Mayra Garcia had already built years of experience in customer service. After leaving high school as a teenager and becoming a young mother, Mayra returned to school years later determined to earn her GED and create a different future for herself and her children. She worked in phone sales for 13 years before staying home with her young son during the COVID-19 pandemic. When she returned to the workforce, she became a manager at Wendy’s. But although she was working, she felt she was no longer moving forward.
“I didn’t feel I was growing. I didn’t feel I was pursuing anything. I felt I was stuck,” Mayra says. She wanted something more, not only for herself, but for her children. “I want to be that role model, to have that career, to be financially stable. That’s what I want to do.”
A job fair at Valley Occupational Center introduced Mayra to BankWork$. She immediately saw the possibility of turning her work experience into a career in banking; finding our BankWork$ program came at a pivotal moment in her life.
For Mayra, financial stability was a major motivation: “Breaking that cycle of not having to worry about living paycheck to paycheck…has made me want to grow and made me want to be financially stable.”
The eight-week program also helped Mayra develop the confidence and professional skills she needed to take the next step. At first, returning to a classroom environment and preparing for interviews felt intimidating.
“It was a little scary at the beginning,” she recalls. “I really haven’t interviewed since 2007.”
The program helped her recognize that her abilities were greater than she realized.
“It showed me fundamentals of becoming that professional woman,” Mayra explains.
More importantly, the program helped her see that she could become a role model for her children and siblings.
One of the most meaningful lessons was learning that it is never too late to pursue a new path. “No matter the age, no matter the education, you can become. You’re that pearl that needs to be shined.”
Today, Mayra is sharing that message with others, recommending BankWork$ to friends and even encouraging her 24-year-old daughter to consider making a career change.
BankWork$ was a chance to stop Mayra from feeling stuck, discover her potential, and begin building the stable future she wanted for herself and her family.
If you’re inspired by Myra ‘s story and would like to help someone else achieve their dream, please donate today.