Olivia

YOUTH PROGRAM PROVIDES OPEN DOORS!

The Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training Youth Program gave me my first job and first opportunity to learn how to work hard, and put into practice what I was raised on. I learned a variety of skills and how to work with loads of different people.

In my three years working in this program, I had countless open doors that allowed me an environment I was comfortable with and, as I said, the opportunity to learn new skills including people skills. I did everything from my first year working as a custodian, to being a teachers assistant in a kindergarten classroom, and I even got the opportunity to work as an office secretary, and my favorite of all, I worked in the early childhood education room. This program worked with my class schedule, sports schedule, band schedule, summer schedule and even when I was injured ending up on crutches they helped me find a place that I could continue to work.

To this day I am proud to say I worked my first job in ninth grade and that’s because of this program. I had an amazing special education teacher who connected me with this community in the Office of Job Training. I am a productive, roll with the ball, hands-on worker because of this program and I am forever grateful.

Since graduating both high school and attending college in Texas and graduating with my bachelors in Global Missions, as well as living on the mission field in Thailand, I have returned home and work for an amazing ministry called Kingdom Builders, as a barista in the Common Ground Coffee Bar & Deli, because who doesn’t love coffee! The people I work for are amazing and I am right where I need to be in this season. Thanks for reading. I can only hope you are encouraged.

Blessings,
Olivia

Career Counselor
Clare Balow