ATLANTA — A Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta program is helping mothers get back into the workforce.
It’s a free program called MomForce for moms who have been out of the workforce and are hoping to learn some skills and gain experience before finding their next job.
“It’s really hard. It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it,” said Betsy Hasson, a former stay-at-home mom.
Hasson was part of the 2023 Spring session and ended up getting a job at Children’s after she finished.
“Everybody that works in this building believes that they can improve the lives of children, every single one,” said Hasson, with tears in her eyes. “And so to be here, working with everyone that is so inspiring is amazing to me.”
There are two MomForce sessions each year, in the spring and fall. The sessions last 12 weeks.
Candidates need to have a bachelor’s degree, have been out of the workforce for at least three consecutive years, have five years of professional experience, and be able to work on-site 20 hours each week.
“A lot of women left the workforce during the pandemic. We were not immune from that. We lost a lot of working parents," said Linda Matzigkeit, the Chief Administrative Officer of MomForce. “They couldn't find childcare. They just felt this calling to be home with their kids for any number of reasons.”
Matzigkeit said she founded MomForce with the idea of giving moms a way to ease back into a job after taking a break to raise their kids.
“We need women in the workforce,” she said. “And we need to create a path for them to onboard back in.”
Of the more than 100 women that have been through the program, Matzigkeit said half ended up getting jobs at Children’s. She said others found jobs at alternative companies, while some decided they still wanted to be stay-at-home moms.
“At the end, they say, ‘What have you learned?’" Matzigkeit said. “And a lot of them said, ‘My kids are really proud of me.’ The fact that their kids are proud of their moms almost brings tears to my eyes.”
Along with learning new skills and landing a new job, Hasson agreed that not only making her kids proud but also feeling like she was putting herself first made the 12 weeks of tough work worth it.
“I feel like more than a pile of laundry. I feel like more than just a chauffeur,” Hasson said. “I feel like I can give back.”
The applications are now open for the fall session of MomForce.