Did you know…?
-Rural & Remote offers training for Zoho’s award winning suite of apps
-Rural & Remote offers all of our training programs at no cost to those who qualify
-We have had participants from all 26 counties in our coverage area
-Participants from 17 counties have gotten remote jobs through our Job Placement Support
Rural & Remote is about connecting people in rural communities to remote jobs as a way of creating pathways back home and opportunities for those who want to stay in their communities! Below you will find two success stories, from Heather and Trenton, who are now happily employed with remote jobs in beautiful Northwest Kansas.
Heather Steckel
After completing the Rural & Remote program as part of the October 2021 cohort and securing her Remote Work Certificate, finding employment with Modern Practice Support out of Belleville, and finding her niche with remote work, one might be surprised that Heather Steckel has little to say about all of it.
No- instead, she has a lot to say about it. “Can I say a little about the R&R program…no, I can only say A LOT! I have nothing but positive things to say about R&R. The program was simple, straightforward, and fit perfectly into my life!” an excited Steckel commented.
Steckel found the program to be exactly what she was looking for. “Before R&R, I was juggling two, sometimes three, part time jobs and struggling. The hope that there was a full time position that would offer benefits and a competitive wage to a single person in rural Kansas was very appealing,” she explained.
After hearing about the Rural & Remote program at the Summit that was held in Hays in the Fall of 2021, Steckel decided it was worth the time to check out the program further. She took the steps to do so, and was able to enjoy a very positive experience as part of the program, forming relationships with the members of her cohort and with Gretchin Staples, R&R program coordinator.
Steckel found herself really valuing these relationships and the support she was given, naming these relationships as one of the best parts about the program. “I enjoyed meeting others who were looking for remote work opportunities during the certificate meetings. But that was just the tip of the iceberg! Once we completed our time together I met with Gretchin often. Her support, ideas, and encouragement were priceless. I followed all of her recommendations and they paid off.”
Upon completing the program, Steckel quickly found a job placement with Modern Practice Support, a company based out of Belleville. She was pleased to see that the support continued even after being placed with her new job. “The greatest thing I have to say about R&R (and Gretchin) was that when I received my job offer I messaged her and she immediately called to congratulate me and get all the details. I felt like I had my own personal cheerleader!”
Steckel strongly encourages anyone on the fence about the program to go for it, but she does acknowledge that remote work is still very much ‘work’, and is not something to be taken lightly. She offers some very sound advice, stating, “I would make sure that they realize that this is still a job. You still go to the office; the office is just down the hall instead of down the street. The reality is that it is not always easy. I was extremely lucky to find a company that is amazing to work for. I have constant contact with my co-workers so I don’t feel isolated or alone but that may not always be the case. You also must have the discipline to focus on the job and not be distracted by things happening around you.”
And, of course, Steckel pointed out possibly the best part of it all. “I don’t have to wear pants to work, of course! That is a joke, but those pants can be anything from yoga pants to gym shorts!”
Steckel is happily working for her new company, wearing her pants of choice and feeling satisfied with the path she has chosen. “The only thing I would add is a great big THANK YOU to Gretchin, R&R, the members of my cohort, and the partners that make R&R possible. This is an opportunity that I am sincerely thankful for!”
Trenton Denton
Not everyone’s path follows a straight line, and the road isn’t always smooth. With perseverance and the willingness to acknowledge that sometimes a different route is what is needed, one can often find themselves ending up at their perfect destination.
Trenton Denton can attest to the fact that speed bumps are part of reality, and his ability to persevere through several bends in his path is what makes his success story truly remarkable.
Denton, who spent nine years working as a nurse, found himself reflecting on his career due to COVID and a shift in job responsibilities. “Throughout the pandemic I had been placed in charge of a COVID-19 unit. I had hit the point where although I enjoyed helping and caring for people, I needed to take a step back to evaluate what direction I wanted to take my life,” he explained.
Previously, Denton had attempted the traditional college experience, but some personal struggles prevented him from finishing. “I had attempted college multiple times before with no success. I sought out help for my mental health and was diagnosed with ADHD/Autism. This allowed me to finally understand how I needed to adjust my environment to be successful.” he said.
His willingness to take a detour led him to complete his Associate’s Degree online through DeVry University.
Denton then began the Rural & Remote program in early 2021, and experienced a few detours along the way, ultimately completing the program in early 2022. “I had a lot of challenges in my personal life that caused my time with the Rural & Remote Program to last a little longer than most, but I was able to finish it in early 2022.”
An interest in software development as a teen meant that Denton had written code for different games and even built out some programs, so he jumped on the opportunity given by Rural & Remote to expand his skill set. “Since finishing I was given the opportunity to take a Full-Stack Development course where I received a certification in JavaScript, ReactJS, Python, UML, HTML5/CSS, Flask, JSON, Git, MongoDB, and SQL Database,” Denton explained.
Following the program, Denton landed an internship at Bottega University, working as a mentor. “In this role I assisted many students to debug their code, met with them in a weekly 1:1 meeting to provide guidance, answered support tickets, and grew my knowledge of the programming languages as well.”
Bottega was so impressed with Denton that his internship expanded into a full-time job. “Three months into my internship, I was offered a position working as an Adjunct Instructor at the university. I am now teaching a class of students the skills that I obtained through my time with the Rural & Remote Program.”
Denton has found himself heading in the right direction, and it’s all thanks to his adaptability and the R&R program. “At the beginning I wasn’t sure where I would end up, but I am glad that I took the leap. I would recommend the Rural & Remote program to anyone who is interested in working from home! I had an extremely patient and understanding mentor that I met with (almost weekly) who helped me to succeed.”
So hold onto your seatbelt, because Denton is finally headed down the right road, and he is only just getting started.
