Home ›

Success Story: Lynn

Submitted by tjasper on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 4:13pm
in

Lynn Eide, a 61-year-old mother and Phoenix resident, believes that it is never too late for anyone to learn skills that will make them more valuable in the workplace.

Eide, who is a recent graduate of Goodwill's Computer and Customer Service Training (CCST) program, said she was determined to upgrade her knowledge of computers after her job of eight years as an Account Manager at an insurance agency in Mesa was eliminated.

"I really thought I would be working at that company forever," said Eide. "I earned many customer service awards and I never had a problem getting my work done."

However, Eide now believes that being laid off from her job gave her the motivation she needed to improve her computer skills and learn about the latest technologies in order to become competitive in the work force.

Eide found out about the Computer and Customer Service training program after she and her son David visited the Phoenix Workforce Connection - North center at 9801 N. Seventh St; which, Goodwill collaborates with throughout the year.

"If David hadn't asked the staff the right questions, I never would have known that I could use Goodwill services to get this kind of training," said Eide. "I've been donating to Goodwill for years but had no idea how much help Goodwill provides to the community.”

Soon afterward, she visited the 67th Avenue and Peoria Career Center and applied for the CCST class.

"Both the teacher and the (CCST) class greatly exceeded all expectations," Eide stated. "The very thought of taking a computer class was intimidating. (The Computer Instructor) Lou Ann D'Elosua put me at ease right away and then transformed me from fearing computers to LEARNING Word, PowerPoint and Excel. LouAnn has the ability to turn the more complex ideas into easy to understand concepts."

Eide said that she considered taking computer classes before at a local community college, but Goodwill provided the personal touch that she needed to succeed. She finished the CCST program in September and feels much more confident about herself as she continues her job search.

"I really have the edge now," Eide said. "Computer knowledge was the missing link, but now I have the whole package to include experience, education, and computer skills. I am so grateful to both Goodwill and LouAnn for getting me back on track to compete in the job market again."