Mark entered the JOBS NOW! program at Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) in March of 2015, after being out of the workforce for some time. As a single dad raising a 5-year-old daughter, Mark needed to make a change and find employment that could help him better support his family. When classes began, Mark was not immediately engaged in the classroom. His outlook on life was skewed by his personal upbringing and lack of help from his daughter’s mother. He looked at the business world and life in general in a negative way and was on the verge of quitting JOBS NOW! before he graduated. That is until his job coach at SELF spoke with him one-on-one and encouraged him to focus on the positive things in his life like raising his daughter and providing her a better life.
Mark continued with the classes; he practiced mock interviews and an elevator speech with SELF volunteers and said both activities renewed his confidence. Mark graduated from the JOBS NOW! program with a new resume, cover letter and employment skills. Shortly after graduation, Mark was encouraged to apply at Great Lakes Maintenance, a contractor for AK Steel and was hired full-time! He worked for the company for several months before he was offered a new opportunity elsewhere. Mark still meets with his job coach on a regular basis for support, and he has maintained full-time employment without gaps in between employers since graduating from the program. He continues to focus on the good aspects of life with a positive attitude and says he is thankful for the help that SELF has given him and his daughter.