Deseret Industries Manufacturing is a division of the Deseret Industries training program. Here we have an opportunity to receive pay while training in woodworking, shipping and receiving, custodial work, data input, sleep product manufacturing, or industrial mechanics. At DI Manufacturing, we build the furniture products that can be purchased in the Deseret Industries stores and which are used in many Church buildings. This valuable training also comes with counseling and job placement assistance. The growth and progress I have made over the past six months has been amazing. 

When I began the training program, I was struggling to recover from an injury and with a past that included addictions. I didn’t have a high school diploma or my driver’s license, and I faced too many fears about my own abilities. However, with the help and support from my development counselor and job coach, I was able to make progress toward goals that I longed for. It all began with their confidence in me. Somehow, they could see that I had untapped potential and provided me with small successes. Seeing myself succeed in the little things pushed me toward working on bigger goals such as a GED, an alternative to a high school diploma.

Earning my GED was difficult. Because of my injury, I needed to get special accommodations. With hard work, patience, and a lot of support, I achieved this goal. I take great pride in this important accomplishment.

As I focused my energy on learning new skills at the manufacturing plant, I found myself becoming a seasoned associate who my job coach could turn to when he needed help in keeping the department running. I found myself becoming a mentor to other associates. I found that the growth and progress I achieved has made me into an employee that will be an asset to any employer.

How grateful I am to DI Manufacturing for their support, to my bishop and ward family who believed in me, and for my family who had faith in my potential.