Patricia enrolled in our Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP) and was assigned to train as a retail sales clerk at Thrift Shop Our Place. She completed her professional resume, practiced mock interviewing and began building a professional job-search network. She also completed our Soft Skills Academy and earned a Work Ready Certificate.
When the pandemic hit, SCSEP participants were offered virtual training, as they were not able to continue in-person training at their host agency sites. During this time, Patricia, who is pictured here (right), completed a series of job-readiness activity trainings to expand her skillset. In June 2020, she returned to Thrift Shop Our Place to continue job training. She also began biweekly phone calls to the Kentucky Career Center, as they were not open to in-person services.
In March 2021, a new training opportunity finally became available, and it matched one of Patricia’s employment goals. Following program protocol, she rotated to a new agency, Meals on Wheels in Green County. She trained as a food service worker, making a great first impression on her host agency supervisor. After one month, Patricia was presented with an opportunity to be hired as a manager at her previous host agency training site, Thrift Shop Our Place.
Patricia accepted the manager position and was hired due to her good work ethic and the experience she gained during her SCSEP training assignment.
Patricia said, “I sure do appreciate Goodwill SCSEP and Kim Culliton [career coach] working with me and matching me up with a host agency that provided me the opportunity to do retail work, because this is truly what my career goal was. Because of this opportunity, I am now an employee of Thrift Shop Our Place!”
Goodwill Industries of Kentucky was proud to observe National Employ Older Workers Week from September 19-25. SCSEP provides critical job training and placement services to support older job seekers. The program offers paid, on-the-job training for older workers who have low incomes or are unemployed.
To learn more about our SCSEP program, visit www.goodwillky.org/scsep.