“It’s the most rewarding experience in my life to be able to help my students.”
“It’s the most rewarding experience in my life to be able to help my students.”
-Ginger
What would you do if you were out of a job for over a year? You’d start running out of hope. And that’s exactly what happened to Ginger.
Years ago, nearing her college graduation, Ginger encountered some personal difficulties that led her to drop out. After decades of working in the service industry, Ginger wanted something different. She took a bold step and quit her job, but she soon found herself stuck and unsure of what to do next. She had been in the same industry for so long that she didn’t know what kind of opportunities were out there for her. She became disheartened and began to lose hope. She realized she had to start over, and that’s when she connected with Goodwill.
Her Career Case Manager learned that Ginger was interested in working with children. A place to start! They sat down together and focused on creating a career plan.
Watch Ginger’s Story
Ginger knew that she would need to sharpen some essential skills to help launch her into her dream job. She was enrolled into Goodwill Career Advancement Boot Camp. Ginger’s diligence was rewarded with stellar comments from her instructors. “She had the most positive and energetic attitude,” says Felicia, Ginger’s Career Case Manager. “After finishing Boot Camp, Ginger launched into the Paraeducator Training at Austin Community College with help through the Goodwill Career and Technical Academy, and sought out extra training for Special Education.
Success! Ginger landed a job at a school near her home, working as a Special Education Teacher’s Assistant. “It’s the most rewarding experience in my life to be able to help my students. There are some amazing doors opening for me as a Teacher’s Assistant, and the school is paying for me to get my Teacher’s certificate,” says Ginger. “She sees a lot of growth and potential for her future, and her eyes just light up when she talks about her career,” adds Felicia.
Ginger smiled and said, quietly, “I hope you can use my story to inspire others.”
