Levi's Story - Goodwill of Central Iowa

Levi’s Story

Meet Levi

Levi began his journey with Goodwill of Central Iowa (GCI) in the fall of 2022 when he entered the Retail Skills Training Program. His successful completion of the program prepared Levi for employment in a variety of retail settings, giving him the opportunity to explore his options as he began to look for work.

Levi was accepted into GCI’s Supported Employment Program and was partnered with a Career Specialist dedicated to assisting his job search efforts. Together, they prepared his resume, applied to jobs, and practiced answering interview questions pertaining to his skills and abilities. Levi’s Career Specialist also attended interviews with him, giving him continued support and encouragement throughout the process.

After applying and successfully interviewing for a Production Assistant position at GCI, Levi joined the team at Goodwill of Central Iowa’s Valley West retail location in January of 2023. To ensure his success while learning new job duties, Levi was partnered with a Job Coach. As Levi has become more comfortable with his job duties and communicating with his manager, Jacob Welch, job coaching has decreased to allow Levi more independence in his employment.

“Having Levi as a part of our team has been amazing,” said Jacob Welch, Store Manager at Goodwill’s Valley West location. “He is a hard worker and he helps bring our mission to life for our entire team to celebrate and experience first-hand.”

Throughout his training and employment journey with GCI, Levi has continually shown growth, enthusiasm, dedication, and joy. He has made many friends amongst his co-workers and remains a valuable member of the Valley West retail team to this day.