At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, we believe that success isn’t achieved alone. One of our core values is to Build a Village – because when we work together, we go further. That’s why partnerships are at the heart of how we fulfill our mission of building pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve.
One of our most exciting recent collaborations has been with DroneDeploy, a company whose mission is to make the skies open and accessible for everyone. Trusted by users across a wide range of industries, DroneDeploy is transforming how businesses collect, manage and interpret drone data. Their user-friendly platform enables companies of all sizes to improve workflows through scalable image processing, data storage and real-time shareable drone maps and 3D models.
The company partnered with Goodwill to support our Construction & Trade Skills training program by providing access to their software. This partnership allowed us to launch a Drone Pilot training program – equipping participants with in-demand skills and preparing them for careers in the growing drone industry.
Dr. Taurean Walker, the instructor who led Goodwill’s Drone Pilot training program, saw firsthand how the integration of DroneDeploy’s technology elevated the learning experience for students.
“Coupled with classroom instruction, the students were able to experience how DroneDeploy’s software can be a useful tool for industrial application,” Dr. Walker shared. “DroneDeploy offers a simplistic platform where students are able to learn first-hand how to use one of the quintessential mapping programs on the market.”
While the Drone Pilot program is no longer active at Goodwill, its impact continues to be felt through the success stories of participants like Charles, who gained valuable skills and career momentum through this opportunity. After being furloughed from his job, Charles decided to invest in himself. He started his own production company and purchased a drone, but quickly realized he needed the proper licensing to take on commercial clients. That’s where Goodwill came in.
“The program is very beneficial because it’s not only about flying the drone and passing the class, but about all the career paths you can take with it,” Charles shared. “We got the privilege to meet people in the industry and learn what they were doing with drones and what they were looking for when it comes to employees.”
Thanks to the training and the tools provided through our partnership with DroneDeploy, Charles is now on a path to long-term success in a field he’s passionate about. This is what happens when missions align. When organizations come together to build a village, real lives are changed.
Special thanks to the DroneDeploy for believing in the vision that all people deserve to see possibilities, seize opportunities and prosper!
