David
Adult/Dislocated Worker Program Coordinator Leigh Dunning reports on her customer. “David had served in the Marines, earned two bachelor’s degrees following his military service, and worked in management at a local call center for several years. When the call center closed, he decided to stay home to care for a family member. In June 2018, after a six-year gap in employment, he was ready to re-enter the workforce,” Leigh explains.
“A Man-Tra-Con Career Specialist assisted David in identifying his transferable skills and designing a functional resume that would emphasize his skills and experience rather than immediately calling attention to the gap in his employment. David wanted to continue working in the customer service field. David interviewed for a temporary Work Experience Program position as a Resource Room Assistant with the Marion American Job Center. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds paid David’s salary and mileage reimbursement while he gained more current work experience to put on his resume,” Leigh adds.
“After five months of working with Man-Tra-Con, David got a full-time job as a Customer Service Associate in the Hyatt Call Center in Marion. David earns $14 per hour, taking inbound calls and assisting travelers with reservations and other needs. David loves the benefits at his new job, especially the free hotel stays he can earn on an annual basis. He’s looking forward to using them and his paid vacation time to visit the Caribbean,” Leigh reports.
“As they say, ‘it’s easier to find a job when you have a job,’ and David said the Work Experience Program helped him fill in his employment gap and get back into the routine of working so that he could land permanent employment in his chosen career field,” Leigh says.