The Impact of Workforce 360°
Written by Veronica Curry
As the Workforce 360° Senior Program Manager for the Regional Programs, I supervise Lake, Geauga and Portage Counties. Within these programs, we work with groups that have significant barriers to employment – barriers that can be physical or mental disabilities, the lack of a high school diploma or a criminal record. Workforce 360° participants are:
- Young adults between the ages of 18-24
- In-school youth between the ages of 14-17
- Caregiving adults between the ages of 27-65
The Impact of Workforce 360°
Workforce 360° helps these individuals through Comprehensive Case Management services that provide them with the assistance they need to help address what’s holding them back from employment. All participants have the opportunity to complete the following trainings:
- Customer Service Training
- Hospitality Training
- Work Ethic Training
- Time Management Training
- Anger Management Training
- Job Readiness and Resume Building
- Interview Practice
I have watched the Workforce 360° participants achieve new skills and develop professionally over the years. Our career coaches have great relationships with all of the participants they work with, which pushes them to do their best.
I love working in Workforce 360°and the help we provide to the participants. We are more than just career coaches to them – we are extended family. We assist them with their career and life goals. During my tenure with the program, we have assisted homeless participants in securing their very own home or apartment, we have helped a number of participants receive their GED, and we have even assisted many of our participants with their housing utilities during their times of need. I enjoy helping people meet their goals and watching them grow from the time they are referred to our programs to the time they complete them and transition out on their own with a fresh start.
I love working for Workforce 360° because I love working with a team that really cares for the type of work they do. The management team is truly a great group to work with because they push and challenge me to better serve my clients. I wake up every day ready to work just because I really enjoy what I do. It is more than just a job for me. It is the passion that I am able to show my participants that really matters the most. For some of our participants, OhioGuidestone’s Workforce 360° is all they have, and it means so much to me that we can serve them the way they need so that they can pursue their goals.