This week we wanted to share another success story from the #GoodwillJobSquad – Charles Thrasher! Did you forget? Well, the #GoodwillJobSquad is our way of celebrating the hard work of job seekers facing barriers to employment that have the drive and perseverance to become a part of the workforce. Thanks to our case managers Tarrah Moyers and Lea Getson for this addition!
Charles Thrasher participated in our Goodwill Work Experience and Placement programs, practicing new skills and learning about the world of work. He worked hard and it helped lead him to community employment on June 16, 2016.
Charles worked at Goodwill’s warehouse in Cumberland, MD processing donated clothing for Goodwill retail stores in the region. He was able to get hands on job training and get back into the “swing” of working again after being unemployed for a few years. He met with his case manager weekly to work on various career exploration assessments, discuss his vocational goals, and apply to job openings in the area.
Charles learned quickly that the workforce is a challenging place when putting in applications for hire. Although he struggled to get calls for interviews after applying to various businesses, Charles was not discouraged from his end goal of a new job! With persistence and hard work, Charles got an interview with CiCi’s Pizza and was hired shortly afterward for the position of preparation cook. In this position, he is responsible for coming in early and preparing the ingredients for the days buffet.
When asked how things are going, the newest member of the #GoodwillJobSquad said he “loves his job and the work that [he] is doing”. After being employed with CiCi’s for just over two months, Charles received his first evaluation where he did extremely well and received a 4 out of 5 in the area of “Presentation” and Being a “Team Leader”.
Charles’s hard work in Goodwill’s job training program led him to a job that he loves and is proud of. Next on Charles’s list of things to accomplish this year is to obtain his driver’s license so that he can have the opportunity to apply for a shift manager position within CiCi’s Pizza and continue to thrive within the company.
Thank you Charles for your dedication and commitment to both training and job seeking – it’s not easy. And, thank you for letting us celebrate with you! If you want to celebrate with Charles, go grab a slice of pizza and give Charles a high five.
If you know someone who would be a great addition to our Job Squad, but needs the right tools to get there, tell them about Horizon Goodwill! Learn more at our Website and please follow us on Facebook and on Twitter – #GoodwillJobSquad, #puttingpeopletowork.