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Class helps youth with barriers develop career paths

Growing up, many of us have an idea of what we want to do after high school. That desire typically leads us to go to college and then, maybe an internship, which leads to a career. But not everyone has it all figured out or has such a smooth path.
Credit: Jetta Productions

EAST TEXAS — Life happens, and for many, when it does -- whether it comes in the form of hurdles like homelessness, teenage pregnancy or a disability -- it can easily cause a person to get off course. That's where the ‘Dynamic Futures Class for Young Adults’, sponsored by Workforce Solutions East Texas comes into play.

"My barrier is that I have mental illnesses and disabilities of all sorts, and so that gets into a problem when I enter the workforce,” a Dynamic Futures’ student who wished to remain anonymous said.

The 21-year-old student hasn't had the best of luck when trying to find her place in the workforce.

"My day-to-day before this class was I would wake up and I would go to work. I didn't really have any prospects of the future."

That is, until the student came across the class being hosted by her local workforce solutions office.

"It's interesting to be a part of this, because it gives you inside into things that aren't really taught when you're going through school or your normal entry level job training,” she said.

The class is designed for people ages 16-24 with barriers that which limit their ability to secure employment and training.

"I've realized that I'm smarter and a lot stronger, and I know a lot more than I give myself credit for,” another student said.

She discovered the class through Facebook. As a young mother of a toddler son, she knew she had to find a career that both she and her son can benefit from.

"I struggled with that a lot and it made me feel like a bad mom all the time,” she said. “I was bouncing around trying to find something, and I don't feel like that's fair to him because he's not getting the best because I'm not happy."

She is the exact type of students the Dynamic Futures class was designed to assist.

"This is what I say to every class, ‘I can help you to fulfill your dreams. All I need you to do is make up your mind and be determined that you want to be successful. Everything starts with completing each step, and that’s what this is, it’s a first step,” Stephen Lynch, who is the Area Operations Manager at the Workforce Solutions East Texas Tyler Office, said.

Lynch says through the class, students like these learn key skills and lessons that have proven to be essential when developing a career path.

"We develop their interviewing skills. We do mock interviews. We work with them on applications," Lynch said. "We develop a thorough resume so that when they come out of this class, they are job ready."

The Dynamics Futures Class is funded by the Workforce Investment Act. Through it, eligible students are offered childcare assistance, help covering specific job placement costs, and grants for future schooling.

For additional information on the class and to check availability, contact your local Workforce Solutions East Texas office. You can also call 1-844-ET-WORKS.

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