Oh, Yhe Places We Have Gone!: By Mary Murray

    It’s hard to say who had more fun this summer: the Goodwill Summit Workforce Development staff who tagged along or the clients who were able to experience a dream job.

The pace was fast and furious as staff scrambled to locations throughout Erie County to job coach clients in fun, unusual and creative work settings.

     The job shadowing and Work-Based Learning Experience (WBLE), as it is formally called, are a collaboration of Goodwill and the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Under job shadowing, clients -- many who are either in high school or recent graduates -- simply observe various jobs at an employer. If the organization is a non-profit, they can dig right in and work alongside staff. Under the WBLE, clients are actually paid for the work they do.

     These young women and men worked or job shadowed with media employers such as WQLN, Erie’s Public Broadcasting Station; CATV, Erie’s cable access television; and MenajErie Studio, a video production house. Retailers included Subway, Perkins, Save-A-Lot, Big Lots and others. Non-profit partners who came on board were as varied as the Purple Martin Conservation Association; E.A.R.S, Erie’s rabbit rescue society; the ANNA Shelter; and Second Harvest Food Bank. 

     Two young men, armed with resumes, were able to secure paid work experience at two car dealerships in Corry and utilized their formal automotive training to gain more hands-on experience in the service departments.

     Another notable collaboration was with EmergyCare, which provided work to a young Corry man whose intent is to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The client, who is Red Cross certified and serves as a volunteer firefighter, was already enrolled in the company’s EMT training during his placement.

      As job coaches, the staff wore many hats – cheering on their students’ successes, gently coaxing them on business etiquette, and guiding them on processes and procedures in their jobs. Both work experience programs are continuing on a year-round basis with clients out to many exciting placements this fall and winter.