After months of searching for a job without getting hired, Gregory had started to lose hope.
Gregory had been living in San Antonio, dealing with the loss of his mother, and job hunting to no avail, when he finally decided to move back to Abilene to start a new chapter and continue his search for full-time employment there. Gregory had actually lived in Abilene previously, even visiting the Abilene Career Center 8 years prior, soon after it opened its doors. Those services were so impactful, that he planned for Goodwill to be one of his first stops in town upon returning. When discussing the daunting task of starting over in Abilene once again, Gregory said, “I knew if this place (the Goodwill Career Center) was here, that this was probably my very best opportunity to find a job.”
Seeing the Career Center open gave Gregory a sense of hope and promise for his future. Gregory soon made an appointment where he met with Amy, one of our Employment Resource Specialists. He made his appointment in hopes of finding a support system and a way to achieve his employment goals. After meeting with Amy, Gregory expressed that he felt as though he “had a partner” doing this with him. With Amy’s expertise in the job market, he was able to quickly get back on track to finding the employment he’d been looking for.
During one of his appointments with Amy, Gregory asked if Goodwill offered any CDL classes as he had driven tractor trailers before. With this experience, taking CDL classes would broaden his opportunities for employment tremendously. Amy was able to refer Gregory to Texas State Technical College (TSTC) for a CDL license program. Not only was Amy able to enroll him in the CDL classes, but she was also able to find a grant and scholarship for which Gregory qualified, making the CDL program entirely free for him.
Soon after completing the CDL course, Gregory was able to obtain full-time employment.
Gregory makes a point to tell anyone he runs into who is struggling with employment to visit the Goodwill Career Center. He believes that the support from Amy and our Career Center is what gave him the confidence and resources to reach his goals and find a full-time job.
It is because of clients like Gregory that we are so proud of the work our Mission Programs do. Thanks to our donors and shoppers, the lives of so many people in the community, including Gregory, have been forever changed.
Posted By: Rinni Finley - Goodwill West Texas Communications & Marketing Coordinator
March 10, 2025
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