Job Skills Training for the Future: Class is in Session at Goodwill
It’s back to school time! Students of all ages are putting on their fresh new backpacks and heading to class for a new school year filled with learning. The same is true at Ohio Valley Goodwill!
When you think of Goodwill, you probably think of thrift stores and donating items from your home. Whether you realize it or not, your donations and shopping trips help to make essential education and employment possible for thousands of people! Here’s how:
Individualized Career Exploration
Ohio Valley Goodwill focuses on helping people with disabilities, our nation’s veterans, and others who face barriers to employment. We want job seekers to feel empowered with the education and tools they need to go to work in their communities and enjoy a greater sense of personal fulfillment.
To start, Goodwill provides opportunities for job seekers to discover what occupation might be a good fit for their needs and goals. By getting to know individuals one-on-one, we help them match their interests, skills, and abilities to the job option(s) they might enjoy.
Training Services
One of the many ways Ohio Valley Goodwill sets job seekers up for success is by providing training that ensures they have the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. This can include special job skills training, such as learning basic computer skills, as well as general work skills such as communication, attendance, and teamwork.
Through collaborative partnerships with County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio, Ohio Valley Goodwill is also able to provide learning opportunities specifically for individuals with disabilities, focusing on skills like problem-solving, task completion, interpersonal relations, safety, and other life skills.
Through Goodwill’s Job Development and Placement Services, our Employment Specialists provide ongoing individualized support, helping job seekers prepare for interviews, complete applications, and attend job fairs. Once they’re hired, we help individuals learn about what’s expected of them in the workplace before they start their new job.
Opportunities for Work-Based Learning
Not all learning happens in a classroom! Ohio Valley Goodwill works to ensure job seekers have the chance to learn on the job, too. We often partner with area employers to allow individuals served by Ohio Valley Goodwill the opportunity to tour local workplaces or even job shadow. Through hands-on experience, job seekers are able to apply what they’ve learned about workplace structure and expectations to real-world experiences.
Tools for a Bright Future
As you can see, Ohio Valley Goodwill has a wide variety of programs and services designed to provide a hand-up instead of a handout to individuals with disabilities, our nation’s veterans, and others. Through career coaching, job skills training, and other employment services, Goodwill helps job seekers achieve vocational and personal success! The amazing individuals we serve get to learn how to support themselves through steady employment and ultimately enjoy a sense of pride that fuels their desire to continue learning and growing in their careers. (Take a look at our Success Stories page to see their inspiring accomplishments!)
Did you know? Every time you shop at a Goodwill retail store or donate your gently-used items to Goodwill, you’re directly supporting our nonprofit mission to change lives through the power of work. Your generosity allows us make a difference in Greater Cincinnati and surrounding areas, helping job seekers empower themselves to achieve their goals. For over 100 years, Ohio Valley Goodwill has strived to be the leader in quality and effectiveness of vocational, educational, social, and human services in the state of Ohio, and we couldn’t do it without your support. Thank you!
