Friends of Goodwill, be dissatisfied with your work until every person in your community has an opportunity to develop to their fullest usefulness and enjoy a maximum of abundant living.
Rev. Edgar J. Helms (Founder of Goodwill)
Nine years ago today I started working at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona. So I thought that this week’s blog post would be a good time to tell my story of how I got here and why I’m still here. This is my first post that fits squarely into the “other stuff” category.
I believe that technology has the power to change people’s lives and make the world a better place. It enables people to do more than they thought possible as well as to help them grow their skills and gain self-sufficiency.
I have been fascinated by technology from a young age. I can vividly remember playing Pac-Man for the first time when I was eight years old and I was hooked. I got my first computer when I was twelve and developed a passion for science and technology. When I went to college at the University of Arizona, I started studying Chemical Engineering but found that I also had a strong desire to do social work and make the world a better place. I switched my major to Psychology, got my Bachelor’s degree, and spent the next five years working for the Division of Developmental Disabilities in Tucson, Arizona. I had the opportunity to work with individuals and families to connect them with the services and support that they needed in order to make their lives better.
During that same time, I got married and started a family. I quickly realized that the career path that I had chosen was not going to enable me to adequately support my family. As a result, I changed careers a few times, spending a year working for a clinical research facility, then finding a job in the finance department for a software development company. It was there I was able to make the transition to technology and begin the career path that ultimately led me to where I am today.
After a layoff, leaving a job to avoid a layoff, and another layoff during the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, I was out of work for four months. In January of 2010, I was determined to find another job as soon as possible and I applied to over 115 jobs that month. I was a final candidate at McKesson Corporation, “the oldest and largest healthcare company in the nation”, and Goodwill. I thought I wanted the job at McKesson, but I got the job at Goodwill. Not having a job and needing one, I took the Goodwill job.
That was 9 years ago today and has become one of the greatest opportunities of my life. In this role, I have been able to grow the technology department and create operational efficiencies to improve the organization. Also, Goodwill has continued to invest in me personally over the years, helping me to grow as a leader and giving me the skills I needed to run the IT department as the Vice President of Information Technology. In that time, I have also had the opportunity to see people learn and grow in their careers in IT. Many on my team that are in senior technology roles such as Network or System Administrator started as entry level Helpdesk Technicians, eventually moving into self-sustaining careers.
I am excited about the future of technology but recognize the impact that it will have on the current workforce. In the coming years, thousands of jobs will be disrupted through technology automation in Arizona. At the same time, however, many new jobs will be created. At Goodwill, we have an opportunity to help people gain the technical skills that they will need to compete in the future workplace. Initiatives like the Digital Career Accelerator partnership with Google will enable us to help others gain new skills to get better, self-sustaining jobs. I am extremely passionate about our role in helping people learn the digital skills that they will need for the careers of tomorrow that will enable them to achieve self-sufficiency.
It’s been a long road to get where I am, but I”m happy to be here. Who knows what the next nine years will bring?
