharon. “I started to worry, thinking that I would slip through the cracks. Without computer skills, I thought I wouldn’t be able to find a job where I didn’t need to wear gloves or have my hands in soapy water.”

And then she walked into the WorkBC Centre in Vernon.

“I had gone to WorkBC years ago when I got out of farming and they helped me get into the health care assistant program right away,” Sharon says. “This time, with their help, I took an administrative assistant training course.”

Upon completing the course, Sharon entered the WorkBC Wage Subsidy Program, which provides temporary wage subsidies to employers looking to hire and, in turn, provide work experience and skills enhancement for eligible program candidates.

Equipped with her newfound skillset and backed by the Wage Subsidy Program, Sharon put together a resumé that demonstrated her decades of hard-earned work experience and newfound digital literacy skills.

That’s when she found the perfect job: a receptionist position at Morgan’s Glass in Vernon.

Now, Sharon spends her days answering the phone, scheduling appointments, quoting products and services and providing excellent customer service as the frontline of the family-owned and operated business that has spent more than 60 years serving the glazing needs of private and commercial customers.

“I see this as my retirement job,” says Sharon after joining the Morgan’s Glass team in December 2022. “I really wanted to get my first year under my belt so I would feel more confident in my position and with computers. Now, I know what I’m doing and I’m only going to get better.”

Beyond finding a career that brings her joy and peace, Sharon says she will always remember her time with WorkBC and how the team helped her push past her employment barriers.

“In the beginning, I felt alone in this process, and I think that a lot of women my age will understand that feeling,” says Sharon.

“What I really learned through this process is that we’re not alone. Because of WorkBC, I had people on my side. When you lack confidence, you start to believe that you’re failing and that everyone around you is succeeding. Through this program, I realized that I’m not failing. WorkBC helped me regain my confidence.”

If you or someone you know is looking for meaningful employment, we’re here to help. Reach out to WorkBC by phone at 250-545-2215 or visit us online at workbccentre-vernon.ca.