Success Story
Marli
Food Prep at Nampa, Idaho
“I really like my job and I enjoy all the people that I work with. My confidence has grown since I started my job, and I am more comfortable doing things on my own now. At the beginning, I was nervous about cashiering, but I am comfortable now because I was trained how to do it.” – Marli, VR Customer
Story
“Marli is very goal driven, if a goal is set for her, she will meet the goal. She’s not afraid to ask for help, which shows that she wants to grow. She has expressed an interest in management, so we have set goals that we are working toward to help her get there. Marli is probably the most reliable employee I have.” – Rose, Supervisor at Flying Pie
Marli applied for VR services in October 2021 after struggling to maintain previous employment positions as she had difficulty meeting employer expectations which led to several short-term jobs and significant gaps in her employment history.
Through counseling and guidance as well as career assessments, Marli and her VRC, Kara Whitehouse, completed exploration into the types of jobs where she may find success. Through their exploration, they determined food service or entry level retail positions would be a good fit based on her interests, abilities, and her goal to gain work experience and then grow her skills to advance in her career path.
Marli obtained a job in 2022 but soon determined that the position was not a good long-term fit, and with the support of her VRC changed directions to focus solely on entering the food service industry. After making the decision to focus on this occupation, Marli’s VR Counselor referred her to the Create Common Good Employment Training Program that assists individuals to gain the soft and hard skills needed to enter the food service industry.
Marli worked hard to obtain her ServSafe Food Handler Certificate and her understanding of proper food handling showed as she transitioned into the hands-on portion of training where she was able to build her confidence and develop her soft and hard skills that would allow her gain transferrable skills for a future employment position.
Marli graduated from the Create Common Good Employment Training Program in 2023 and then began working for them after completing the program in a temporary position while she did job search for a permanent employment position.
After her graduation, VR supported Marli with her job search which allowed her to obtain her part-time position at Flying Pie Pizzeria completing food prep and cashiering in the fall of 2023.
“Marli’s greatest strength is her positive attitude. Her friendly demeanor made her classmates feel welcome and made the program more enjoyable for everyone. She picked up tasks quickly and demonstrated excellent workplace behavior. We are so happy for Marli and her continued success!”- Angie, Create Common Good Training Program