Teneia “Ten” Howie came to Goodwill looking for a new direction. She was working constantly at American Airlines to keep up with her bills and couldn’t enjoy any free time.  

“I realized that even though I worked for this company, I couldn’t afford to travel,” she said. “I could fly for free, but I had to work all the time, so I didn’t have time or money to take advantage of it.”

“I was getting bored and miserable. My cousin does HVAC, and he told me to look into trade schools. I did a quick Google search, found Goodwill’s site, and signed up for an information session,” she shared. From there, Ten enrolled in Goodwill’s tuition-free Construction Basics and HVAC training programs.

Along with tuition-free training programs, one of the benefits that Goodwill participants receive is one-on-one coaching with a Career Navigator. Ten’s Career Navigator Verona helped her gain confidence and prepare for her career. 

My Career Navigator was absolutely incredible,” Ten shared. “If she wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have gotten the amount of confidence I have; and my ability to be prepared and confident for interviews. She saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time, and she helped me make a resume that matched.”

Before graduating from the program, Ten was able to secure a position as an Apprentice at Charlotte Water. In the apprenticeship program, Ten will complete a year of training to become a Utilities Technician.  

“I was born and raised in Charlotte, so I always wanted to get a job working for the city,” she said. “I told Verona that’s what I wanted to do, and she strategically worked with me to get ready for interviews with them.” 

Because Goodwill’s training programs are offered at no cost, Ten was able to focus fully on her learning without worrying about taking on debt or juggling school payments on top of living expenses. She was then able to find a secure job with a raise in pay and benefits.  

“I feel lighter. I’m now making more money, and I put myself in a better financial position,” she said. “It meant a lot that I was able to put myself in a better position and not lose anything financially. It takes the stress off of you. It made me want to go harder. I was like, ‘I’m not failing a test. I’m not missing homework; I’m not missing class;’ and that’s what I did.” 

March 1-7 is Women in Construction Week, and Ten is proud to be the only woman in both her HVAC class and her apprenticeship – something that empowers her to show that women belong in skilled trades just as much as anyone else.  

“It shows the world I can do anything that guys can. There really is not much of a difference, except for height,” she laughed. 

If you would like to help people like Ten on their pathway to prosperity, consider supporting Goodwill by making a financial contribution or shopping and donating at one of our retail and donation locations.