Cheri H. was referred to Goodwill by the Radford Virginia Employment Commission office in late November 2017. Cheri had decided to re-enter the workforce because of a downturn in her husband’s income, after being a stay at home mother for several years. She had just been let go from a job that she had just started as a daycare worker because of a 17-year-old felony conviction found on her record. She was shocked that this affected her employment, since she had a letter from the governor restoring her rights.

This program supported her by assisting her with updating her skills, education, and work experiences on her resume.  She met with the WIOA Career Specialist several times, and through these discussions, they established an entry-level employment goal via an internship opportunity as an Inspector/Packer at Phoenix Packaging in Dublin, VA in early January, 2018.  The career specialist recognized that Cheri, with an Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from 2006, could rise quickly in a manufacturing career, although she had never held a job using these skills.

Cheri remains in contact with this program. She reports that Phoenix Packaging has recently advanced her to a Machine Operator position. Further, she reports that her interactions with Phoenix supervisors and managers indicate she is being groomed for additional training and leadership opportunities, with significant pay and benefit increases within the next 8 months.

Cheri is very appreciative of the efforts of this program. She says, “Five months ago I was unemployed, a felony in my background history, and barely able to buy clothes for my kids. Now, I have a good job with benefits, and can look ahead and see that soon, I will be able to move from public assistance, become self-reliant, and do things I have always wanted to do for my family.”