Goodwill Partners With Local School Districts To Give Students Hands-On Job Training And Experience

Sixty Teens Participate in New Opportunity for Orange, Seminole and Lake Counties

ORLANDO – Goodwill Industries of Central Florida (GICF) recently expanded its job training program to serve local high school students and provide them with hands-on experience by working in seven of its stores.

The partnership with Orange, Seminole and Lake County school districts allows for 60 Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students to shadow and train with Goodwill employees at the Leesburg, Clermont, Winter Garden, Apopka, Curry Ford, West Sanford and Oviedo locations. Since August, participants have worked in a variety of jobs, including donation attendants, processors, store clerks and sorters.

“Our partnership with the school districts is a vital step in helping students gain the essential job skills they need to thrive independently,” said Ed Durkee, President and CEO at GICF. “By providing hands-on work experience, we’re giving students the steppingstones they need to achieve their own goals in life.”

Donations of unwanted or no longer needed household items allow Goodwill to create jobs and support employment training services for Central Floridians.

For more information about Goodwill, its job programs and how to apply to work at the organization, visit www.GoodwillCFL.org.