Single mothers who complete job training offered by Cheyenne-based CLIMB Wyoming frequently double or even triple their incomes.

In a new report, CLIMB Wyoming found that before entering nontraditional career training, women had an average income of $1,137. Two years later, that had increased to $3,250.

In office career training, the amount increased from $830 to $2,186, and from $978 to $1,577 in health care training.

CLIMB's objective is to train and place low-income single mothers in careers that will enable them to successfully support their families.

Communications Director Jessica Barrett Speer said single mothers often don't picture themselves in nontraditional fields like welding and heavy equipment operator.

"It's not a gender issue," she said. "It's more just being open to the idea, and getting the training they need in that field."

Speer said CLIMB frequently needs to work with single mothers before they enter a program.

"Sometimes we might need to get some child care in place, or help them find a stable living environment so they're at a place they can successfully complete the program," she said.

Kristi, a single mom who has been a welder at Pepper Tank in Casper for about 18 months, said the CLIMB Wyoming program changed her life.

She used to be a waitress; the pay was uncertain and there were no benefits.

Today, she works about 55 hours a week, earns $18 an hour and has fringe benefits.

"It's nice to be able to pay your own bills and not worry paycheck to paycheck," she said.

Kristi never envisioned herself as a welder. But she wanted to make a change, and when she heard about CLIMB, she decided to give it a try.

Now, she loves her job, and derives satisfaction from seeing projects that she helps build.

"You get a little bit of self-worth out of your work," Kristi said. "No matter how tired you are or frustrated you get, when you walk out of that door at the end of the day, you earned your own way. And it just feels really good."

According to the report, 86 percent of the single mothers who enter a CLIMB program go on to graduate.

The report also notes that 44 percent of the women were receiving food stamps before CLIMB; two years later, that number was only 18 percent.

Speer said more than 1,000 women have been through the program since it began in 1986.

In 2004, CLIMB Wyoming expanded to Casper, Gillette, Rock Springs, Teton County and Laramie.

Speer said women often commute long distances for training, like from Afton to Jackson, or from Weston County to Gillette.

The training is always changing, depending upon local labor force needs.

In Cheyenne, a program trained women to work in the front offices of health care businesses, and 11 women found were placed in that field. But Speer said the training won't be offered again since there may not be 10 more good-paying jobs for another group. So the focus is shifting to industrial technology.

If a particular type of training isn't a good fit, Speer advises prospective trainees to check back because programs change often.

Matt Garland's company, MGM Enterprises of Gillette, helps train CLIMB clients for truck-driving jobs and also hires graduates of the program. MGM Enterprises is a heavy highway contractor.

Garland said it's satisfying to witness the transformation that occurs in the lives of single moms as they work their way into well-paying jobs.

"This one lady was able to buy her first house and first car on her own, and she was in her mid-40s when she started into the class," he said.

Of eight graduates from a recent class, Garland said his company has committed to hire two full-time and will add two more after they complete six weeks of additional training.

Garland said the men working at MGM Enterprises have been supportive of their female counterparts: "It's just a tremendous win-win situation," he said.

Business Editor Tom Mast can be reached at tom.mast@trib.com, or call 307-266-0574.