Augustine
Workforce Challenge:
Augustine was a Project Specialist for IQ Air North America in La Mirada, CA. Upon hearing that he was going to be laid off in December 2014, Augustine began job searching in July 2014. During his job search, Augustine wasn’t having much luck and finally decided that he needed professional assistance in finding a new career. The biggest challenge he faced was a lack of confidence in his skills. He wasn’t sure that he was knowledgeable or qualified enough for the type of jobs he was interested in. In September 2014, Augustine’s hours were reduced.
Workforce Solution:
During the latter part of 2014, he found out about SELACO WIB when he started looking online for career counseling services. He stated that there were lots of blogs and individuals that advertised career counseling services, but the cost of the services was outrageous. SELACO WIB offered the same services free-of-charge and was located close to where he lived. Augustine was underemployed for three months and unemployed for one month.
Outcome & Benefits:
In January 2015, Augustine answered an ad on Craigslist for an Environmental Specialist at Associated Environmental Management located in Pasadena, CA. He landed a face-to-face interview. A week later, Augustine received an offer for the position. He said, “SELACO-WIB helped me figure out my strengths and weaknesses and identify how I could show my value to prospective employers. The job search workshops were instrumental in helping me to gain confidence and know that I could find a new career and be successful in my new position.” He also added, “I would definitely refer job seekers to SELACO WIB. Everyone I met was very helpful and the support offered was above and beyond what I expected.” When asked what did you learn while at SELACO WIB, Augustine replied, “I learned to show my value and skills by example rather than just listing duties I had previously performed in other positions. This really helped me to focus on my transferable skills and develop a strategy for finding jobs with similar skill sets. I also learned how to properly prepare for interviews. Without the “Time to Shine” class it would have been very difficult for me to interview successfully.” Augustine further stated that, “Anthony was very helpful. His enthusiasm for teaching was very evident and it showed in how he engaged us all during his workshops. Keep up the good work!”
Congratulation, Augustine!
