Michael recently won the Rise Up award at the Goodwill Annual Awards banquet. This award recognizes a Goodwill program participant for outstanding achievement in overcoming barriers to attain and maintain employment.
Michael graduated from the Goodwill Vocational Adjustment/Work Ready program. He completed 400 hours of education and job training, in addition to earning several digital skills certificates. After graduating, Michael was hired as a store associate at the Goodwill store in East Brainerd. With the help of Goodwill, he was able to design his work schedule around his classes at Chattanooga State Community College.
“After working with Vocational Rehabilitation, Michael met with me,” says Rachel Inman, Senior Director of Missions Services. “He had some lofty goals for himself. While in the program, Michael had started going to school at Chattanooga State for Culinary Arts, coming to work training regularly and assisting around the house to help with his brothers. He was doing all of this while tackling public transportation. Each goal that he set, he conquered. We look forward to seeing how he thrives in this next phase of his life.”
Michael says his favorite part of working at Goodwill is “being with the people who care about me and helping customers and donors. I was very surprised that I won the award. I couldn’t have done it without the Goodwill team and my friends and family.”
