Success Story | Qimmah
Leaving her job in Delaware, Qimmah wasn’t sure what the future held. She knew the process of searching for a job could feel treacherous, and was scared to waste valuable money and time on the wrong pursuit.
One day as she was retuning home from an interview at a local supermarket, she decided to stop at a bakery she had visited before with her mother and sister. On her way there, she made a wrong turn and came upon a sign for PA CareerLink (one of our Workforce Development programs) – she says it’s the best wrong turn she made in her life. Curious if they could help her, she went in to find out more. Qimmah heard about all the resources she would have access to through the program and immediately signed up. She even received a $100 gift card and a tablet.
“Everyone was very kind, caring, and helpful,” she wrote about the program. Ubering every day, she tried to maximize her access to resources. She took a class in Customer Service and Sales and received a two-year certification. “I’ve received help with my resume (it looks way better than before!), I’ve learned many things that will stick with me for the rest of my life… things including budgeting, credit repair, excellent customer service, how to start and run a business, and how to get an EIN number for my business… there’s many more where that came from.” Her memories from the program also include making friends – she learned to play dominos with her peers and says it felt more like a family. “I was very happy and blessed to have found that program.”
Her outcome, she writes, is more than she could’ve ever imagined. She mentioned to her mentors that she had always wanted to work with youth, but she never expected that she would receive a recommendation to join the Eckerd Connects team. “When I found out, I was so excited. I am so grateful for everyone recognizing how ambitious and dedicated I am. I am grateful to have this wonderful job. I love how professional and kind everyone is here. I have literally the best coworkers and bosses, the energy here is amazing. I’ve learned so much and am looking forward to learning many more things. Just a few months ago I was job searching at CareerLink. Now I am working for CareerLink. This shows that consistency, dedication, working, and striving for what you want can be the best thing for you. Stay motivated and ambitious and you will accomplish something!”
Learn more about Workforce Development or find a program near you below.