Tag: Further Your Education

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s (Charlotte, NC) Career Leadership Academy for Youth (CLAY) was recently profiled in the Charlotte Observer. The goal of CLAY is to prepare area youth for jobs in today’s market. Eligible participants include high school and college students ages 14-21 who face academic or financial challenges, are pregnant or parents, first-generation high school or college graduates, have legal involvement or are without parents in the home due to incarceration or death.

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The Goodwill blog's career and financial advice posts have all moved to GoodProspects®, but you can still get great advice on your job search, learn about career fields and connect with virtual career mentors. Here are some recent articles published this month—read each piece, share your thoughts, and join GoodProspects to take advantage of everything at Goodwill's online career navigation portal!

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Recent data shows high school graduation rates across the U.S. are at an all-time high, surpassing 81 percent. Studies also indicate that a young person’s success can be greatly enhanced by a champion or mentor, an adult who consistently helps in ways both big and small. Goodwill’s GoodGuides program is among several mentoring success stories that were featured on PBS’s “American Graduate Day” broadcast on October 3.

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All evidence indicates that a degree or professional certificate is the way forward for career and financial stability. The game is changing, though, with digital badges gaining importance in the credentialing world. Read more to see what digital badges are, how they work and how to get them.

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This week I had the great pleasure of working with Boyd Brown, area director of employment & training of Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota (St. Paul), as he testified before a Congressional subcommittee. The hearing, which was on welfare reform proposals, specifically involved the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. His testimony provided great insight into the journey of an individual on public assistance, struggling to find a job and the challenges faced by case managers trying to put people to work.

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On June 26, forty-three students received their high school diploma in the company of hundreds of joy-filled, enthusiastic supporters. Texas Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, was the Keynote Speaker for the ceremony. “You are courageous. You’ve expressed it and demonstrated it by being here today,” Commissioner Williams said to the students. “Take that courage to go even further.”

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Did you know that working for free can help you transition into your dream job? Volunteering increases your chances of employment. One 2013 study showed that “volunteers have a 27 percent higher likelihood of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers.” That number almost doubles for certain groups, such as those without high school diplomas. Here’s how volunteering ups your employment odds.

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For free or a relatively small fee, you can learn everything from coding to ancient history without having to leave home, and often on your own time. A popular model is the Massive Online Open Course, and it works for career skills training, too. Learn more about how these courses work and where to find them.

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Turning a job that you enjoy into a meaningful career is the way to ensure long-term financial security and professional fulfillment. Taking the time to lay your career and educational groundwork today -- including stacked credentials -- can ensure that you succeed in a lifelong career that fits your skills and interests.

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Retail is a fast-growing career field that represents a huge part of the U.S. economy. A number of retail jobs are growing quickly, and you may find a good career fit for you in retail. Here are five popular jobs and credentials for them in this diverse field.

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