DUPAGE'S WORKNET MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Life after West Chicago’s General Mills

When the General Mills manufacturing plant closed in West Chicago in the summer of 2017, George Witowski’s life turned upside down. 500 other workers share George’s story.

For more than half a century, General Mills remained one of the area’s largest employers, paying thousands of employees good union wages to enjoy the fruits of their labor and one day retire comfortably.

When George, currently 42, secured a job as a Cereal Processing Tech, he assumed he would work at General Mills for a couple decades, then retire with a secure future for his family. Five years later, the plant shut down.

With consumer behavior trending toward healthier lifestyles, the factory that once manufactured all the Bugles in the world, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and other sugary snacks, witnessed a decline in production and the company was forced to restructure.

While there is no painless way to let go of valuable workers, General Mills’ efforts to ease the transition enabled workers to do so with dignity. Jamie Brown, DuPage Workforce Innovation Board Coordinator, says, “General Mills was a model employer and encouraged its employees to get connected to workNet’s Rapid Response, and by extension, a myriad of federal, state and local resources.”

A father of two children, ages 10 and 13, and the sole income earner at the time, when an opportunity for no-strings attached career services was offered through the workNet DuPage Rapid Response, George didn’t hesitate to grab it. He says it was exactly what he needed to get back on his feet.

With a growing awareness that good union jobs in the same type of factory setting were now few and far between, he made the decision to go back to school. Without funding from workNet DuPage, George says he wouldn’t have been able to entertain the thought.

George researched in-demand careers and decided to pursue physical therapy.

George enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Elgin Community College. workNet DuPage covered tuition, but George took a job working the overnight shift at Northwestern Delanor Hospital to supplement his income. In addition to the courses he attended during the day, and housekeeping duties in the radiology unit at night, George found a way to make time and be present for his family.

In May 2019, George achieved a new milestone: graduating with honors with an Associate in Applied Science degree (AAS).

"I enjoy work so much more now." ~George Witowski, workNet DuPage client

Wasting no time, he applied for physical therapy jobs and immediately obtained interviews. After hitting it off with the Regional and Facility Managers at Athletico, George received a job offer contingent on passing the state licensing exam. Excited to work in his chosen profession, George accepted the position, passed the exam with flying colors, and said goodbye to the graveyard shift.

His career counselor, Jessica Benelli, says, “George is a story of perseverance: he maintained his purpose in spite of the obstacles. He juggled a full time third-shift work schedule to provide for his family and a full-time school schedule to pursue a fulfilling career.”

About that new job? George says, “I love it. I tell my wife and friends that I sometimes have to pinch myself. I enjoy work so much more now.” George says the workNet DuPage staff made the process of applying for a grant simple. “workNet DuPage provided me with resources and opportunities that I didn’t think I would have. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the center.”

George lost a job but thanks to funding support from workNet DuPage, he gained a career helping others, and a renewed sense of purpose and pride. 

This story appeared in the workNet DuPage Career Center 2018-19 Year in Review, showcasing the significant impact the organization – funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) – makes throughout DuPage County. Learn more about workNet DuPage and read the entire report here.