Single Mom Strong founder and director Tara Taylor. Photo courtesy of Single Mom Strong

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Twenty-six percent of children in Sacramento County are being raised by single mothers and the non-profit Single Mom Strong has made it their mission to support single mothers in the Sacramento region.

Registration is open for a Career Exploration Workshop: Exploring Skilled Trades at The Empowerment Center, by Single Mom Strong, 7525 Auburn Boulevard, Suite 5 in Citrus Heights on Saturday, February 3rd from 11 to 1 pm for women to explore non-traditional careers in growing sectors that offer high-income potential with low barriers to entry. 

The workshop, presented in partnership with SMUD and the Sacramento Valley Manufacturing Alliance, will explore skilled trades that aren’t all heavy lifting and dirty fingernails. 

The event is sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights with monies from the city’s Community Support Fund which are dedicated to strengthening and improving the overall quality of life in Citrus Heights, said Marisa Brown, city communications officer. 

Registration for the Saturday event is through Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/single-mom-strongs-career-exploration-workshop-exploring-skilled-trades-tickets-791178675717. 

“This is the third component of what we have wanted to have in place for a long time to help single moms succeed,” said Tara Taylor, its founder and executive director. The event is anything but a “typical career fair,” she explains.

Since opening in 2019, Single Mom Strong’s Empowerment Center has come to encourage the success of some 1,100 single mothers who have entered its doors. The non-profit has made it their mission to support single mothers in the Sacramento region.

The Single Mom Strong Empowerment Center, a SMUD Sustainable Communities partner, offers support for single mothers, including affordable daycare, practical workshops, life skills training, and other events and activities. Its EmpowerME Pre-school & Childcare programs make quality early childhood education accessible to all young children by making preschool affordable, even on a single income budget.

“We’ve had both a one-to-one peer counseling program in place and a wardrobe closet available to help them prepare for interviews and to dress professionally to re-enter the work force.”

“What we haven’t had before, is a workshop where single moms can get together to explore non-traditional trade careers in growing business sectors which offer high-income potential with low barriers to entry,” she said.

The rapidly growing solar, electrical and manufacturing fields are just some which offer a variety of high-wage jobs in careers in safe, clean and tech-oriented environments which often don’t require a college degree, Taylor said. 

Participants will have a one-to-one opportunity to talk with fellow women already working in these industries and ask real questions about what it is like to work in their field, and how they balance work and family, and learn about their experience with career advancement, Taylor said. 

Many will also have an opportunity to learn and consider career opportunities which are offered by the city of Citrus Heights. Some 86 women are employed at City Hall and the Citrus Heights Police Department, and many are in more trade-oriented roles, said city communications officer Marisa Brown.

These include Regina Cave, General Services Director, 24 years; Leslie Blomquist, City Engineer, 8 years, Alison Bermudez, Senior Planner, 24 years in March and Susan McClendon, Development Services Technician, 17 years in June.

Open roles for the city of Citrus Heights can be found at: governmentjobs.com/careers/citrusheights.

“Come and explore your options in the safe, friendly Single Mom Strong environment you know and love,” Taylor said. “It’s a great first event and it’s open to all women, with single moms given priority for childcare.”

Single Mom Strong is led by founder Tara Taylor and by its president Meghan Huber, the Economic Development and Communications Manager for the City of Citrus Heights. Huber joined the SMS Board of Directors in 2019 with a goal to affect positive change and support families in the community.

Registration remains open for the “Career Exploration Workshop: Exploring Skilled Trades” at The Empowerment Center, by Single Mom Strong, 7525 Auburn Boulevard, Suite 5 in Citrus Heights this Saturday, February 3rd from 11 to 1 p.m.

“Come and enjoy lunch and hands-on career exploration activities, while also taking time to network and socialize,” Taylor said. Childcare is available onsite in the Empowerment Center’s licensed childcare center. 

Visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/single-mom-strongs-career-exploration-workshop-exploring-skilled-trades... for more information.