Andrew got his career on track through Opportunity Knocks
“I was trying to ease my way back into the workforce after a two-year recovery from a serious head injury. I really felt that I wasn’t hirable or a good candidate due to the large gap in my work history. My confidence was shot and my appearance wasn’t exactly polished. This made getting interviews and finding career direction difficult. I’m lucky my Employment Advisor suggested I try Opportunity Knocks, a training program for youth.
“Through the five-week training and 12-week work placement, I learned many things to help my career – interview and resume skills, financial literacy, legal advice, contacts, and professional training in first aid/CPR, conflict resolution and customer service. I improved practical life skills too, like teamwork and healthy eating on a budget. I also did a vocational assessment to better understand my strengths, aptitudes, temperament, work styles and areas for growth, which provided me with a basic road map for my work journey.
“Being part of Opportunity Knocks showed me I wasn’t alone. My classmates helped take away my fear and rebuild my confidence. And since we all shared the same goal of finding employment, we encouraged each other the whole way.
“Everything led me to land two jobs as a CPR instructor and as an extra-curricular instructor in a company called Extra Ed. That’s all because of Opportunity Knocks.”