“I definitely would recommend anybody that is interested in [becoming a] business analyst or making a change to look into it,” Evette Anderson said of Goodwill University.
Evette advanced her IT career after completing Goodwill University’s IT Operations training program. The former End User Support Specialist now works as a Business Analyst I at Centene Corporation.
“I was in IT, but I didn’t really do any development or anything like that,” Evette explained.
In the IT Operations program, Evette learned a number of things including Java, requirement gathering and SQL, which she uses today in her new role.
“I do a lot of writing of standard operating procedures. We’re in the process of putting a lot of processes in place. So we’re doing processes and writing plans needing operating procedures; a lot of data analysis or data making, putting it in a form that’s presentable for supervisors and managers,” Evette said of her current role.
In addition to tuition-free training programs, Goodwill participants are assigned a Career Navigator who helps them with resumes, interviews and more. David Washam, the Career Navigator assigned to Evette, served as a support system as Evette worked hard for about a year to land a new job after completing the program.
“He’s just been so encouraging and so motivating, and anything that I needed, he was always there,” Evette said.
Evette also had the opportunity to work with Craig Kalhagen, who is a part of Goodwill’s Employer Engagement Team, who connects qualified Goodwill participants and graduates with employers searching for their next hire. Through his contact at Centene Corporation, Craig was able to highlight Evette’s skillsets, which ultimately landed her an interview and job with the organization.
Training programs like the one Evette took are available free of charge to the community, thanks to shopping and donating at Goodwill’s 35 retail locations and more than 40 donation sites, in addition to corporate, community and philanthropic donations.
“It’s like a whole entity; you get the coursework, a support system, help with your resume, help with interviewing, looking for jobs, encouragement, opportunities within the city and or webinars where you can meet potential employers,” Evette said when explaining all the free services offered to her as a Goodwill participant.
Evette is grateful to have had the opportunity to complete the IT Operations program and hopes more people in the community take advantage of the free services offered by Goodwill.
“Where I was [in my career], I couldn’t really go any further and I was just kind of stuck in my salary and I wanted to do something different,” Evette said. “Anyone interested in any of the programs offered at Goodwill and you’re kinda on the fence about it, I would definitely recommend it. It is very rewarding.”
If you would like to help fund Goodwill’s programs and services that we offer to the community free of charge – like the ones that helped Evette on her pathway to prosperity – consider dropping off your gently used donations at one of our locations or making a financial contribution.
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