I had gone through the Deseret Industries program before, without success.  I had poor attendance, was consistently late, and just didn’t care about the quality of the work I did. There were those who were afraid that this would be the case this time as well. I am thankful for my job coach, development specialist, and the store manager, who were determined to help me overcome my problems. It took a few months, but with their encouragement, I began to change. With that change, I found new opportunities and self-confidence.

I discovered that I was a great worker. I became the fastest person on my team for many demanding tasks. Many of the associates who did not know my name would refer to me as “the fast one.” My co-workers would come to me when they had questions. Because I was doing so well and had become a trusted member of the team, I was chosen to attend an on-site training course for becoming a team lead.

It was while I was attending the training course, that I learned a major department store was hiring. I knew I could succeed at that job and so I took advantage of the opportunity. I secured a full-time position with a significant increase in wages. I have also been able to help other DI associates to find employment there as well. I am grateful for Deseret Industries, who believed in me before I believed in myself.