Sometimes the biggest challenge in whether a job seeker can get a job or not isn’t in their qualifications, but in their ability to get there.
Take Derrin Davis for example.
“Derrin already had many of the soft skills we train for, in addition to hard skills,” says Chad Behl, PATH instructor and community specialist. “He had a few barriers like transportation and interview clothing that we were able to help him with to be job ready.”
Housed in Capital Area Michigan Works, PATH, or Partnership Accountability Training Hope, is a program run through Peckham, providing job placement assistance, career readiness, a variety of workshops and supportive services for individuals that might already have a great skill set, but need a little something more to get them over the hump to be job ready.
“With the help of Capital Area Michigan Works! and Peckham, I was able to interview with Meridian Magnesium in Eaton Rapids,” Derrin says. “I’ve been in the shipping and receiving office for eight months now. It was a great feeling to go from not being employed and worrying about how you’re going to take care of your family to being hired.”
Derrin’s also an example in being motivated, and wanting more than the status quo.
“Other people in a position like Derrin’s ought to be inspired by his always being hungry for more,” says Chad. “He’s never settled.”
Derrin says Meridian Magnesium is looking to provide him with CDL training and he has his eye on becoming a supervisor or manager. He has some advice for other job seekers, too.
“One, you have to be determined and know that you can’t quit on yourself. Two, you can’t go to Michigan Works! expecting Peckham, your career coach or Michigan Works! to do all the work. You have to pull your weight, and that’s more than 50 percent.”