Travis McCausland is a Recognition Programs Associate at the Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. He is also a graduate of the Good Careers Academy at Goodwill of San Antonio (TX).
Tag: Job Placement
My Story: Virginia Finster
Looking at how I could move forward in life and what my next step was, I knew that education was something that had to be done. As far as what I could do, I wasn’t sure. I knew that I had little money and I had little time, but I needed something that would catapult me into a career where I could support my children and move forward in life.
Fostering Diversity of Thought for Creative Business Solutions
What if the next best idea or great app for your company is just waiting to be revealed, but the employee who created it is not a part of the conversation because their title just doesn’t fit with your idea of who should be in the room? Gallup surveys show that 68 percent of U.S. employees are either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged”—resulting in lost organizational productivity and industry competitiveness. Keeping this in mind, a growing number of companies have open platforms for anyone in or outside of the organization to submit ideas.
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Older Workers No Longer ‘Set for Life,’ Documentary Demonstrates
What do you think of when you hear the words ‘the American dream’? For most of ourselves and the people we serve at Goodwill®, the definition would include being able to hold a job that provides long-term support and security for ourselves and our families. For older workers profiled in the documentary Set for Life, the definition of the American dream shifted drastically due to periods of unexpected unemployment they experienced during the Great Recession.
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Introducing Social Good: Our New Digital Series Promoting Big-Picture Social Change
As we enter a new year, it's important to reflect on where we are as an organization and whether our efforts are as effective and far-reaching as they could be. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to introduce you to our new blog, Social Good. Goodwill® has been devoted to social good for more than 113 years with a core focus on providing employment services to local job seekers. Moving forward, we want to ensure that we continue to be a leading voice and a force for change on a grand scale, bringing the issues that are important to Goodwill to the forefront of a national dialogue.
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My Story: Matthew McCurry
Goodwill Industries of Tenneva (Kingsport, TN) program participant and employee Matthew McCurry shares how his life has changed since being introduced to the organization.
Reflections from a Veterans Day Commute
Like millions of workers, my day starts with a commute. While the mere mention of the word, “commute” is enough to make most workers groan, my ride is a daily highlight because it takes me past a list of must-see Washington, DC sites, starting with the Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial, and continuing with Arlington National Cemetery. Whether it’s Veterans Day, Memorial Day or any other day of the year, as my thoughts drift from the wife and kids to my daily to-do list, these adjacent memorials never fail to give purpose to my day by reminding me of the sacrifices made, and being made, by people who have served in the armed forces and their families.
Goodwill® Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Goodwill Industries International is proud to join service providers, advocacy groups and employers among other stakeholders, in acknowledging the importance of employees with disabilities as a vital component of the U.S. labor force. This year's theme, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor — "My Disability Is One Part of Who I Am" — underscores the fact that employees with disabilities bring a wide variety of skills to the table. However, it is evident that more work needs to be done to educate employers and support people with disabilities. Approximately one in five Americans has a disability and they make up nearly 20 percent of America's workforce, yet their unemployment rate is more than twice that of workers without disabilities.
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Columbus, GA Goodwill Connects Hispanics with Key Resources
Any one of Goodwill Industries of Southern Rivers (Columbus, GA/GoodwillSR) nine career centers is often filled with clients who are on a mission – a mission to find employment and increase economic stability. Increasingly, Hispanics who live in GoodwillSR’s 50-county territory are included in that mission. Recognizing the need to connect Latinos in east Alabama and west Georgia to local resources, the Goodwill's Hispanic Services has kicked off a robust initiative, in partnership with the Goizueta Foundation, to attract and serve this growing demographic.
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My Story: Josh MrKvicka
Despite some challenges stemming from a intellectual disability, Josh MrKvicka completed high school and looked forward to the next step…a job! Josh needed help tackling the job search. After trying another agency with no luck, Josh and his family gave Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas (Kansas City, MO) a try. He and Goodwill employment specialist, Jane Siela, went to work. He now works at Freddy’s Restaurant in St. Joseph, MO as a "Lobby Guy".
