I first came to Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania as a single mom, surviving on welfare with limited work experience and little computer and office skills.
I knew I needed to obtain knowledge in computer and office skills and gain real-life work experience in order to obtain steady, full-time employment, but wasn’t sure what industry of the workforce I wanted to enter into.
Goodwill’s Customer Service Supply Chain (CSSC) program was the perfect fit for me because the curriculum consisted of computer classes, which helped me to quickly become proficient in the MS Office Suite, as well as real-life education like how to manage a budget and set realistic goals.
I was so grateful for all that I learned and all those who taught me that, after graduating from the program, I simply didn’t want to leave! Luckily there was a part-time receptionist position open, and now that I had the office skills required and high recommendations from my instructor and case manager, I decided to apply, and got the job.
Although I was enjoying my new receptionist position and learning new skills every day, I was still determined to find full-time employment. After working as a part-time receptionist for about one year, yet another window of opportunity opened up for me! A full-time administrative assistant position opened up in the marketing department and I was confident that I had the skills necessary to apply. Guess what? I got the job!
I have been at Goodwill for nearly five years now and am excited about future opportunities that could become available to me once I obtain my associate degree in marketing management in 2014.
I will always remember where I started and be grateful for those at Goodwill who have supported me along the way. Thanks to Goodwill’s life changing programs and dedicated staff, I am now a single-mom working full-time, with medical benefits, my own apartment, a car, and a life that I can be proud of. Goodwill has also helped me achieve my most important goal of all, to be a positive role model for my daughter.
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