Rising: My Journey to a Career with Purpose

Jennifer is a a graduate of the US Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Program, in which CAPS is a registered Program. Here is her story:

There was a time not too long ago when I couldn’t see a way forward. Every day felt like a struggle just to get by. Substance use had taken over my life in ways I hadn’t fully realized until I hit a point where continuing down the same path didn’t feel like living at all. I knew something had to change—but change isn’t easy, especially when you’re carrying that much weight on your back.

In 2022, I made the hardest—and best—decision of my life: I got sober. That year became a turning point, not just for my recovery, but for how I saw myself and what I believed was possible. I started building something new, one day at a time, one step at a time. And then came an opportunity that shifted everything even further: the CAPS Academy Apprenticeship program.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t know exactly what I was stepping into when I joined CAPS. But what I found was a space that believed in me before I fully believed in myself. I learned, I grew, I earned my certificate. I started to rediscover a version of myself that I thought I had lost—someone capable, resilient, and full of purpose.

Not long after, I got a job with Telecare as a Peer Supporter. And that title? It means the world to me. Because it’s not just a job—it’s a chance to give back. To use my story to walk beside others who are fighting their own battles. To say, I’ve been there too, and to mean it.

Every day I show up to work is a reminder of how far I’ve come. Recovery gave me my life back—but it also gave me a mission. I'm no longer surviving. I'm thriving, healing, and helping others do the same.

And that, to me, is success.