December 19, 2013 BFL News, Current Events 0 Comments

Lucille Obarzanek had the education and the drive to get ahead in her career. What she lacked was experience, something her 2013 internship at Barrier Free Living (BFL) provided.

“I was having a hard time finding a job. I had finished the certificate program in accounting at Baruch College in April but I did not have on the job experience,” said Lucille. “I wanted book keeping experience and to also work for a non profit that helped people. That was my dream. I found that at Barrier Free Living.”

As a participant of The Hope Program, which helps students gain skills and advance their career goals, Lucille took on a ten week internship with BFL’s Accounting Team.

“The experience at Barrier Free Living has been great. I learned about the Fund E-Z System and how to process accounts payable invoices,”  says Lucille. “I also got the opportunity to meet really nice people on the Accounting Team like Sol, Marlene, Yueqin and Prudencia who taught me a lot. I was so happy to have had this opportunity.”

The experience, she said, was not only invaluable, but it helped her land a job after completing the internship.

“My new job is as a bookkeeping assistant at a contracting company in Brooklyn,” said Lucille. “It was thanks to the experience I gained at Barrier Free Living that I was able to update my resume and become hirable.”

Lucille also worked with the Dress for Success program, which supplied her with an outfit for her interview and clothing to begin her new job. Founded in New York City in 1997, Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization offering services designed to help their clients find jobs and remain employed. Each Dress for Success client receives one suit when she has a job interview and can return for a second suit or separates when she finds work.

To learn about volunteer and internship opportunities at Barrier Free Living: [email protected]

 

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