Alumnae
Amarimba’s Success Story
“Grace Institute gave me my life back. I regained my confidence and the ability to support my family. I feel great to get up and come to work, and do something that is helping people. I am so thankful to have had this experience.”
When Amarimba joined our Healthcare Administration Program, she had been out of the workforce for two years. Like many people, she became unemployed in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She had been working in education, and when schools closed, she lost her job. She is a single mom living in Brooklyn with her three daughters.
During this time, she received a promotional flier from Goodwill about Grace Institute, and joined our 14-week program in September 2022. She had previously worked in the healthcare field, and knew enrolling in the Grace Institute program could help her improve her skills and re-enter the field. Enrolling in the Healthcare Administration training program was her first step towards re-establishing self-dependence – and faith in herself.
Life during training was not easy, but Amarimba stayed focused with the support of her instructors and caseload manager. Having a background in healthcare as an insurance follow up specialist helped her learn new materials and pick up tech skills quickly. She also completed the Leadership & Management training program, building on the skills she was able to learn during her time at Grace Institute.
Amarimba took everything she learned and channeled it into her job search, culminating in multiple job offers after her graduation in December 2022. In the end, she accepted the offer from Columbia University Medical Center. She is currently thriving in her role as an Insurance Follow Up Specialist Level III and described her workplace as home away from home for the collegial atmosphere and caring relationships among team members.
“Not only did the training prepare me to excel in my new job, I also received continued support during the first months of training at my new job from Grace Institute. This support allowed me to learn and become comfortable in my new role, and envision myself here for the long term. I’ve felt empowered to improve the processes at my workplace, and have even been approved for tuition assistance to further my education.”
She is proud to be able to care for herself and her children financially, and feels empowered to continue achieving. Her next goal is to attend college and obtain a degree in business administration.
Grace Institute is so proud of all Amarimba has accomplished!