Your Future is Looking Good

{ Fashion }

Your Future is Looking Good

Goodwill Intentionally creating opportunities for those seeking them

Story by Janet Ward, Director of Marketing at Goodwill San Antonio

Photos by Victoria Gaytan

Upon graduating high school, your world is filled with possibilities. Some friends are college-bound, while others may choose to enroll in a vocational or trade school join the military, or immediately enter the workforce. Whichever path you take, Goodwill is here to assist you along your journey.

You may know Goodwill as a store, a place filled with unique things, graciously donated by the community. Whether you are moving into a dorm, an apartment, or want to spruce up your bedroom, you will find pillows, comforters, blankets, kitchen essentials, and home décor at affordable prices. Of course, there are racks upon racks of clothes to browse to create your own style for school or find the perfect outfits for job interviews. Interested in a vintage look, what’s on trend, or name-brand clothes at a discount? You can find them all at your Seguin Goodwill store.

When creating or expanding your wardrobe, always look for pieces that provide versatility. A pair of black pants are appropriate for any occasion. Dress them up with a long-sleeve black and white polka dot blouse for an interview or go casual with a plain t-shirt and sneakers.

For guys, a long-sleeve cotton shirt with slacks is a comfortable yet professional look for interviews. Roll up the sleeve and wear the shirt untucked for a laid-back afternoon with friends.

Living here, we know wearing layers is a must. While it is still hot outside, classrooms can be quite cool. A classic look — boyfriend cardigan over a plain fitted t-shirt paired with jeans will keep every student comfortable. As you walk between buildings, drape the cardigan over your bag for easy access when you enter a classroom. It is also a great casual look for hanging with friends.

Guys can sport a short-sleeve cotton button down shirt with coordinating shorts and sneakers as they go to class. Complete the look with a grey backpack for easy access to your laptop and other supplies. Of course, you can always show your school pride by wearing your college gear.

When you shop at Goodwill, you not only look good, you will feel good knowing your purchases are making a difference in our community. In addition to supporting sustainability efforts and helping divert items from landfills, your store purchases help support our mission of helping to change lives through the power of work.

Exploring a vocational program, instead of college? Our Good Careers Academy is available to anyone who is interested in going into the medical or transportation fields. Our programs include medical assistant, nurse’s aide, pharmacy technician, and commercial driver license training. With small class sizes, hands-on learning, student success coaching, and job placement assistance, our team is committed to your success. Upon completion, you will have little to no debt associated with your training. Plus, you will be prepared to sit for the national certification exam and be ready to launch your career in less than a year.

If immediate employment is your goal, stop by one of our Good Careers Center locations for assistance. Our team of career specialists can assist you with:

• Determining your career interests

• Developing your resume

• Conducting online job searches

• Preparing for job interviews

All services are free. Plus, if you elect to join the military, the Good Careers Center staff can assist you in transitioning into the civilian workforce upon separating. We can translate your military training and skills to align with the requirements and experience employers seek.

While there are endless employment possibilities, if you are looking to give back or wanting to help make a difference, explore Goodwill. We are one of the largest nonprofit organizations in San Antonio, employing nearly 1,600 team members.

Our Business Services operations employ more than 700 team members of whom nearly 450 have a documented disability. There are opportunities to work on government and commercial contracts at our contact/call center or document management and administrative service facilities. If you enjoy the outdoors, consider joining our grounds maintenance team. They maintain several local military bases and commercial properties.

There are also opportunities to work in our stores or at our Donated Goods & Retail Operations facility. You will learn the retail operations associated with running more than 20 retail stores and online platforms while gaining an understanding of our reuse and repurposing efforts. The intentionality we give to providing second chances to gently used donated items, is the same intentionality we place on creating opportunities for those facing barriers to employment.

Additional opportunities are available within our Workforce Development and Support Services units. Discover your purpose by working at Goodwill. Explore our opportunities at WorkForGood.org.

Whichever path you take — own it, embrace it, live it!

Goodwill Team Member Models: Priscilla Arteaga - Production Central Processing Associate, Jacques Rogers - Outreach & Recruitment Specialist for NXT Level, Jacob Belmares – Production Associate, Nicole Hernandez – Digital Marketing Coordinator.