Congrats to Vickie, Store Manager of Sioux City (W. 4th St) store on receiving the GEM award! GEM Awards are given to Team Members who go the extra mile and demonstrate excellent customer service, superb team excellence, process improvement and Goodwill spirit. Nominated by Christine (Job Coach) “Everyday Vickie works alongside the participants in our training program. She has a gift of finding the perfect work tasks that match their natural abilities and challenges our participants daily. She gives each participant her time and attention no matter how she’s feeling or other work she has to contend with. Vickie has a special quality that makes her a pleasure to work with and she truly believes in our mission statement. It is great to see our participants grow and build on their skills while working in the store during their time in the training program.”
Our amazing receptionists at our Support Center are an essential part of our team! They effectively communicate with the public and are fantastic at their jobs! Brian has been working at the reception desk and been in the Pre-Vocational Training Program for a little over a year. He is an excellent addition to the receptionist team!
What I like about my job at Bear Country USA is the animals are very entertaining to watch. This job gives me the chance to hug a bear eventually. I will have more opportunities to interact with the animals when taking care of them during the winter.
This picture demonstrates the change that happened for Shane from the beginning of the Work Adjustment Program until the end.
Sometimes in our life, there are moments causing us to pause and reflect on what’s next. Shane was struggling to figure out what work he was interested in when he came to Goodwill’s Work Adjustment Training Program. (The Work Adjustment Program is a 6-week program for individuals over 18 years of age teaching soft skill development and employment readiness. The program serves individuals with brain injury, physical injury, cognitive disabilities, and health challenges.)
Shane was mentored by Jill (Program Manager) who helped
him throughout the program with his confidence. Self-confidence is an essential
skill needed for any job. The Work Adjustment Program helps individuals learn
skills such as self-confidence, communication, and being a team player through on-the-job
experience.
During his training, he was able to help with the Shoe
and Mitten Party, an event sponsored by Goodwill that ensures each child
received new shoes, hat, gloves, and socks. This event touched Shane’s heart
and fueled his desire to help improve the lives of others.
A boost of confidence happened for Shane in January when
he had the opportunity to work in the Job Center. Shane genuinely enjoyed helping people update
resumes and apply to jobs. Jill explained, “Shane loved having the opportunity
to help others as they were seeking employment in the Job Center. He approached
it with a compassionate spirit. His confidence level definitely improved after
his experience in the Job Center because he improved upon his clerical and
customer service skills.”
The last week of Shane’s training, Stan, Rapid City
Manager offered Shane a position in the store. Shane was excited to accept the
offer and is currently working as a Retail Associate.
Reflecting on his experience Shane replies, “The Work
Adjustment Training Program helped me gain confidence and assurance in myself.
It gave me a purpose. I want to continue helping customers and program
participants. I am looking forward to settling down, finding a home and
enjoying my life”
Congratulations to Debra graduating from register training! Debra was anxious about operating a cash register at first. Christine, Skills Trainer, helped Debra learn coping skills to ease her anxiety. After a few weeks, Debra became more comfortable and learned excellent customer service skills. “She has come out of her shell and built important relationships”, Christine commented about Debra’s progress. Debra works in the Sioux City retail store and continues working hard on her goal of obtaining a community job.
