My favorite classes in High School were my art and shop classes. I loved working with my hands and being creative. However, I was not really good at it! I knew I would not make a career out of those activities they would always be my beloved hobbies. However, in my speech and leadership classes I excelled. Today I run a nonprofit and still pastor a small church. I learned what I was good at and then I was able to gain the education to support my career aspirations. I am guessing many of you reading this have had similar experiences, learning what you are good at and then securing the training and education to attain your goals.
At the Start of our College of Trades program, just over 50% of our clients even know what they want to do. 70% of them feel underprepared or undereducated to even reach for a career goal. This is why we have each and every student take a national work interest assessment called O*Net. This helps our students consider their interests and career options. We also partner with Johnson County Community College to secure training in the trades. Every student is able to graduate and receive a certificate of completion in entry level welding, or OSHA, or Customer Service. By the end of our College of Trades, assessments show that nearly 80% of our students have an idea of what they want to do for a career. We are making an impact in the lives of men and women reentering our community after incarceration!