Patricia Sosh had been working in a factory for 11 years when the facility closed, in part because of foreign competition. She met members of the Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail staff when they visited the factory to talk to laid-off workers about their options including retraining.

“They told us they could help us, and that’s what they did,” Sosh said.

She was eligible for tuition assistance and made the decision to get the training she needed to land a job in nursing, an in-demand career with better pay and more security.

Sosh earned her RN at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, graduating in 2013, at the age of 50. She now works full time at Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center and as needed at Breckinridge Memorial Hospital in Hardinsburg.

“Anybody can do it if they put their mind to it,” Sosh said. “Your age doesn’t matter, and the career center doesn’t look at your age either. If you want to do something, they’re there to help.”

Sudden unemployment often can seem like hard luck and nothing more. With determination and help from the Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail staff, Sosh turned the situation into a real opportunity.

“I was wondering if I could do this kind of work after working in a factory all my life,” she said. “But it’s all working out. It’s a rewarding career.”

For information about job seeker services, contact the Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail.