Success Stories

Mr. Hernandez joined Landforce in March 2022 to grow his skills and establish his career interests. Through Landforce's transitional job program, which combines workforce development trianing with land stewardship employment, Mr. Hernandez cultivated his hard and soft skills and set his sights on the future, including his goal of obtaining a CDL.

Ms. Zoie Pitzarella is a 31-year-old single mother of two children.  She enrolled with EARN in February 2021. Ms. Pitzarella chose to participate in the EARN program during the COVID Pandemic even though there were opportunities for her to opt out of participation. During her enrollment, Ms. Pitzarella experienced some housing barriers which required her to move.  She was able to get the resources and guidance necessary from Goodwill’s EARN case management staff to overcome housing barriers. She also found the in-house counseling program beneficial, participating in individual and group sessions throughout her enrollment. Additionally, Zoie  consistently attended the Goodwill EARN family events, and the Team always appreciates her positivity and enthusiasm!

Ariana is a 23-year-old, single mother with a 3-year-old son. She struggled with homelessness over the course of several years. She put a lot of work into finding stable housing for her and her son until they were eventually accepted into a transitional housing program, where she received help finding a permanent residence. In October of 2022 - before moving into her apartment - she began the Goodwill EARN Program. Her goal was to find full-time employment.

Anthony Zaborowski was a student at Bethel Park High School. Though academically he was doing very well, Anthony desired to attend a workforce program that offered him the ability to not only complete his high school diploma but would aid him in pursuing a career pathway. He found his new home in PHASE 4 Learning Center. Anthony enrolled with a goal of enlistment with the United States Air Force, and PHASE 4 staff was prepared to help him reach that goal.

In July 2022 an individual enrolled in our Pathway Home reentry employment program prior to release from Allegheny County Jail. This program is funded by a DOL Reentry Employment Opportunities grant. Upon release, the individual enrolled in and completed a UPMC ophthalmic technician training program and was hired full-time at $19.16/hour thanks to previous experience in the field.

  Amanda came to the Goodwill SWPA EARN program in May 2019. She had already taken steps to enroll with Pittsburgh Career Institute in their Respiratory Therapy Licensure program. Amanda is a 29-year-old, single mother of five children, and she successfully remained in the Respiratory Therapy Program until becoming severely ill in August 2020. At that time, she had to take a medical leave from EARN and school. However, in February 2021, she returned to both the EARN Program and Pittsburgh Career Institute to continue her education.

Keyla, a dedicated 30-year-old single mother of four children (ages 10 through 16), enrolled in EDSI Allegheny EARN program on October 3, 2022, where she met her employment consultant, Andrew Simpson. Together, Keyla and Mr. Simpson, one of EDSI’s newest employment consultants, explored Keyla’s professional interests, training goals, and barriers she faced to employment and training.

In December 2021, Mara, a single mother of three, enrolled in EDSI’s Allegheny EARN Program, where she was introduced to her Employment Consultant, Karen Thurman. Ms. Thurman’s role was to develop a trusting relationship with Mara, understand her barriers and interests, and assist her in reaching her employment goals.

Faith is a 43-year-old dedicated, single mother of two. Faith was referred to EDSI’s EARN Program in June 2022 to help her complete her undergraduate studies and pursue her interest in anesthesiology. After she enrolled in the EARN Program, she decided to meet regularly with EDSI’s Behavior Health Advocate (BHA) to better understand barriers, maladaptive coping behaviors, personal goals, and career goals.

Nikia enrolled in the EARN program during the Spring of 2022 as a SNAP participant with Goodwill of SWPA.  Upon entering the program, Nikia was in the process of completing her training as Peer Specialist at the Institute of Mental Health Partnerships. This field was a natural fit for her because of her deep ties to her community, peer relationships, and her church

Ms. Quiggle enrolled in the EARN program on June 13, 2022. She is a single mother of two children, the youngest having ADHD. Raising him has been a challenge for her given his special education needs. Her highest level of education is 10th grade.  She came into the EARN program looking for a job and a new place to live.

When Ms. Taylor, a 33-year-old mother with three children, enrolled in the EARN program, she shared that a barrier to meeting her career goals was the lack of having a driver's license. She was able to secure employment with Securitas as a Security Officer. To retain her job, her employer requested that she obtain her driver’s license and have a reliable means of transportation.

Denishola “Dee” Austin came to Goodwill EARN in search of an opportunity to get back into the workforce after a three-year absence. Austin, a father and ex-Marine, displayed determination after enrollment and wanted to start off with a paid work experience in Goodwill’s Retail and Operations Division to see if he could handle the physical nature of working in Goodwill’s fast paced Retail Operations Center.

Latonya Strozier is a current participant in EDSI’s Work Ready program who is interested in beginning a career in the medical field. As a single mother of three, she decided to participate in EDSI’s Multi-Gen program, allowing her to attend an advanced Customer Service Training, while her children received age-appropriate tutoring from licensed teachers.

Samantha Lyons has been actively participating in EDSI’s GED Prep class since the beginning of April. Lyons is motivated to gain the skills needed to pass the GED Exam, earn a stable job, and build a career for herself and her family. What keeps her showing up to class every day is her youngest son, Aries, a ball of energy and constant motivator.

Congratulations Career Pipeline graduates! Career Pipeline, a state-funded, workforce development program for young adults with justice involvement, officially ends this month. Auberle's Employment Institute staff worked with 56 young adults on work readiness/soft skills, occupational training, and career track employment placement and retention.

Upon her enrollment in the Wilkinsburg EARN program, Ms. Jameelah Broadnax worked closely with her career advisor, Family Advocate, and the Business Service Team to set and accomplish her goals given the many housing and training challenges she faced during the Global Pandemic.

Jeanne M, a returning CDC client, enrolled in the WIOA program for job search assistance in October, 2021. She worked diligently with her career consultant to update her resume and other marketing materials and took advantage of several CDC workshops to update her job search skills.

Nasir Crownie, a local graduate from Obama High School and a second-year attendee in the College and Career Readiness Program at Bloomfield Garfield Corp, was accepted to CMU for early admission.

An Allegheny EARN program nominee was chosen to receive this year’s Governor’s Achievement Awards. The awards were presented at the 2022 Annual Conference hosted by PA Workforce Development Association (PWDA), in early May 2022.