Goodwill of North Georgia connected 100,000 people to jobs in the last five years.
“When the goal to connect 100,000 North Georgians to jobs was announced as a strategic objective in Goodwill’s five-year plan, many people didn’t believe it was possible,” said Keith Parker, president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. “I am so proud of the hard work our team put into making the goal a reality.”
Goodwill commemorated the milestone by recognizing the 100,000th person who found work as a result of its services. Gwendolyn Harris of Marietta, Ga., received a work-readiness prize package worth $1,000.00.
Harris enrolled in computer literacy workshops at Goodwill’s Smyrna career center, at no cost to her, and her new skills led to a promotion with a higher wage.
“I moved here from New York and got a job at Hampton Inn. The company changed hands and was letting some people go and several of us were afraid of losing our jobs. I needed more computer skills, specifically Excel, so I went to the Goodwill Career Center to do some research and learn,” said Harris. “The Goodwill career coach talked to me about the Excel Workshop where I was able to learn Excel. At Goodwill, I was able to practice it over and over and over until I got it. Goodwill and my career coach were both very instrumental in allowing me to be able to keep my job and get promoted.”
As the nonprofit plans for the next five years of job readiness and placements services, job seekers can continue to visit any of Goodwill’s 13 career centers across North Georgia, including Cornelia. Virtual career services are available on careerconnector.org.
