The Program That Keeps on Giving
Life is full of challenges that can really test an individual. At times, unfortunately, devastating events occur that literally turn a person’s life upside down and they find themselves at a crossroad. It’s during these devastating times, whether it be an illness, a divorce or losing a job that greatly impact the livelihood of the household. Individuals find themselves in situations they never imagined they would be in … leaving them feeling helpless and alone. An illness can leave an individual unable to work or having an increase of medical expenses they can’t afford. A divorce may put a woman back into the workforce after years of not working in order to provide for herself and children. The loss of a job completely shuts down the income flow and the whole household is affected. These life- changing events can happen to the educated, as well as, those with limited education, to those with years of job experience, and especially to those who have no job experience. It’s during these life-changing situations that programs offered by WPMG provide the circumstances that can really make a difference.
Client Services Support For Workforce Agencies
Workforce Partners Management Group, LLC. (WPMG) works with Workforce agencies to assist individuals in preparing them for the job market. Job-preparedness classes address, not just the individual as an employee, but they treat the whole person as well as the family. An individual has to have the right mindset in order to be a good employee. Whatever is taking place personally with the individual, whether it be an illness, children, living conditions, etc., can greatly affect their ability to perform on the job. WPMG takes all aspects of an individual’s life into consideration and all areas of their lives are addressed. WPMG assists individuals by having them face their situation and then strategize with them on how to overcome obstacles.
While a great portion of the classes are designed to prepare an individual for the workforce, WPMG understands that the personal challenges they face need to be addressed before moving them into the job market. The major obstacle, such as the loss of a job, is what brings individuals into the program; however, additional obstacles may exist. These obstacles include: no transportation, no childcare, no permanent place to live, etc. All of these concerns greatly affect how an individual can perform on the job and WPMG provides direction and assistance in addressing these issues. While individuals may attend a week’s worth of classes with WPMG trainers, a coaching program is implemented at that time that will last for several more weeks, maybe months, after participants complete their classes.
Coaching Workforce Customers Through Difficult Times
As participants complete their job-readiness training, a personal employment coach is assigned to them. This employment coach remains with them until they have secured a job and have remained on the job for a minimum of six weeks.
This employment coach, not only offers assistance during their job seeking efforts, but also provides direction in all aspects of their life that is affecting them. The employment coach assists them in daycare issues, transportation, medical concerns, in addition to helping them locate other resources or programs that can provide assistance, as needed. This employment coach is available to them by telephone, texting, and e-mail on a daily basis. The personal coaching provides encouragement, direction, assistance in finding job leads, preparing them for job interviews, and is really there to assist these individuals in every aspect. The employment coach works directly with the individual in establishing goals and puts them on a course toward achieving them.
During a recent period, personal coaching has been a great asset to some individuals, a few of whom I will mention.
Customer One
A young woman found herself displaced due to a divorce and the loss of her job simultaneously. She found herself with no place to live for herself and children and no income. She came into the program feeling very depressed about her situation and not knowing how to pull herself out of it. She had education supporting her job pursuits, was very well spoken, and was definitely very job-ready; however, her personal home concerns were making it difficult for her to find a job. She had no place to live and moved in temporarily with friends.
She had to place her older child in one home and kept her younger child with her. She had no daycare to care for her child which made it difficult for her to go on job interviews and had limited money to pay anyone. She didn’t have clothing for interviews. She did have a car, but it needed repairs. She was very stressed due to everything she was carrying on her shoulders and really needed someone to listen to her situation, someone who would walk her through things that needed to be done, someone who would keep her focused on the positive versus the negative, someone to help!
This is where the employment coach stepped in and walked with her through all the obstacles she was facing. The employment coach helped her find a daycare that would care for her daughter for a few hours whenever she needed for thew purpose of allowing interview appointments for a low price per hour. She was able to find assistance to have her car repaired and was able to get clothing for her interviews through the state subsidized program. This customer utilized the employment coach during a very important job interview, a job she really wanted because of the opportunities it provided. The customer called her employment coach prior to the interview and the coach put her through mock interview questions. During the interviewing process, she found herself being forwarded to two additional interviews and called her employment coach in between the interviews to get guidance on questions to ask and things to keep her motivated.
The customer ended up getting the job. Since getting the job, she has been able to find an apartment for herself and children, now has health insurance, and has steady income. This customer is very grateful to have stability in her life again and is doing great at her job and her home life is at peace. She stated that having an employment coach made all the difference to her because she received the direction and encouragement she needed to keep going.
Customer Two
Another individual who has greatly benefited from the employment coach is a young man who was in a very negative state when he attended the WPMG Job-Readiness Classes. He was new to the city, was facing major medical concerns, and didn’t have a job. His mindset was very negative and he was mad at the world. During the classes, the WPMG trainers discovered how smart he was and that he would be a huge asset to anyone who would hire him. As a matter of fact, he was sent to an interview on the third day of classes and was offered a job. The employment coach stepped in after the classes to provide assistance in getting his personal situation under control. He had a medical situation that was greatly affecting him and could jeopardize him working.
While the young man was very motivated to work and wanted stability in his life, his constant pain could put him in a very bad mood. His medical situation was a dire one because he had no insurance and no money to even go see a doctor for treatment or for the medication he required. He was in excruciating pain often and would sink to depression; however, the employment coach kept him encouraged. The employment coach sought programs to provide assistance for him and she really worked with him to keep him motivated and worked with him on a daily basis. The employment coach knew that he could easily slip into a deep depression at times, so the coach contacted him several times a day to ensure he was doing okay.
It was mutually decided that the young man would need to seek employment offering him medical insurance because of his condition, plus he needed to find a job that was not so physically demanding. Together they searched for job opportunities and found a position meeting his qualifications and background, plus it had the benefits he needed. The young man interviewed for the job and was hired. He was very excited because it’s a less demanding position physically, offers a great opportunity for him to become a trainer and/or supervisor, and it offers medical insurance as well. He is now waiting to start his new job and is very excited about being able to seek medical care. He states that having someone who cared about his well being really helped him to stay focused and encouraged him to keep pressing forward.
Customer Three
Another young man who entered the program was an individual who even the trainers had a difficult time in getting him to participate. He was angry and distressed because he didn’t want to be in the classes. He wouldn’t speak or participate and seemed to be taking it out on everyone. It was discovered that he had dropped out of school, had a small baby at home with his girlfriend, was living with his grandmother, had no transportation, and no money. It was later discovered that his girlfriend was pregnant again and that’s when the trainer explained to him that he needed to get his life together because he had a wife and family that were depending on him to take care of them.
The employment coach spent some time with him in class and challenged him to give a speech about himself. He refused, at first, but then when the coach wouldn’t accept his refusal, he finally agreed and gave an outstanding introduction about himself. In talking about himself, this young man stated he wanted to go to technical school for computers and actually had someone who would pay for his education and would hire him. It was also discovered that he was facing eviction from the place he was living and had nowhere to go. That same afternoon, plans were put into action by WPMG, the coach and workforce staff.
Assistance was found to get him into his own apartment and telephone calls were made to place him in a job with the person who had offered him a job and educational opportunities. He quickly saw the importance of the program and how he could benefit. He quickly changed his attitude and engaged in whatever was asked of him. The young man immediately started his new job and has done exceptionally well since then. The employment coach has assisted him in getting enrolled in GED classes and he is currently taking those classes.
He is working with computers at his job and his boss will be paying for his education with a promise to advance him to work with clients upon completion of his program. He now has a vehicle and has recently moved into a home for himself and his family. The young man stated that he knows he was a challenge, but he appreciated how the employment coach stayed on him to follow through on completing things and keeping him motivated. He was most appreciative of how the coach would tell him that he was making them proud and believed in his ability to succeed. He stated that he never had anyone tell him that he made them proud.
Customer Four
One final young woman came into the program full of energy and ready to do whatever was asked of her. She was very willing to work wherever placed and had the motivation to succeed. The challenge for this young woman was her background which had some criminal activity and presented a huge challenge in job placement. The employment coach worked with her in how to address her background and to embrace it because she had made a huge mistake in not disclosing the information to an employer and lost the job. It was a hard lesson learned because she really wanted the job and they really liked her.
She relied heavily on the employment coach through her various job interviews and job placements. The young woman often faced situations where she would get angry and the employment coach would keep her calm about situations and keep her encouraged. Because of her background, her job search was frustrating her and lack of income was weighing heavily on her. She was becoming distraught about her situation and was starting to get depressed. The coach pressed her to dream big and the young woman contemplated returning to school to pursue training in something that would provide her a good future. She applied for educational assistance and was provided funding at whatever time she decides to attend school. The young woman and her employment coach worked together in seeking job opportunities.
After numerous jobs, the young woman has found employment with a very good company that provides a great opportunity for her. She now has the stability she was seeking and is very happy with herself. She stated that WPMG staff have been so good to her and that her coach really helped keep her calm about things. She further stated that having the support helped her believe in herself and not to let her past keep her from succeeding.
The Conclusion Is Clear
What these stories show is that with a little bit of guidance, encouragement, and persistence, anything is possible. No matter what situation an individual is facing, having someone who believes in them and keeping them focused can be the key to reaching goals. WPMG and their employment coaching program have played crucial roles in helping individuals achieve success after success, not just in their employment, but also in their personal lives.
The one-on-one attention given to these individuals has helped them achieve their goals in being self-sustaining individuals in a short period of time. Most of these goals were reached within a few months. The belief and strategy of treating the whole person is key to any type of success and this is what WPMG and their coaching program focus on when dealing with individuals. Life may throw challenges at you, but with the right attitude and support, those challenges can certainly be overcome.
For further information about WPMG and various programs that they offer, send an e-mail to info@campusjobxpress.com and someone will contact you.
It is the belief and basis of WPMG Training that an individual possesses the ability to make their life what it becomes. Attracting what one feels is basically what one gets. For further information on the curriculum used in the Job-Readiness Classes, please refer to the article entitled “It’s A Quantum Life; The Little Things Do Matter” featured in the February 2014 issue.
“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” ~ Les Brown
“The biggest failure you can have in life is making the mistake of never trying at all.” ~ Unknown
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
You want to go into an interview with just a bit of degree higher than you would look if you were actually going to work there everyday. When going to interview, you should have a look preferred by the employer. You want to go a bit beyond that look. Ladies, short skirts or revealing dresses will not give the right impression. Gentlemen, showing off your abs with really tight clothes won’t do it either.
How you dress isn’t the only thing to affect you securing a well paying job. Your body language and posture are major factors as well. Walk with your head held high and your back straight.
Your speaking is also a major factor in getting hired. You need to have the correct usage of words. You should pronounce each word so the employer or your interviewer can understand you and know what it is you are trying to say. You should not chew gum or have anything in your mouth at the time of your interview.
When you shake the hand of the person who is interviewing you, make sure you shake their hand firmly and not wimpy. You don’t want to leave your interviewer with the thought that they were just holding a dead fish. Make your shake warm and energetic, but don’t break anyone’s fingers. When you see your interviewer approaching, stand up and move toward them. You should definitely make eye contact with them as you introduce yourself.
Firmly shake their hand and remember to keep either a smiling face or at least a pleasant looking face. After they introduce themselves, make sure that you respond with “Very nice to meet you Mr./Ms. ____.” Repeating their name allows you to remember who you are dealing with and it will help you know their name should you need to call back and ask about the status of your interview or in sending a thank you note after the interview.
Employers will post their available positions online with specifications for each job posted on various online job fair events. The job seeker can then browse through the available positions and select those for which they are most qualified.
This Online Job Fair is beneficial because it allows applicants to apply for more jobs from many different locations without having to worry about transportation, child care and long lines plus not being able to connect with the employer. The Online Job Fair assures the applicant to make that connection with the employer every time.