Growing Your Skills While Serving Others

Debbie Grant, Development Director

We often hear people say things such as, “I like helping others, or “I really want to help but don’t know how” and “I just wouldn’t know what to do.”  

If you really enjoy helping others and have a desire to work in the health care field, Goodwill has a great deal for you.

Did you know that Nashville has 56 health care companies located here? Did you know that the labor market has a shortage of skilled nurse assistants who can provide home health care and care at medical facilities? At Goodwill, we are able to help the labor market by training individuals to provide non-medically certified and certified medical care.

Goodwill Career Solutions offers a basic training program called, Health Care Initiatives, with a certified trainer who teaches basic medical terminology, how to take vital signs, and when you graduate you become certified in CPR and first aid. The training is free to our students and takes four weeks to complete. Our graduates have found entry level positions and began earning a paycheck within days of graduation from the training.

But Let’s Not Stop There!

Some of Goodwill’s students want to move up the career ladder in a health care occupation. By enrolling in a five- week certified nursing assistant’s (CNA) training program, you can become a certified nurse assistant and work in a hospital, rehabilitation center or other medical facilities managing patients’ long-term care or acute care.

Our first class is currently engaged in the clinical portion of their training at a local long-term care facility. By early December they will be ready to take the state certification test and earn a credential allowing them to work in a medical facility.

We have employers who have already contacted the program and want to interview our graduates for employment. We have a case manager who will help you with your application process and work with you on other concerns you might have related to training and work. She will help you with your job search, preparing a resume, learning how to complete the job applications and support as you practice your job interview skills. She will provide you with encouragement and stay in touch with you to help you feel supported as you start your new job.

Once you start to work you can identify other jobs in health care that might interest you and begin preparing yourself for taking that next step.

Get started in the medical field today, grow your skills, and help yourself to a better life while you help others.  If you are interested or need more information, call Sharonda Parks at Goodwill’s Career Solutions Center in Nashville at 615-346-1688 and get started on a successful career.  It’s never too late to grow your skills while you help others!

Career Scoop: Do You Really Need a College Degree?

AJ Helms, Career Counselor

I have clients ask me this all the time…. do I really need a college education to succeed? The short answer is YES. Not that you won’t succeed without one, but in a struggling economy and a tight job market what better way to make yourself stand out from the pack? There are a lot of variables to think about when considering college. How will I find the time? How will I pay for it? I don’t have four years to devote to school, is there a shorter program?

Not everyone is a traditional student so why would you look for a traditional college? Many people are discovering the advantages of career colleges. Career colleges offer many one-year and two-year programs to get you on your feet and moving in the right direction fast. One of the fastest growing fields is Healthcare, and career colleges are offering courses right now in your area such as Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, and Medical Billing and Coding, just to name a few. A Certified Nursing Assistant is another in-demand position and most of the programs only take 4-6 weeks!

Career colleges tend to be more flexible and understanding of the needs of the student as well. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd of a big university, but if you need that little extra of one on one attention, smaller class size, or even tutoring career colleges are there. There are financial aid officers to help you with all of your financial needs from tuition to books and supplies.

So what are you waiting for? Go make yourself stand out! A college degree is not as hard to come by as you might think. Go speak to an Admissions Representative today from the career college of your choice to see what they have to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Learn about the training programs at Goodwill Career Solutions that will help you stand out in the job market.

 

 

Career Scoop: Attitude is Everything

Kate Kiefling, Career Solutions Trainer

The orientation for our new Opportunities for Ex-Offenders class series here at Goodwill Career Solutions is titled “Attitude Is Everything.” Many job seekers come to the class with wonderful positive attitudes. They clearly have done some soul searching and take responsibility of their past. They are willing to do whatever it takes to find a better future, including sitting through yet another potentially boring class. They have learned about what kinds of events can trigger destructive thoughts and attitudes. They are leaders willing to help others over some attitude hurdles. They see the big picture and are already on their way to employment success!

Then again, it is heartbreaking when job seekers honestly share opinions about themselves “I have made too many mistakes in life” or “Nobody will hire me because of my criminal record.”

When these kinds of destructive messages play in our heads repeating negative self-images to ourselves over and over again, throughout the day, week, month or year, they sadly may become self-fulfilling prophecies. If these are our thoughts, how likely are we to have a positive attitude toward the job search process?

In the class, we invite job seekers to compose new, positive and hopefully healing self-images for themselves. Some of the most popular ones are:

• Although I am an ex-offender, somebody will hire me!
• I may need to work harder to get a job, but once I get one, I am willing to prove myself!
• I am not my past, I look to the future!
• I have learned from my mistakes.
• I am willing to learn new skills and attitudes.
• I am willing to make a positive change.
• I am worthy of a good job.
• I am able to handle rejection, bounce back, and continue my job search.
• It is their loss. They are missing out on a great worker!

We can sometimes be our own worst enemy. Our thoughts about the world of work, about the job search process and especially about ourselves will have an effect.

Now, can you afford the luxury of a negative thought?

Visit goodwillcareersolutions.org for more information on Goodwill Career Solutions programs.

Career Scoop: Meeting the Digital Demand

Matt Gloster, Senior Director of Career Solutions

Goodwill’s Document Archiving Program was started in response the growing need of businesses to quickly and securely store and retrieve the information in paper documents. The business expense associated with paper documents, both in terms of space and time, has led to a real demand for support services that can safely and securely archive company business information assets.

While technology has advanced, the need for people who possess the skills to do this work has not kept pace.  The basic knowledge and understanding of proper workflow, preparation, and indexing of the documents is essential in today’s workforce.

Goodwill has been helping people by providing relevant and timely job skills training and placement assistance for over 50 years and the addition of the document archiving program is a key step in marrying the business community’s needs with skilled employees.

The Goodwill document archiving program focuses on:

• Overview of document management and workflow
• Confidentiality and security procedures
• Computer software to scan and index
• Document and file preparation
• Creation and printing of barcodes
• Scanning and inspection of images
• Correcting or appending image files
• Repackaging  files and documents

Participants in the document archiving program first learn the basics of document management with an emphasis on document scanning. They also learn best practices that allow for a smooth workflow.

Due to the sensitivity of many documents, our trainees are instructed in confidentiality procedures and sign a confidentiality agreement. Trainees are also instructed on security methods concerning all files.

The training includes use of document imaging software package for scanning and indexing. Trainees learn all facets of the software pertaining to these areas.

One of the most important aspects of the process is document preparation. This responsibility demands attention to detail. All staples and paper clips must be removed to avoid damaging the scanner and expediting the scanning process. Pages are also aligned and participants learn proper indexing and how to create appropriate file organizational structure, which is critical to a quality outcome.  We train participants how to create barcode cover sheets to allow for batch scanning and indexing. Trainees learn the fundamentals of the barcode coversheet program and print unique barcode coversheets for each file.

Trainees learn to scan documents on our high speed scanner. Documents are scanned and thoroughly inspected to ensure discrepancies are noted, reviewed and repaired in a subsequent inspection process. It’s during this process that pages are appended or deleted as necessary.

In the final step, the trainees return the scanned documents to a designated area to await their final disposition.  Trainees are assigned to various areas as needed to ensure that files move in an efficient manner. The trainee learns and executes all facets of the process.

Goodwill’s document archiving program allows the trainees to learn the necessary elements of back file conversions. Computer skills are learned and enhanced. Quality is emphasized in every phase. Trainees work in every station and share the responsibility of completing the task with co-workers in the department.

For more information about our program or information about any of our trainees, visit Goodwill Career Solutions or contact us.

The Latest Career Scoop: Serving up Trained Clients with a Side of Success

Jerry Richardson, Contact Center Lead

Have you ever called the 1-800 number on the back of your debit or credit card?  Or have you ever dialed 611 from your cell phone?  If you have, then you’ve likely spoken to someone working in one of those company’s call centers.  It’s much easier to pick up a phone to call customer service, rather than visit your bank or a retailer for basic information.  It also can be comforting to know that whether early in the morning or late a night, a customer service agent is waiting to help you with any concerns or requests you may have, in some cases 24/7.  It’s convenient.  And that’s why call centers have flourished.

Convenience also brings certain expectations from customers.  Courtesy, easy resolution of issues and ending the phone call feeling that the company is really concerned with our concerns.

Companies go to great lengths researching not only what customers want and need, but also how customers want these needs addressed.  A satisfied customer is a customer who will continue to do business with the company.  So how do you provide world class customer service?  Goodwill!

Goodwill’s Contact Center Training program prepares participants for work in a call center environment with extensive training that focuses on learning to maneuver a computer system in a phone environment, while problem solving and providing the highest level of customer service.  This training program was designed to assist entry level workers gain the knowledge and experience needed to thrive in a call center career path.  Goodwill’s program has a real world element, as trainees spend time discussing communication skills, participating in role playing exercises, observing and discussing live calls, and finally taking live calls in a controlled environment.  There are also a series of knowledge check points throughout the course of this training.  Calls are monitored and graded just like in any typical call center environment.

Our training focuses on preparing workers to meet attendance expectations.  A common goal of many call centers is to make their facility ‘the best place to work’ so a great deal is invested in creating a workplace that is not only successful, but also staffed with the best possible candidates.  Working in a Call Center can offer stability, fulfillment, many rewards, and opportunities for advancement and requires multi-tasking while staying calm and authoritative

Well, our goal is to help those who really want to work in the call center customer service field, are serious about obtaining a job and starting a career in a call center.  Similar to any company’s hiring process, enrolling in Goodwill’s contact center training program is extensive and requires pre-assessment before being considered for class. The pre-assessment includes a typing test, basic computer skills and a series of problem-solving questions. Those who pass the pre-assessment then take part in an interview process before being accepted.

How successful are our graduates?  Luis began Contact Center Training in March of 2011 and in June of 2011 he was hired by a local Call Center as a bilingual customer service representative.  So how do you get started in this exciting, challenging, and rewarding program?  Learn more.

Career Scoop: Your Career Connection

Betty Johnson, Vice President of Employment Services

I am excited to announce that for the first time Goodwill is offering an online community space where clients can interact with each other, with counselors and trainers, and learn much more about the job search process.

www.goodwillcareersolutions.org is our new Web site that provides easy access to the 17 Career Solutions centers in Middle and West Tennessee and their respective programs and services. With one click a client can meet the counselor for the center closest to them, access a map, and learn about all of the training and services provided and more.

My Career Connection is a client community that is similar to Facebook. It allows for discussion on topics related to job placement and training services and it has training videos. Since some of our clients may not having access to a computer at home, My Career Connection offers a personal profile space in which clients can save their resumes for their online job application needs. Interacting with My Career Connection also strengthens the skills our clients are learning in our Digital Literacy classes.

The Community Events Calendar offers clients easy access to the latest information on job search and placement events in Middle and West Tennessee.

We intend to keep the content current and fresh with updated success stories, new tips and resources and of course, every day, the mix of folks utilizing My Career Connection will be new and different. Anyone involved in the job search process will want to keep checking back.

How do you get started? Click here.

Career Scoop: Clients on the Management TRAC

Heather Featherstone, Career Solutions Trainer

The goal of the TRAC II program is to prepare entry level workers who show promise for career advancement to a higher position that require supervisory level skills. Those skills include interaction management, problem-solving and leadership skills.

The course of this class covers understanding personal management style and preferred management style. The goal is to not only learn basic supervisory skills, but to aspire to be a great manager! Anyone can take on a title, but it truly takes someone exceptional to make the big differences.

This five-day training program is an entry level view into management and a model to change the personal performance mindset into a leadership, problem-solving mindset.

Lori Patterson and Jennie Overall of Union City are two shining examples of TRAC II successes! Lori was hired as a Career Solutions assistant immediately out of TRAC II and has done an outstanding job in her new role! Jennie Overall, after receiving the necessary supervisory training through TRAC II, was hired as a general manager of Generations – a local Union City restaurant.

TRAC II is a valuable and necessary class for anyone wishing to change his or her role and aspire become a leader. This course provides workers the opportunity and confidence to broaden and attain their professional goals.

Learn more about this fun and interactive class.

 

Career Scoop: Conquering Computers

By Tom Lee, Career Solutions Trainer

Whether we intend to or not, we all make assumptions. A chef assumes anyone could scramble an egg. A mechanic assumes anyone should be able to change a flat tire, and a computer instructor might assume anyone, in today’s world, can use a mouse and access the Internet. I plead guilty to the latter and confess that’s exactly how I felt three years ago.

Teaching Intro to Computer courses at Goodwill has been a real eye opener… fortunately, in a positive way! In the three years I have been training clients at Goodwill, I have come to the realization that not everyone has access to a computer and may never have had access to a computer until coming to Career Solutions. But having access to the equipment doesn’t mean one knows how to use it. Just like having all the ingredients readily available to bake a cake doesn’t mean someone can bake a cake!

I have met a variety of individuals all over the middle Tennessee area who are computer deficient, if not illiterate. Many cannot use a mouse; many don’t know what a desktop is; some don’t have e-mail and have no idea what an attachment is; and an alarmingly large percentage have never heard of Google!

But despite all this, these individuals share one commonality. They recognize their deficiency and have a desire and thirst to learn! They want to absorb as much as they can in the given time period to make them more marketable, and especially, more computer proficient. It is this drive and determination that I so frequently experience and witness and that makes what I do so rewarding.

We all have weaknesses. Recognizing those weaknesses is important. Setting a plan or goal to address that weakness and improve it is even more vital. It might be as simple as taking an Intro to Computer course at Goodwill. And as I tell my students, don’t worry about breaking the computer. You won’t… and even if you do, life will go on!

What are your improvement goals? How are you growing your skills?

Career Scoop: Good Choices Make Good Lives

By Debbie Grant, Career Solutions development director

When people think about Goodwill they think about shopping and making donations to help other people go to work. But what they may not know is that Goodwill is also about helping young people in middle school and high school learn about the importance of making good choices.

Consider the choices you make each day. What will I eat? What will I wear? Will I go to school or to work today? It’s all about deciding what to do. If you go shopping, you may decide to spend money on one big item or on several small items. Each of these decisions has an impact on today, tomorrow and in some manner, the years ahead.

Goodwill wants to encourage young people to stay in school, determine future options, and to understand that the way they behave today, along with the choices they make today, can directly impact them, their family and their community, for the rest of their lives. Goodwill counselors and employee volunteers help teens learn to make good decisions by visiting their schools and presenting a program called CHOICES. The CHOICES training consists of two one-hour interactive presentations that provide information so the students understand how they do have control over their present and their future. They learn the importance of self-discipline as a key to success and they have fun while learning!

Volunteers from Goodwill Industries and the Middle Tennessee Society for HR Management have partnered to make the presentations and fund the supplies for the program. Additional funding was provided by a grant from the Predators Foundation and United Parcel Service.

Know a classroom of eighth or ninth graders that can we can train? Call 615-346-1237.

 

 

Career Scoop: Lifting job seekers to another level

By Crystal Tyler, Computer Instructor

Twice a week, every Monday afternoon and Friday morning, the computer lab at our Berry Road Career Solutions Center transforms! It becomes the home of our forklift training program. Most forklift operators will tell you, “I’ve driven for years and never had to be certified,” and that was the case.  However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require that all forklift operators be certified. Lucky for them Goodwill can provide that certification.

Goodwill’s forklift training program is helpful on two fronts.  First, it helps the clients by giving them a boost of confidence because they are certified. Second, it helps employers by certifying employees for their business. Busy employers no longer have to dedicate time to train their personnel when it can be done by Goodwill.

Our three hour training program focuses on sit-down trucks and teaches the safety points that every forklift operator must know.  The class allows each student hands-on training, giving the benefit of obtaining experience on the equipment, regardless of whether they have operated a forklift in the past so the class is perfect for both the novice and the seasoned professional operator.

Beginning in 2011, we will be offering a new addition to our forklift training, focusing on narrow-aisle (aka reach trucks) equipment.  This training will be offered to those who have previous experience on this type of equipment.

Here at Goodwill our training programs offer more than just knowledge.  They offer the chance at a better life.  Whether it is the ability to find a job, or the ability to move up in the position that you already have, chances are that Goodwill has a training program that can help you do just that.

Do you know someone whose life could be changed if they were to go through one of Goodwill’s training programs?  Let them know Goodwill can help.