Testimonials

Painting a Path to a New Future

When Aaron Seymore came to Columbus in 2008, not only did he not have a job, but he also had a criminal  record. Seymore had just been released from prison, and he knew charting his new future would come with challenges. That's what brought him to COWIC. " I made [the Work Place Central One-Stop]  my office everyday," Seymore said. " I didn't want to sit wallowing in the position of 'I'm an ex-offender." Instead, Seymore took advantage of  the resources COWIC offered. He came into WPC to research jobs online, submit applications, take work readiness workshops and improve his computer skills. He found work, but it was usually temporary. It was in between those temporary positions that Syemore learned about the Sherwin Williams Homework Painting Program. After inquiring, Seymore was selected to participate in the paid training program  which provided classroom work, business start up workshops, hands on instruction and an Environmental Protection Agency certification in lead paint removal.  After completing the program, Seymore started his own business, eventually landing a job with a local construction company. The permanent income helped him to build a better life for his fiance and children and changed his outlook.   "Gloria at COWIC told me to stop labeling myself as an ex-offender, because it would always be a crutch and stifle my spirit," Seymore said. "Now, when I talk about my past, I say I was incarcerated, but now when I approach an employer, I have the skills, something to offer. "

Single Mom finds Focus and Success

In her early 20s, Chanelle Dillard had three young children and a dream of earning enough money to give them the best life possible. It was  a dream that had been deferred for too many years. She had been accepted into a nursing program, but federal loans were not enough to cover her expenses. That's when  Dillard came to COWIC's Work Place Central One-Stop seeking financial help from the Individual Training Account program funded by the Workforce Investment Act. With the deadline fast approaching, COWIC employee Jose Feliciano worked with Dillard to help her through the application process. In June 2009, Dillard started the one-year program at Columbus Practical School of Nursing. June 4, 2010 she graduated. A week later she took her boards and by the end of the month, Dillard was working for two home health care companies making 22-27 dollars an hour. "It was really rough," she said. "It was stressful trying to find time to study, time to take are of the  kids, time for myself...But, I am always a person who wanted the finer things in life and getting off public assistance and developing a better foundation for my kids, that's what motivated me." Dillard says it was the help and support she found at COWIC that gave her the boost to complete her goals and ultimately, to enhance her self-steem.  "I feel better about myself,  because I finally finished something. I tried to do nursing school before, after high school, but I didn't have the focus to keep up," Dillard said. Now 25, she has this message for other teen moms who need a boost to reach their goals: "Don't give up on your dreams."

Columbus Professional comes to COWIC for Answers

Steve Shipp had not been without a job for 25 years when he was laid off by a large software company. He had a wealth of experience in software implementation project management and had already paid an employment services company $1700 to improve his resume, but more than a year after losing his job, he was still unemployed.   That's when Shipp turned to COWIC and the Professional Renovation Options (PRO) Track. He worked with COWIC Career Consultant Cherrie Durant and  Business Solutions Manager Renee Owens to streamline his resume. Shipp credits the new resume and connections made on LinkedIn with helping him land his position as a Project Manager with Cognizant Technologies Solutions. "It's about being willing at 58 years old to say 'I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'll ask," Shipp said.

COWIC job seekers and employers talk about their experience.

COWIC youth workforce services internship seekers and employers talk about their experience.