Goodwill grads move from training to job interviews
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY)— Graduates of Goodwill Kentucky’s latest Construction and Skilled Trades Pathway cohort moved from the classroom to job interviews Wednesday, meeting directly with local employers after completing hands-on workforce training.
Participants earned either an OSHA-10 or Procore industry credential and received help with resumes and interview preparation. The program’s curriculum was developed with input from employers to better match current workforce needs.
More than technical training
Dennis Ritchie, Vice President of Reentry and Strategic Partnerships for Goodwill Kentucky, said employers are looking for qualities that go beyond technical ability.
“First of all, these individuals are learning accountability and dependability,” Ritchie said. “So they showed up for this cohort. They put the effort in. And that’s a life skill, really something that can’t be taught necessarily. But they are kind of learning that here with us. And those employers need that more so than a technical skill.”
Goodwill works with people facing a range of employment barriers, including gaps in work history, previous involvement with the justice system and recovery from substance abuse disorders.
Ritchie said the organization tries to address those barriers one person at a time.
“We have a super vision of ending poverty in Kentucky,” he said. “But the way we approach that is just what you saw here today with these cohorts. So one cohort at a time, one individual at a time, providing holistic services, reducing barriers, running these credentials that we have a great employer, partners who are guaranteeing interviews for these individuals on the back end.”
A job he looks forward to
David Bridges knows what that path can look like.
Bridges completed an earlier Goodwill cohort and later connected with Reynolds Sealing and Striping. He said the program helped lead him to work he enjoys.
“Today it’s got me landing a great job, a wonderful job that I love getting up, going to every morning,” Bridges said. “I haven’t missed a day since I’ve been there.”
He said he first came to Goodwill because he wanted to change his life. The class quickly became something he felt he needed.
Bridges later interviewed with Steven Adams of Reynolds Sealing and Striping. He said the experience left a lasting impression.
“It was amazing. I was overwhelmed,” Bridges said. “I was happy, so happy. I see the tears, you know? But it was a great moment for me and a great start in my life and changing my life for the better.”
Support beyond the classroom
UnitedHealthCare sponsored the cohort. Whitney Allen, Chief Enrollee and Quality Operations Officer, said steady work can play an important role in a person’s overall stability.
“A core component of people getting healthier is economic stability and job placement and skills building,” Allen said. “And so we love being a partner with goodwill because they are foundational in communities to help people remove barriers, provide opportunities so they can get to that next step of economic stability to live a healthier life.”
After the graduation ceremony, participants interviewed with employer partners for potential job opportunities, putting the training they completed directly to use.
