Last month, Goodwill of North Georgia launched its annual New Year, New Job program for the 14th year in a row, aimed at helping North Georgians find employment. The initiative is aligned with the organization’s mission to put people to work. The program concluded on January 30, during which Goodwill’s 14 career centers hosted multiple career fairs, including virtual career fairs, for those who preferred a digital-based environment or were unable to attend in person. The program connected more than 1,600 North Georgians to new jobs.
The New Year, New Job program offered participants the chance to explore different career paths, such as Customer Service, Environmental Services, Phlebotomy, Welding, Youth Employment Services, and Highway Construction. The program saw participation from companies such as The Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Corrections, Alliance Ground International, FedEx, Fastenal Company, STRIVE Atlanta, Averitt Express, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Grady Health System, The Bail Project, and ATL GA Staffing.
Although the program has ended, people looking for a job, a better job, or a career can still take advantage of one of the many available career programs at one of Goodwill of North Georgia’s 14 career centers. These programs include Construction, Forklift Operations, Health Environmental Services, Hospitality, Logistics, Retail Customer Services, and the organization’s newest program, Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment Technician (EVSE). The EVSE program is a 4-week training program where students learn how to be maintenance technicians for electric vehicle supply equipment such as solar storage, charging, heat pumps, and energy efficiency.
In the last five years, Goodwill of North Georgia has served 206,009 job seekers and helped connect 107,825 with jobs. Eric Harris from Fulton County enrolled in Goodwill’s forklift training program at Goodwill’s Old National Career Center with the help of SNAP E&T funding. He completed the program and gained certifications in forklift operation, CPR/First Aid, and OSHA. Additionally, he completed all three levels of the Digital Literacy program offerings through a grant from Fulton CARES. Eric’s Employment Specialist helped him connect with a recruiter, leading him to secure a job as a forklift driver with DHL. Eric is grateful to Goodwill and its funders for providing training programs that have helped him gain knowledge and improve his life.
Jordan Douglas sought career assistance from the Smyrna Goodwill Career Center to find new opportunities and make a positive change in his life. Jordan was interested in Goodwill’s welding program but was unsure how he could afford the training. Jordan had previously been incarcerated, which deeply affected his employment opportunities. He was given information about Goodwill’s Young Adult Reentry Program (YARP), which is funded through the Department of Labor. His case managers helped him prepare for the interview and update his résumé. He completed his welding training at Goodwill successfully and is now working as a welder at Atkore US Tray Manufacturer in Atlanta.
Goodwill of North Georgia’s Career Centers will continue to conduct career fairs throughout the year and provide various professional development courses, such as Microsoft Office workshops, Computer Basics, and resume writing. To learn more about Goodwill’s career programs, visit https://goodwillng.org/putting-people-to-work/explore-our-career-centers/.
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