Success Stories | Kyler
Kyler was not experiencing success in a traditional high school setting and admitted that he did not do well because of difficulty concentrating and staying on task. With his mother, Kyler sought out alternative schooling options so he could gain the tools needed to be successful in the workforce.
They came into the Eckerd Connects Workforce Development site in Deland, FL to learn more about the program in late 2019. A brief time after their visit, Kyler was enrolled.
Quick to Adapt
As a participant, Kyler was quiet and focused. His issues with concentration and staying on task were minor and quickly corrected by his Career Coach.
The strength of the Eckerd Connects Workforce Development program is instructors’ ability to work with the various issues young people have that the traditional school system cannot handle.
Kyler was presented with a wide range of workforce and life lessons to help him gain employable skills. He participated in career workshops such as:
- Dress for Success
- Workplace Ethics
- Networking
- Career Exploration
- Soft Skills
- Lifetime Earnings & Salary vs Wage
- Resume, and Mock Interview Practice/Tips
He took part in life skills workshops including:
- Conflict Resolution
- Tax Information
- Teen Pregnancy
- Domestic Violence
- Anger Management
- Cost of Renting
- Alcohol Use/Abuse
- Leadership
Kyler fulfilled the Work Experience (WEX) portion of our program by working with uBreakiFix in northern Deland. He started with the company in mid-March and successfully completed it in late July of 2021.
A “WEX” is when participants work with a business in the community to obtain employment experience and explore a career interest.
At the conclusion of the 160-hour experience, participants obtain experience that can be added to their resume, receive a quality written job reference, and in some cases are hired by the company.
Eight months after enrollment into our program, Kyler obtained his High School Diploma. Shortly after his family moved to the Greensboro, NC area so they could care for a family member. Upon arrival, Kyle took a significant role in caring for his elderly grandfather. His job hunt was temporarily on hold.
A couple of months after moving to the location, Kyler began helping with the Amadi Way Project and was quickly hired by the project’s leadership. The project’s focal point was a multi-purpose community center outside the Greensboro city downtown area that “aims to provide employment opportunity for a variety of skills.”
As the Amadi Way website further explains:
“Community is built by individuals who have a shared vision and hope for the future. When the Amadi Way Project is completed, it will be a cornerstone in creating vibrancy in the Glenwood area and compliment the endeavors in the Triad. We build together; we prosper together because anything is possible.”
Help us provide opportunities for more young people to prosper by donating today.