Building Confidence Through Experience

When Courtney connected with Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, she wanted to strengthen her employability skills, build a work history, and gain the confidence she needed to enter the workforce.

Through the WIOA Out-of-School Youth Program and Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG), Courtney participated in leadership development, labor market information activities, resume assistance, and job search support. Most importantly, Michigan Works! connected her with two work experiences that gave her the opportunity to develop her skills in real-world settings.

Courtney completed work experiences at the Strawberry Patch Thrift Shop in Mio and the Crawford County Library-Devereaux in Grayling. These opportunities helped her build important workplace skills, including communication, professionalism, teamwork, and reliability, while gaining valuable experience to add to her resume.

Her hard work paid off. After successfully completing her work experience at the Crawford County Library-Devereaux and demonstrating her abilities, Courtney was offered a position as a member of the library staff.

Courtney's story demonstrates how hands-on experience can help young people build confidence, develop valuable workplace skills, and turn an opportunity to learn into an opportunity for employment.