Goodwill program helps Georgians rebuild careers after incarceration

Goodwill of North Georgia helps thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals earn trade certifications and find jobs.

Elaine Armstrong, Goodwill of North Georgia’s vice president of marketing, said the program has helped more than 15,000 people find work in different fields.

“We work with more than 5,000 employers across North Georgia. So that could be anybody from the folks who may hire our welders to Georgia DOT,” Armstrong said. “When you donate and when you shop. That’s what makes all of this possible.”

Ieshia Woodard recently graduated from the program and now has a job where she operates on robot welding machines. Woodard learned about the program through a friend.

“My friend went to do the welding program at Goodwill, which I had never heard of. I thought the Goodwill was for clothes. I never would have thought at all to come to Goodwill for anything job-related,” she said.

Woodard said the program helped her get back on her feet after incarceration because it helped her find a job, which is difficult for those with a criminal record.

The classes are not just for formerly incarcerated people. They are open for anyone who wants to learn a trade.