When Courtney decided it was time to return to the workforce, she wasn’t sure where to begin. A stay-at-home mom with a passion for technology, she began searching online for training programs that could help her break into the IT field. 

“Most of what I found was geared toward recent high school graduates,” she said. “I was almost ready to give up—until I came across an article about Goodwill’s IT programs.” 

That discovery led Courtney to enroll in Goodwill’s tuition-free IT Support Specialist training program, where participants learn about hardware, operating systems, networking, mobile devices, security, troubleshooting, virtualization and cloud computing. 

What she found was more than just technical instruction—it was a transformative experience. 

“I thought I’d just be learning about computers and electronics,” she said. “But I gained so much more—interviewing skills, customer service techniques and soft skills I didn’t even realize I needed. It really prepared me for the professional world.”

Today, Courtney works as a content support technician for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, managing all the technology at an elementary school. From Chromebooks and iPads to Promethean boards, she ensures that both students and teachers have the tools they need to succeed. She also creates digital content for the school’s website and signage, blending her technical skills with creativity. 

“I love what I do,” she said. “This job has brought stability and purpose to my life.”

When taking one of Goodwill’s tuition-free training programs, participants also receive wraparound support services free of charge, including help with resumes, interviews and job placement. With the guidance of her career navigator, Nakia Antley, and employer engagement specialist, Craig Kalhagen, Courtney refined her resume, practiced her elevator pitch and built the confidence to pursue a career she truly wanted. 

“Nakia always brought positive energy and helped me push through moments of self-doubt,” she said. “And Craig didn’t just send me job leads. He found opportunities that matched what I was passionate about. I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

Courtney’s journey is a powerful reminder of the impact Goodwill’s programs can have. 

“Some programs overcharge and don’t offer nearly as much support as Goodwill,” she said. “Anywhere I go, I tell people—if you want a career change, look into Goodwill. They’ll give you the tools, the support and the belief that you can do it.” 

Thanks to donations and shopping at Goodwill’s retail stores, as well as financial support, training programs like the one Courtney completed are offered free of charge to the community. 

If you’d like to help fund tuition-free courses that support people like Courtney on their pathway to prosperity, drop off your gently used donations at one of our 36 retail stores or more than 40 donation locations, or take your impact even further by making a financial contribution today. 

Michael had experience in the construction field – but for him, the journey to a more focused and fulfilling career started with a desire to specialize.

“I was working a handyman job, doing a little bit of everything,” he said. “And I wanted to take my skills and focus them.”

Michael learned about Goodwill’s tuition-free Construction and Trade Skills training program through his therapist and quickly signed up, beginning with the Construction Basics program and moving into the Electrical training program.

“I like to learn new things. It was a little bit intimidating, but exciting at the same time,” he emphasized. “I was excited to go to class. It helped me get out and talk to new people and network.”

Goodwill participants receive wraparound services to help them on their pathway to prosperity. Two of the most valued tools are a Career Navigator that works with participants one-on-one to achieve their goals, and an Employer Engagement Specialist who helps connect them with meaningful jobs. The team, and especially his Career Navigator, Verona, played a key role in helping Michael navigate the process of preparing for employment.

“She helped me a lot, and the relationship was good from the get-go,” Michael said about Verona. “That process was pretty much seamless.”

Before he completed the program, an opportunity opened up to work at Goodwill, and Michael accepted a job offer as a Facilities Technician at our Goodwill Opportunity Campus.

“I like the variety because it’s never the same job. I also like the camaraderie. Everybody’s nice and friendly,” he stated.

Since joining the organization as a team member, his understanding of Goodwill’s mission has deepened.

“I didn’t understand fully before what Goodwill was about,” he said. “Now that I do, it makes me feel like a better person.”

Tuition-free training programs at Goodwill are made possible thanks to financial contributions from donors and shopping and donating at our 36 retail stores and donation drop-off locations. For Michael, the personal investment was worth it for the opportunity that followed.

“It is free, but it cost my time and effort,” he said. “The opportunities that follow are amazing. It might seem simple, but it’ll take you somewhere nice.”

If you would like to help participants like Michael on their pathway to prosperity, consider making a financial contribution, or dropping off your gently used donations at one of our 36 stores or more than 40 donation drop-off locations.

John Doctor had been working various jobs throughout the years, unsure of what direction he wanted to take. What he did know was that he enjoyed working with his hands and being outside. Ultimately, he was looking for a change.  

“I was trying to find my thing – something more fulfilling,” he said. “I didn’t want to clock in and sit at a desk all day. I wanted to find something that not only fits my personality, but would also allow me to feed my family and take care of myself so I could enjoy waking up every day.” 

After doing some carpentry at his job, he searched online for carpentry classes and found Goodwill’s tuition-free training courses. He signed up for the Construction Basics and Carpentry training programs.  

“It was a good class,” he said. “Very informative. It gave me the basic knowledge and information I needed. You learn measurements and understanding the ins and outs of how construction and carpentry work.”  

Goodwill participants receive wraparound services to help them on their pathways to prosperity. Two of the most valued tools are a Career Navigator that works with participants one-on-one to achieve their goals, and an Employer Engagement Team who helps them find jobs. John worked with Robert Perry and Matt Robson to achieve his goals. 

“Mr. Perry was on top of resume building and mock interviews. Matt would find different jobs – he’d send me three or four jobs every day,” he said. “Everyone in the building, you can tell they care, and they really want to help people.” 

John now works as an installer for West Shore Home, where he installs bathrooms, showers and flooring, and is training in windows and doors. He enjoys the variety and hands-on work and looks forward to growing with the company. 

“I love that I do something different every single day, and it’s a new challenge every single day. That fits my personality,” he said.  

For John, the fact that Goodwill’s program was tuition-free made all the difference for him. 

“The free training course allowed me to figure out where I wanted to go without putting up thousands of dollars,” he said. “I found several other programs that were as much as $5,000, and nowhere near as detailed. You still have to commit your time, but the least I could do was show up and show out.”

“This program gave me another skill; it gave me a trade. The more you can learn, the more people will need you. This enhanced my personal portfolio.”  

If you would like to help people like John on their pathway to prosperity, consider making a financial contribution, or dropping off your gently used donations at one of our 36 stores or donation drop-offs.

After spending 13 years at the same company, Boris Kaderkulof never imagined he’d find himself suddenly laid off. He had built a career in IT, but as he began searching for a new job, he quickly realized the industry had evolved. Younger candidates with modern skills and updated resumes filled the hiring pool, making his search more challenging. 

Feeling the need to sharpen his expertise and adapt to the shifting job landscape, Boris learned about Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s tuition-free IT training programs through a friend. He saw an opportunity to enhance his skills and boost his chances in the job market. 

“I saw that the program had a strong database component, which interested me, but what really caught my attention was the chance to learn Python,” Boris said. “I had always wanted to get into programming but never had the opportunity. Learning Python was a priority for me, and this program helped me get started.”

During his time in the program, Boris worked with Career Navigators and Employer Engagement Specialists like David Washam and Craig Kalhagen, who provided critical support in resume building, interview preparation and job search strategies. These additional wraparound services, provided free of charge, help participants in their job search. 

“That guidance was really important,” Boris said. “After not job searching for over a decade, the process had completely changed. Craig was incredibly invested in helping me find the right opportunity—he went above and beyond.” 

With the new skills and confidence he gained through Goodwill’s training program, Boris secured a position at Atrium Health as an application engineer. In his new role, he ensures seamless connectivity across Atrium Health’s offices, supports remote employees and plays an integral part in building the network infrastructure for the new Atrium Health hospital in Cornelius. 

“They trusted me with this major project right away,” Boris said. “Getting to build everything from scratch and work on something of this scale has been an incredible opportunity.” 

Beyond newfound career stability, Boris has gained a renewed sense of confidence in his abilities and professional future. The stability of his new job has brought security to his family—his wife and two daughters—while allowing him to thrive in his field. 

“I feel so grateful,” Boris said. “I had never even heard of programs like this before, and knowing that Goodwill offers these opportunities because of donations and community support—it really makes a difference. This program gave me the foundation I needed to advance my career.” 

Thanks to generous donations and shopping at Goodwill’s 36 retail stores and more than 40 donation sites, tuition-free training programs like the one Boris completed continue to impact lives across the Charlotte region. If you or someone you know would like to support these programs and help more people build a pathway to prosperity, consider donating gently used items or making a financial contribution. 

“I fix things. People are happy,” says Austin Fongemie, a Facilities Technician at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, who was hired in November after completing tuition-free construction & trade training programs at the Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center.  

“I knew that Goodwill was offering these trade classes. I was working with somebody that was in the field of HVAC as his assistant, but I needed the training,” he said.  

Austin enrolled in Goodwill’s tuition-free Construction Basics and HVAC training programs. After his experience with Goodwill’s programs, his wife Jessica signed up to participate in the BankWork$ banking training program.  

While taking training courses through Goodwill, participants have access to wraparound services, such as Career Navigators and an Employer Engagement Team who help them get ready to enter the workforce. Goodwill’s team found the perfect opening for him – as a fellow team member!  

“They were already raving about me to Paul [the manager] beforehand. They said, ‘We’ve got the perfect guy for you.’ They had me pull up the application and do it right then,” he laughed.  

Now working as a Facilities Technician, Austin is happier and in a stable position, which has positively impacted his family.  

“We’re not stressed about money as much, which is nice. We have jobs with normal hours, so we can interact with each other and our child,” Austin shared. They hope to be able to buy a house in the future.  

Tuition-free programs like the ones Austin and his wife Jessica took are made possible by donations and purchases made at Goodwill’s retail stores and drop-off locations and financial contributions from donors. 

“I could just focus on the fact that I still need to pay my bills, or I can go to this class, and they’re going to give me some new skills, they’re going to help me with my resume, and they’re going to help me get a job by the time all this is done,” he said. 

Reflecting on his journey from a participant to a team member, Austin feels good about contributing to Goodwill’s mission. “I like the organization. I like our goals. If I can help, I will. Let’s keep doing this thing,” he said. 

If you would like to help fund tuition-free training programs that help people like Austin on their pathway to prosperity, drop off your gently used donations at one of our 36 retail stores or donation locations, or make a financial contribution. 

Lester Perez arrived in the United States from Nicaragua with a plan to excel in the construction industry. Thanks to Goodwill’s tuition-free training programs, Lester is now working as an electrician apprentice and building his career in Charlotte. 

“The political situation in my country is very bad, and the US government opened a window for people from my country to come legally here to America. So I said, ‘Let’s take advantage of this.’” 

“I needed to find a job,” Lester explained. “My desire was to work in the construction industry. I went to Central Piedmont Community College to find out about English classes. They told me I didn’t need them, but they gave me a link to Goodwill, and I started from there.” 

Lester signed up for Goodwill’s Construction Basics and Blueprint Reading & Estimating training programs. He had some prior construction experience in his home country, but Goodwill’s training programs helped him understand construction skills in his new home.  

 “The Construction Basics program was great because I was able to learn the materials, how things are here, and that was the starting point,” he shared. “I was impressed with the quality of the material, the books, and the presentations.” 

Today, Lester is an electrician apprentice at BESCO, where he assists journeymen with projects, including major initiatives at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. He also recently started a four-year apprenticeship program to help him learn more skills.  

“I applied for the program, went through assessments, and had a panel interview. They had a huge demand, but thank God, I made it,” he exclaimed. “I put a lot of effort into it because I really want to build a career here.” 

In addition to training courses, Goodwill participants are given wraparound services, including a Career Navigator to help them reach their career goals. Keitha Stewart helped Lester secure his apprenticeship spot with her resume and interview assistance.  

“My Career Navigator helped me by constructing my resume,” Lester said. “I had a resume, but it was done in the way we do it in my country. The timing was perfect because after that, I sent it to the apprenticeship program, and they hired me. She also helped me practice for the panel interview, and it helped me a lot.” 

Goodwill’s tuition-free programs, funded by material donations and financial contributions, made a significant impact on Lester’s journey. 

“I had no money, but I knew that I had to study or go to school. I found Goodwill, and it was free,” he said. “It was the perfect first step.”  

“The work that Goodwill does is amazing,” he emphasized. “I’m so thankful for the work you do and for the opportunity you gave me.”  

If you’d like to help fund tuition-free courses that empower individuals like Lester on his pathway to prosperity, consider dropping off gently used donations at one of Goodwill’s retail stores or donation locations, or take your impact even further by making a financial contribution.

“I had it in my head what a successful job was. I was trying to do that, but I wasn’t enjoying it. This is definitely more along the lines of what I wanted to do,” says Jordan Campbell, a college graduate who found her career path in construction by taking free training programs at Goodwill. 

After graduating from the University of Florida in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in sustainability studies with a minor in anthropology, Jordan found herself questioning her path. In the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 hit, she moved back home to Clermont, Florida to finish her senior year remotely. Then in 2021, she moved to Charlotte to be closer to her grandmother in Fort Mill. Once moving, she started working at Target.  

“I was kind of stuck. I just kept on working there, and I wasn’t sure what my next move was,” she recalled.  

Her interest in hands-on work led her to explore the trades. “I’ve always liked to tinker with things, but I was interested in learning the correct way to do things,” she explained.  

Jordan found out about Goodwill from a friend and enrolled in the tuition-free Construction Basics and HVAC training programs, marking the beginning of her career shift. She continued to work at Target full-time while taking classes in the evenings.  

“In the HVAC course, I read the whole textbook, cover to cover,” she emphasized. “I can’t say I did that for any classes throughout grade school or college. It was challenging, but it was worth it, for sure. The value of it is incredible.” 

While taking courses, Goodwill participants are matched with a Career Navigator who helps them with their resume, interview skills and more.  

“My Career Navigator was Keitha, and she was really great,” Jordan explained. “She was very helpful and encouraging. Even after I got the job, she continued to follow up and just check in and see how I was doing.” 

After taking courses, Jordan found a job as a maintenance technician at Marsh Properties, performing maintenance at four different apartment complexes in Charlotte. In her job, she uses the skills she learned while taking courses.  

“I went on my first service call to an apartment where the resident’s thermostat wasn’t working,” she shared. “I was able to fix it by myself, which was a good feeling.” 

Tuition-free courses like the ones Jordan took are made possible by donations and shopping at Goodwill’s retail stores and drop-off locations and financial donations from donors. The funding helped Jordan start her construction career without incurring any debt. 

 “The Goodwill program is definitely the reason that I started exploring this. I didn’t have to worry about paying for school or going into debt,” she said. “It was the biggest factor in me taking the classes.” 

As Jordan continues to grow in her new role, she is excited for the future. “This is what I want to do as a career,” she said. “I can see myself staying and continuing to work and learn for 20 years.” 

If you would like to help fund tuition-free courses that help people like Jordan on their pathway to prosperity, drop off your gently used donations at one of our 36 retail stores or donation locations, or make a financial donation. 

“I just can’t say enough about how great this program is, what a great job it’s doing, and what an awesome impact it is making for the community and for Charlotte and the surrounding areas,” Cynthia Bey said. 

Cynthia has found a new career path following retirement from Corporate America.  

“I’m not used to sitting around in the house. I’m used to getting up, leaving and going,” Cynthia explained of how she was initially feeling during retirement.  

Referred by a friend who told her that Goodwill had career training programs, Cynthia first began her journey by taking a Microsoft Excel training course previously offered by the nonprofit. A month after completing that course, she enrolled in BankWork$, an eight-week intensive workforce services program delivered by Goodwill that gives people the skills, access and coaching needed to succeed and grow in banking careers. 

“I’ve always wanted to get into the banking industry. It always fascinated me how the bank really makes a difference. It’s like a staple in the community,” Cynthia said.  

Cynthia was able to learn a lot in a short amount of time from instructor, Chicarra Jones, who even shared real-life experiences of when she worked in the banking industry.  

With the course being in Charlotte, the nation’s second-largest banking city, participants also regularly learn from industry representatives from local banks like Bank of America, Wells Fargo and TD Bank. This hands-on training had led to the success of the program. 

Today, Cynthia is working as an Associate Personal Banker with Wells Fargo. She’s one of five participants hired by the financial institution from Goodwill Industries of Southern Piedmont’s BankWork$ program.  

“I enjoy helping people,” Cynthia said. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people, which was one reason I thought if I go into the banking industry and in a position like this, that I could be there in the community again to be able to help those that need help,” she added. 

When taking one of Goodwill’s tuition-free training programs, participants are assigned an Employer Engagement Specialist and Career Navigator who help them with resumes, interviews and more.   

“When I first started, I had this long resume, about four pages. She helped me to break that down to two pages so people could see my qualifications and what I’ve done,” Cynthia explained when speaking of her Career Navigator, Angela Mercer. 

With her help, Cynthia landed the role with Wells Fargo just one month after graduation. 

Training programs like the one Cynthia took are available free of charge to the community, thanks to shopping and donating at Goodwill’s 36 retail locations and more than 40 donation sites, in addition to corporate, community and philanthropic donations. 

“People probably don’t realize what their donations are doing or what it permits other people to do, because I’ve donated to Goodwill, plenty of times. I’ve gone in and purchased from Goodwill, but I never really knew or thought about how my donations are helping someone or making opportunities available for others,” Cynthia said. 

Cynthia encourages others to support Goodwill, because she knows too well how the nonprofit can help people on their pathway to prosperity. She has two sons who also benefitted from the training programs offered at Goodwill. Most recently, her son Rodney graduated from the fifth cohort of BankWork$ and now works at Fifth Third Bank.

“It’s just awesome! Everyone that I spoke with was very professional, nice and kind. They were great and gracious and really make you want to go there. They’re really trying to help you help yourself,” Cynthia emphasized. “This program has been a blessing to me and my family.”

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 Cynthia on her pathway to prosperity – consider dropping off your gently used donations at one of our locations or making a financial contribution. 

Rodney Bey II is following in his mother, Cynthia Bey’s, footsteps after graduating from Goodwill’s BankWork$ training program. Cynthia, who participated and graduated from Cohort 3, encouraged her son to apply.  

“She was telling me about the program and thought it was something that I would be really good at, because she knows that I have a background in finance, and I am really good with numbers,” Rodney said. “She made it sound really appealing to me because I was in an area where I was looking to change my industry.”

Rodney has always had an interest in the finance industry. In high school he was a part of the Academy of Finance, and even went to college for accounting, but never completed his degree.  

For about nine years, Rodney gained a foothold in the accounting industry and worked in billing departments managing accounts receivable, accounts payable, business-to-business collections and more. But today he’s working in the banking industry. 

“I am a Personal Banker 1. I’m working at Fifth Third Bank,” Rodney exclaimed. “I really like it here. It’s a really good training program they have set in place, and a lot of good, nice, helpful people.” 

Reaching his goal did not come without a challenge. Originally, Rodney was hoping to be a part of BankWork$ Cohort 4, but unfortunately, he was not accepted. But that didn’t deter him – he was motivated to gain stability in his career. 

“Even though I have been doing accounting for about nine years, I didn’t really have a career because I was doing a lot of temp work, getting jobs through temp agencies,” Rodney said.  

In Goodwill’s tuition-free BankWork$ training program, participants learn about the financial services workplace, bank regulations, bank products, cash handling, processing customer transactions, and more. 

“I always sing praises about the BankWork$ program because I feel like without that, I wouldn’t have been as prepared to be here in this position, and I wouldn’t have been exposed to as many bankers,” Rodney explained about the training program, which incorporates industry professionals into the classroom curriculum. “Everything that I’ve learned in BankWork$, I’m seeing it in this training, and it really helped me to be prepared for this – have the correct mindset that you need to be in this industry.”

When taking one of Goodwill’s tuition-free training programs, participants are assigned an Employer Engagement Specialist and Career Navigator who help them with resumes, interviews, and more. Thanks to the help of Rodney’s Career Navigator, he was able to successfully hone his interviewing skills, which ultimately helped him land his current role. 

“They have a particular line of questioning that they ask, and you have to give a lot more examples of things that you’ve done when you do banking,” Rodney explained of the interview process. 

Training programs like the one Rodney took are available free of charge to the community, thanks to shopping and donating at Goodwill’s 36 retail locations and more than 40 donation sites, in addition to corporate, community, and philanthropic donations. 

Rodney encourages people to enroll in Goodwill training programs. He said, “If this is something that you really want to do, if you’re really at a point in your life where you really want to make a change and you’re ready to do the work, then Goodwill is definitely a good place to make that happen. They have a lot of different programs to set you up to be an industry professional.” 

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 Rodney on his pathway to prosperity – consider dropping off your gently used donations at one of our retail locations or making a financial contribution. 

Tanesha Green moved to Charlotte from Arkansas in search of better opportunities. She knew Charlotte was booming with construction projects, so she jumped at the opportunity to learn the trades.  

“I searched free construction classes, and I came across Goodwill,” she explained. “I was a helper with my stepdad’s business since I was 12, remodeling houses, and I helped build different buses like a podcast and a party bus.”  

After finding out about Goodwill’s tuition-free training courses in Construction Basics and Electrical, Tanesha signed up.  

While taking the classes, Tanesha was also facing a personal battle: she was homeless. When taking tuition-free training courses from Goodwill, all participants get access to wraparound services, like one-on-one career coaching. Verona Hendrix, a Career Navigator at Goodwill, worked with Tanesha not only to find her a good job, but also to find available resources.  

“Verona was helpful throughout my entire process,” she emphasized. “She helped me with my resume and sent me numerous jobs. She sent me vouchers to make sure I had clothing for job interviews, and helped me get into the entryway program, which provided resources for when I was homeless. I also want to thank Chris Sullivan, who helped me with tools and more.”

“We practiced our interviews, our pitches and our essential skills. Those lessons that were provided by Goodwill really pushed us and helped us to prepare for interviews and jobs fairs,” she explained.

Tanesha was able to secure a job working as a Service Technician at a local apartment company, where she now lives. She was also able to get an apartment there with a 40% discount on rent.

“The inspiration is bigger,” Tanesha said, when asked about how her life has changed since taking classes with Goodwill. “[I have] the confidence to go into different rooms and to know that I know the information. There’s still a lot to learn, but there’s a lot that Goodwill prepared us for.”   

“Never give up. If you ever need help, search within yourself. Remember that failure only happens when you stop trying.” 

If you would like to help fund tuition-free courses that help people like Tanesha on their pathway to prosperity, drop off your gently used donations at one of our 36 retail stores or donation locations, or make a financial donation.