Andy Yeager came to Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa (Des Moines) as a high school student looking to gain job experience. He attended job readiness training and gained on-the-job experience that led to his job as a wares processor at the Urbandale, IA, Goodwill store. His hard work paid off, and he earned the agency's Achiever of the Year award.
Tag: Job Readiness
My Story – Samantha de Roque
After surviving an assault, and bout with breast cancer, Samantha's outlook on life was left with very little hope. Ready for her life to get back on track Samantha took an opportunity through Goodwill's Work Adjustment Training program. Through this program Samantha was able to gain employment and rebuild hope for her future.
My Story – Cody Pacht
After high school, Cody was excited to start the next phase of his life but didn't know where to begin. He connected with the Colorado Springs' "Pursuits" program, where he gained confidence and built his job skills. At the conclusion of the program, he found a job at a local car dealership. "Now that I look back and see how far I have come and how much I have achieved, I realize that there is nothing out of my reach," he says.
My Story: Katlyn Napier
Katlyn expected to find a job right out of high school, but found employers were looking for people with more experience. After connecting with Goodwill, she gained the training and support she needed to land a job and enroll in college.
OK Goodwill Wins $1.4 Million to Provide Support Services to Veterans
Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide supportive services to veteran families with very low incomes. Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, the Goodwill will join forces with six other organizations that serve veterans to provide services designed to promote stability.
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In Colorado Springs, Goodwill® Parlays Custodial Experience into Street Cleaning Business
This spring, Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado (Colorado Springs) began a new service contract with the Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership to clean and maintain the city’s streets, sidewalks and alleyways. Not only is this a new contract, but it’s a new business venture that led to 100 percent of the agency’s Pursuits program graduates being placed in employment.
Grand Rapids Event Prepares Youth for Work, Connects Them with Business Leaders
From June 10 to 13, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids (MI) participated in a youth employment event, Ready Now! for Youth, that gave youth in Kent County employment skills and training to interview for jobs and internships. The collaborative effort brought together Grand Rapids Community College, the Kent Intermediate School District, the Goodwill, the chamber of commerce, Kris Mathis Enterprise and Express Employment.
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Hispanic-Focused Services in Georgia Help Encourage a ‘Buena Vida’
Hispanics now comprise 15 percent of the total U.S. labor force, and by 2020 that number is expected to rise to 19 percent. Despite this, many of these Hispanic workers and job seekers are not reaching their full potential. To better serve this population, a private grant in 2010 enabled Goodwill Industries International to establish Buena Vida (Good Life), a program designed to provide education and employment services for job seekers in the Hispanic community. Through this grant, Goodwill agencies are developing their Hispanic services in surrounding communities in partnership with community organizations and institutions.
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Health Care Industry Training Enables Path to Self Sufficiency in California
Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County (Long Beach) is now in the seventh year of its Certified Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide training program. Between 2008 and 2012, nearly 900 people have been trained through this program, an 11-week program combining classroom instruction with hands on clinical training. These students in cohorts of 10-20 people receive the clinical training by Long Beach School for Adults instructors with weekly tests. They then attend an employer’s breakfast — set up “speed dating” style — that allows them to meet one-on-one with employers looking to hire.
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My Story: Jeremy Davidson
When Jeremy graduated high school, he knew he wanted to find "a job he liked forever," but wasn't sure what it was. Goodwill helped him zero in on his career goals and he now says he wants to work at Goodwill for the rest of his life. "My job has shown me how wonderful it is to give to others," he says.
