Meet Wynde Bennett, a training funds coordinator with the Workforce Partnership. We asked Wynde about how her work has changed and what she enjoys doing in her free time.
If you had $30,000 to donate to a workforce development program, what would you want done with it?
I would donate this money for supportive services. There’s a large margin of hard-working families or individuals who don’t quite qualify for government-assisted programs like Cal Fresh because of their income level, but they need to earn more to live comfortably, especially in a state such as California with today’s economy. This funding would go towards a bill subsidy program. If someone has fallen on hard times and needs support for rent or bills, they will receive a one-time stipend. The only requirements would be that they are employed or in training and submit a support request. Something this small could be the difference between someone losing housing or a car which could make it difficult to retain employment or training.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
When not working, I spend most of my time with my family. My youngest keeps me busy (she definitely has a bigger social life than I do), and as a mom of a Girl Scout, we’re constantly engaging in scout activities. Also, she challenges my Halloween costume-creating abilities every year, so this qualifies as a forced hobby. I also have a newly discovered interest in pop-up interactive museums. Whenever I find one happening here in San Diego, I try to attend with my entire family.
How has your work changed in the last few years?
As a training funds coordinator, a lot of my work requires inputting information into a database, so having a job that is 100% electronic made working remotely a lighter transition for me during the pandemic. The most significant adjustment was losing the ability to interact with coworkers in person and adjusting to communicating primarily through meetings or chats. Also, on a personal level, I had to learn to create boundaries at home with my children, who were attending school remotely. However, now that we are nearing the end of the pandemic, I appreciate the flexibility we have with hybrid working schedules.