I am a single parent with a disabled son and many of my own health challenges.  It was through the help of Deseret Industries that I found my path to a new job and an opportunity to pursue additional education.

When I first began at Deseret Industries, I struggled because there were many things happening in my life that competed for my time and attention. I found it difficult to work my scheduled hours and I was unable to handle stressful situations or work directly with customers. My job coach, the development specialist, my mentor, and others worked with me. With their help, encouragement, and patience, I was able to set reasonable goals for myself, and I became good at setting and achieving goals. 

Because of the goals I was able to achieve, I have more time to spend with my son and I have more understanding. For example, I now have a driver’s license and a car, which means I spend far less time waiting for and riding on public transportation. I also have a long-term goal to work in child care and child development, so we worked out my work schedule so that I could attend classes. 

At Deseret Industries, I also acquired job skills and the ability to find and keep a job. I gained experience using needle price guns while working in processing and soft goods. With this skill, I found a new job working for a clothing store. I am excited about my new job, and it works out well with my school schedule and my family responsibilities.