In 2023, Ariana Brooks was treading water working at Target. She got by, but she wanted more – retail was not a long-term career path for her, so she started to look around. One potential field stood out: healthcare, and phlebotomy (blood testing) seemed like a good starting point.
Brooks was not naïve, she knew that just dropping off an application and hoping for the best wouldn’t work – she needed training and education, and that costs money. She made up her mind to scrimp and save and enrolled in phlebotomy classes the following spring. As she looked around to find the best class, a staff member at the school she decided on told her about an opportunity – United Way Northwest Indiana’s Level Up Program.
“What made me decide to sign up was that the program would cover my school’s tuition,” Brooks said. “They support people’s education. When I got accepted into the program, I was excited. I felt like things were about to change.”
Level Up is United Way Northwest Indiana’s core program, and supports participants in four key areas: education and training, career development, financial stability, and health and wellness. From providing access to soft skills training and financial education to connecting people with job training or trade certification – Level Up breaks down barriers to help people achieve their goals.
For Brooks, the barrier came in the form of monetary aid which prohibited her from enrolling into classes and setting her back financially. Level Up also offered her a one-on-one navigator, Armelda Chambliss, who served as her coach and counselor and guided Brooks to resources or programs she needed to pursue her career in healthcare.
“She’s like an accountability partner, someone you talk to every week about how things are going and is keeping you on track towards your goals and making sure you achieve them,” Brooks said. “What made me comfortable talking to Armelda was her caring demeanor. When you check in with your navigator, they’re genuine when they’re asking how you’re doing at work and in classes. That helps keep you on track and motivated.”
“Once I passed my phlebotomy test I was able to find a better paying job,” she said. “Right now, I work with the Red Cross. It was an income increase.”
Her experience in the course also inspired her to pursue even further education, and she is currently finishing up a months-long surgical technologist program at Indiana University Northwest thanks to Level Up.
“I really liked the medical field and wanted to go a bit further,” Brooks said. “My Level Up navigator helped me find a surgery tech program that continues to Level Up my career.”
In under two years with the Level Up program, Brooks dramatically improved her skillset, found a better-paying job, and built a platform for a long-term career with room for even more education and growth.
“The thing that I’m really excited about is how Level Up helps you with education,” she said. “It gives you an opportunity to excel, a chance to elevate yourself by investing in your skill sets. I’m looking forward to finishing out my surgical tech program and seeing where that takes me, because I’ve already seen where the phlebotomy class has been able to help me reach.”
To learn more about United Way Northwest Indiana’s Level Up program, including how to apply, visit unitedwaynwi.org.