Lessons Learned from Job Searches After Justice Involvement

Since its inception, hundreds of individuals with justice involvement have progressed through our Employment Services program. Whether they are learning the basics of workplace etiquette in our Job Readiness Workshop or have completed specialized job training and internships in the community, each unique experience showcases the range of opportunities available for individuals to learn new career skills and transform their lives.

Through each of these courses and opportunities, our participants are taught a number of skills, lessons, and attitudes. They obtain the resources to rebuild after incarceration and, coupled with their personal drive and talents, are able to find promising careers in a variety of industries.

Here are a few firsthand accounts of journeys to employment success:

Damon Rodriguez

 

“I had no marketable skills when I first came in; never held a legal job; didn’t know how to conduct myself in an interview. [Fortune] polished me up and brought out things that were inside of me.”

 

After 17 years in prison, Damon Rodriguez didn’t have housing, money, or a means of making a living. That all changed once he came to Fortune. He started with our Job Readiness Workshop, which taught him job search strategies and basic work conduct. Upon completing that, he participated in the Green Jobs Training program, which provides industry-recognized asbestos, lead, and hazardous waste training. Less than a year after arriving at Fortune, Damon was a union employee, working in the environmental remediation field.

“I’m now a supervisor at a construction company,” he says, “I earn $52 an hour and am extremely grateful to where I am in my life. In that short amount of time, I’m on the right track. And it’s been good. I’ve been blessed.”

 

Damon attributes our Employment Services curriculum to part of this success. “They are training participants in careers that are up and coming,” he says. He also credits Fortune’s caring staff and mentoring network for their support. Despite his completion of the program, he still comes back to Fortune to share his story with other participants. His best advice to others: “Just stick with it,” he notes, “The staff is here for a reason—they know what they’re doing.”

Hanaa Elfiky

 

“[In the Job Readiness Training program], they gave me hope. They’re the ones who said, ‘You’re not your felony. You can do more. You can become more, and you don’t let that discourage you.’”

 

After experiencing incarceration in her early forties, Hanaa Elfiky had difficulty finding employment. While she previously had a successful career in social work, her conviction history affected possibilities in the field after her release. “Automatically, you become a criminal. Automatically, you become no good,” she says.

Fortune’s Job Readiness Workshop, however, showed her a different outlook. With the newfound confidence to look beyond her justice involvement, Hanaa applied for our Transitional Work program and was placed with our Employment Services team. Now a staff career advisor, she passes on hope to others. Every day, she assists individuals with shared experiences in pursuing new careers.

Hanaa believes in the potential of her participants and views Fortune’s supportive environment as a primary factor in motivating individuals to succeed. “When you come to Fortune, that means you’re seeking something different, and you just need that encouragement to get you along,” she says.

Korrine Granton

 

“I am proud to use my passion for cooking to help [participants] rebuild their lives—just like Fortune did for me.”

 

Korrine Granton was incarcerated at the age of 16. After serving his 14-year sentence, he lacked the work experience to find or maintain employment. So, he came to Fortune’s Employment Services program to find sustainable job opportunities.

From a young age, Korrine was passionate about food and developed culinary skills while incarcerated. “During my 14-year sentence, I was moved between several different prisons, but cooking helped me stay focused. It kept me preoccupied and productive,” he says. At Fortune, he was able to turn this interest into a promising career. After completing the Employment Services Culinary Arts program, he applied to be a chef for our Food and Nutrition program. Today, he runs the Breakfast Bar at Castle Gardens, our residential development and service center in West Harlem. Thanks to Fortune, Korrine has a career he loves.

“It’s fulfilling to provide participants with wholesome, delicious meals to start the day,” he says. “I am grateful that Fortune provides opportunities for me to succeed, and I’m now inspired to go deeper into the Culinary Arts industry.”

 

These are just a few of our success stories. For even more inspiration, check out the video below and read our Employment Services blog posts. Then, learn how you can support our work. 

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*Written by Carmen Rojas, Development and Communication Associate at The Fortune Society

 

CATEGORIES:

• Employment Services,
• Participant Stories,

TAGS:

• Participant Stories,

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