Success has no hard-and-fast definition. Each person has the freedom to establish their own pillars of success and their method of construction. Success should be looked at not as a destination, but as a spectrum of progress that one embarks on for a lifetime.
Enter Richard, a wholly unique individual who proves that success is what you make of it.
A New Chapter
After retiring from a long and successful career, Richard moved to Wisconsin to be closer to his son. He was settling into a new life, one which looked very different from what he had left. His children were grown, his daughter lived across the country, and he suddenly found himself without work to occupy his days.
Not one to sit idly, he looked at this new chapter as an opportunity to discover new challenges, an endeavor to pursue long held passions. He possesses a wonderful sense of creativity, but knew that he needed assistance with learning new technologies that could supplement this desire, as well as teach him what opportunities could be available to him.
That’s when he found Forward Service Corporation (FSC).
Assessing the Future
With his enthusiasm locked in tight, Richard met DeAnne, a case manager at FSC, who was delighted by his passion. First, she enrolled him into the FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) program so that he could access benefits to help them start to visualize his path.
Richard was very clear with his goals. He was seeking an opportunity that would utilize his creativity while also providing financial stability to afford a new vehicle and flexibility so he could visit his daughter across the country. He knew with dedication, he could find opportunities that would provide a better life for him and his family.
“Richard is a shining example of how willingness to work hard and learn new things brings new opportunities,” DeAnne says.
To assist with these goals, Richard took the WOWI Assessment-a proven method of uncovering potential career paths-to help him determine how he might want to apply his talent for art. Reading through the results of the assessment, he and DeAnne decided to enroll him in the Essentials workshops and courses as well as Office Professionals, to hone his computer skills and prepare him for the job search.
A Funny Thing Happened
DeAnne was busy working on another case when she received an email from Vincent, the skills instructor for the Interviews Essentials course that Richard was a part of. It was about Richard. DeAnne held her breath as she hoped for the best of news. Even she was surprised.
“These are the best responses I’ve seen in my career,” Vincent wrote.
He shared with her examples that Richard had completed in the course, which included a “good things are going to happen” vision board and pages from a newsletter the class compiles together, with Richard having written and designed entire layouts himself. Apparently, Richard was able to apply his artistry to new technologies by dedicating himself to learning computer skills at an age when most people stop trying. “You really can teach an old dog new tricks,” he says.
Brad, another instructor of the Office Essentials course, also was taken by surprise by Richard’s unique enthusiasm. “Richard is always offering words of encouragement to his fellow classmates. That is what I saw when I popped into a session with his group. Richard was telling the other members how great he thought their presentations were. He gave each teammate detailed positive feedback. You could tell he was engaged and appreciated the hard work they all put in. Richard was using excellent leadership skills to encourage and support the other students.”
DeAnne is a relentless champion for all of her cases, but Richard continues to surprise her. “It just keeps coming!” she says of his achievements and inexhaustible determination. “He’s earned a nickname around here: Legendary.”
Dreams in Progress
Currently, Richard is near graduation from the Office Professionals training and has plans to participate in additional courses to further his education. His future is yet to be written, but it holds great things-however he decides to define them.
He says he’s so grateful for the guidance FSC continues to provide him. And, he is determined to pay it forward and volunteer to support his community.
DeAnne holds Richard’s story up as an example of what you can get out of these training programs with motivation and drive. She promises to give an update to his story as it develops. We hope to track the many “good things” that are going to happen for Richard.
