Barriers to employment can take many forms. For some, child care or transportation issues can make it difficult to find or keep a job. For others, it may be a language or literacy issue. Serving people with disadvantages is a part of the Goodwill mission, and Keishla is an example of what happens when barriers are broken.
While living in Puerto Rico, Keishla graduated with degrees in forensic science and chemistry but was unable to obtain meaningful employment and was struggling to support herself. Faced with fear and limited career options after graduation, Keishla was determined to move her life forward and made the difficult decision to leave her family in Puerto Rico and move to Wisconsin for a fresh start.
Keishla didn’t let her limited communication skills stop her from setting goals and believing in herself. Upon arriving in Wisconsin, she discovered Goodwill TalentBridge and was eager to fill out an application for employment and get to work. TalentBridge, Goodwill’s staffing
Keishla continues to broaden her horizons by taking English communication courses and has found unexpected help from her coworkers through tutoring and lunchtime conversations. Since coming to work at Goodwill E-cycle, Keishla has been able to achieve her dreams of a better life–her own apartment, buying a car and continuing her English education. She is thankful for Goodwill’s support. Keishla believes in herself and wants her peers to believe in themselves. As she often says, “it’s only a matter of knowing how to handle situations in your life. The sky is the limit!”
“Goodwill is like my second family.” – Keishla
