Persistence Pays Off: Connor’s Story

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Connor is an employU client who was feeling a bit down on his luck before working with his Job Coach, Elektra. He was experiencing difficulties finding a job and was starting to doubt he would find one suited for him. Elektra saw how persistent and eager Connor was to gain experience in the workforce and knew she could find a Work-Based Learning Experience (WBLE), also referred to as an On-the-Job Training (OJT), for him to gain hands-on experience. 

She was right. Connor started a WBLE working at Liberty Landscaping. He assisted in many functions of the landscaping business such as clearing space for new arrivals, tending to and watering the plants, and weeding. One challenge Connor faced was knowing when a customer needed help. Elektra was able to point out different scenarios where a customer could use assistance by providing examples and allowing him to shadow staff members during their interactions with customers. Through her coaching, Connor quickly learned how to spot a customer in need of assistance.  

Working with both staff and customers during this OJT, Connor also strengthened his professional interspersal and communication skills through these interactions on the job. In addition, he learned how to care for plants and improved in his customer service, multitasking, and time management skills. Gaining and further developing these skills has also led to an increase in confidence for Connor. He was able to work independently for the majority of the WBLE and was willing to learn whatever skills were needed to sustain a position at Liberty Landscaping. He also maintained great communication and made the most of Elektra’s advice and coaching. He wanted to show Liberty Landscaping that he was a reliable and responsible asset to their company.  

His hard work and persistence didn’t go unnoticed. The staff and management saw how valuable Connor is to their team and hired him on as a part-time employee. We are proud of Connor and can’t wait to see him succeed in the next steps of his career journey. To learn more about our Transition Youth Program visit https://employu.org/transition-youth-program/