For Alejandra, Deseret Industries has provided more than a job training program—it has provided training for life.

“Working at DI has helped me become a better person,” she says. “I have also become a better employee because of the things I have learned.” 

Alejandra is an associate in Ready for Work—the job training program at DI. After talking with her for a few minutes, you can tell she has a warm and friendly personality, the tenacity to work hard, and a growth mindset that helps her to learn and grow from her life experiences.

Alejandra learned about DI from a friend, who recommended it as a place for employment.  Now, she is gaining practical skills that will help her in her career.

“Right now, I sort and organize the items that are donated,” Alejandra says. “I also tag the items and send them to the retail floor.”

Alejandra has a goal to learn as much as she can about the different roles and responsibilities of DI associates. She hopes to leverage what she learns to improve her skills and open doors to future job opportunities. 

“I want to study and work so that I can get an education and grow in my job experiences,” Alejandra says. 

Each associate at Deseret Industries works under the direction of an operational supervisor, who functions as a job coach. Alejandra has found this resource to be particularly useful.

“My job coach helps me a lot,” she says. “He helps me work hard, he motivates me to do better, and he helps me reach my goals. For example, my job coach helps me be punctual.”  

For Alejandra, the DI job training program has also helped with her relationship skills through the experiences she has with her coworkers at work.

“I like spending time with my coworkers,” Alejandra says. “They help make me a better person.”

Discover how the job training program helps DI associates create better lives for themselves by reading more about the mission of DI or visiting one of our Deseret Industries locations.