Goodwill of North Georgia understands highway infrastructure, roadways, and public transportation services that keep us in motion are in dire need of committed workers in Georgia and nationally. The US is currently seeing a drastic decline in construction, transportation, and labor workers with over half a million job openings that need to be filled. The organization – currently one of the largest retail operations and workforce training agencies in Georgia – offers expansive, no-cost career service programs including Highway Construction to train thousands of individuals a year to take on these jobs and become part of the solution to keep America moving forward.
In order to shine a light on infrastructure and transportation needs within our communities, here is a story of one single mother working to get her life on track and the impact Goodwill has had on her journey.
For Ivory Flemister-Reid, a single mother with a criminal background, history repeatedly kept her from jobs she knew she was qualified to perform. Support from her family helped Flemister-Reid with many of the obstacles she faced, but she knew she would have to fight for a career on her own.
Ivory found Goodwill of North Georgia’s Highway Construction program and enrolled. “Driving heavy equipment was a dream job,” she says. The program was a perfect fit. Flemister-Reid obtained her CDL Class B Drivers License with a passenger endorsement while in training, along with safety training, job readiness training, and a local apprenticeship with one of Goodwill’s community training partners.
Shortly after she was admitted into the apprenticeship she got a call from MARTA to interview for a part-time job opening for mobility drivers. She ended up landing a full-time position as a bus operator and was even featured in an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution when MARTA expanded its routes in Clayton County.
Happily employed and a now face for her company, Flemister-Reid is proud of her accomplishment. “You’ve got to look for bus 1605,” she beams. “That’s my bus.”Ivory’s story is one of many that highlights Goodwill’s efforts to effectively identify the workforce needs of North Georgia communities and develop programs to train people across a wide range of skilled trades and career opportunities. Its 14 career centers are dedicated to providing no-cost job training, placement, case management, work support, paid internships, and opportunities to anyone in need. To learn more about Goodwill of North Georgia’s career services and job training programs including Highway Construction, visit www.goodwillng.org.
