September marks National Workforce Development Month and as the largest nonprofit workforce development agency in North America, we have a lot of reasons to celebrate. We see firsthand the impact that workforce development professionals have on the lives of people looking to find work or advance their careers.
Take for instance, Kelly who came to Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee (Nashville) a few years ago. She had just been laid off and found herself in the constant cycle of applying to jobs without hearing back. She had already applied to more than 200 jobs by the time she came to Goodwill® for support.
By working with a Goodwill workforce development professional, Kelly was able to change her situation. “The career coach I spoke with instantly gave me hope,” says Kelly. “She pulled up a list of classes and programs I could do and said, ‘We’ll get you a job by February.’”
Kelly was ready to learn and took advantage of multiple free classes that Goodwill offered, including financial literacy and interview skills. The career coaches worked one-on-one with Kelly to revamp her résumé and prepare for upcoming job interviews. “I always struggled with talking in job interviews, but the Goodwill career coaches helped me build my confidence,” Kelly says.
Thanks to this new confidence, Kelly landed a job as a seamstress with Dillard’s. When telling career coaches about her skills, she mentioned she enjoyed altering clothes as a hobby but never imagined the skill would lead to a career.
“The coaches encouraged me to apply for jobs in the alteration field, which I am so thankful for because this is the best job I’ve ever had,” Kelly says. In the short time Kelly has been working for Dillard’s, she’s already been told that a promotion to manager is in her future when her boss retires, which also means a pay increase.
After months of stressing about her and her family’s future, Kelly finally feels secure and excited to see where her new career takes her. “I am a single mom and was very depressed for a while trying to get my life back in order, and Goodwill really gave me a new hope,” Kelly says. “I am in a much better place mentally and financially.”
If you could use career support like Kelly, reach out to your local Goodwill organization to find out what options are available to you.
