New Year, New Beginnings Blog Cover

Nyheem's Career Takes Flight

At Goodwill Southeast Georgia, donations power our ability to offer job skills training and other workforce development resources at our 5 Opportunity Centers across Southeast Georgia. We help people discover their individual pathway to self-sufficiency and economic stability through employment, educational opportunities, and more. This month, we’re spotlighting ways you can jump-start your journey with Goodwill this year—and find yourself on the path to reaching your goals!  

In this first post, we meet Nyheem. With support from our Associate Success Ambassadors, Nyheem saw his dream career go from exploration to reality…in a year’s time! 

Nyheem and Ms. Marcy of Goodwill Southeast Georgia

Nyheem is seeing his career in avionics take off in 2024! He’s just finished his first two weeks working at Gulfstream as an aircraft cabinetmaker. Six months ago, he was working as an associate at Goodwill Southeast Georgia’s Wilmington Island retail store.

Nyheem says his Goodwill experience set his life on a new trajectory. He met and worked with Marcy Hayden-Frasure, a Goodwill Associate Success Ambassador. He shared his career dreams and aspirations with her. Nyheem was open about his uncertainty about the path forward. She quickly helped him realize his goals were within reach.

“Ms. Marcy, I would say (she was) the bridge… that put my dreams in reality,” says Nyheem.

Nyheem Houston and Marcy Hayden-Frasure

Goodwill Associates can work with Associate Success Ambassadors to ensure they have every opportunity to find their own level of success and build a brighter future. The Associate Success Ambassadors assist with career planning, life coaching, educational goals. They remove barriers through coaching, mentoring, and guidance.

“It was exciting to start exploring different pathways with (Nyheem),” shares Ms. Marcy.

“She helped me figure out some things that were kind of like my blind spots,” says Nyheem. “I knew I liked to be hands on...but it was kind of (her) bringing that opportunity forward, ‘If you try this you might like this’.”

Nyheem Houston, his family and supporters from Goodwill Southeast Georgia and Savannah Tech

Ms. Marcy connected Nyheem with the Avionics Luxury Craft Cabinetmaking program at Savannah Tech. To celebrate his commitment, Nyheem was the guest of honor at Goodwill Southeast Georgia’s first Associate Success “Signing Day”, to announce his decision to attend the program. You can read more about the celebration here: https://bit.ly/3QANGHw

Nyheem's journey has quite literally taken off since then. Ms. Marcy stayed in touch with Nyheem throughout his time at Savannah Tech, celebrating with him as he excelled in the program. She recalls Nyheem saying how much he enjoyed learning.

“In six short months…Nyheem’s efforts and his determination and his ambition has just shifted the trajectory of his immediate future and the future to come,” says Ms. Marcy.

Nyheem Houston's signing day ceremony
Nyheem Houston reveals his school decision.

“The 8 week class, I loved it. I’m going to be completely honest, I loved it,” Nyheem told us when we caught up at the end of December.

Upon completing the program, Nyheem interviewed at Gulfstream and accepted a Cabinet Maker I position, setting him up for his next exciting adventure.

“This is just the beginning; this is not the stopping point. This is just the first huge step,” says Nyheem. “But I’m very glad I had Goodwill behind me.”

And of course, Ms. Marcy and Goodwill are there to cheer him on every step of the way! You can watch Nyheem's heartwarming reunion with Ms. Marcy in the video at the top of this post.

Ready to start your journey?

Get started with one of our 5 Opportunity Centers today! These centers offer free services to the public. We are excited to help you reach your goals whether it takes you within our organization or elsewhere!

Ashlyn Flowers

Ashlyn Flowers

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