Audience: Voices

Tyler Smith interviews a lot of people throughout the year. The operations manager for Florida Blue in Jacksonville might have to sit down with 1,000 candidates to find qualified people to fill 400 call-center jobs.

So he knows what good and bad interviews look like. And he was really impressed by the way local Generation students handled some mock interview exercises he helped out with.

“It was an impressive group of people,” he says. And just the kind of employees Florida Blue likes to hire. Which got Smith thinking: If Generation was doing such a good job with under- and unemployed citizens of Jacksonville, could it help Florida Blue with its seasonal workforce?

The company has about 300 seasonal call-center employees who work for nine months, then get 90 days off over the summer. “When they’re out on that 90-day time frame, retention is huge for us,” says Smith. “So a big deal would be to get them through a program that would incentivize them to come back.” That way, the company would have less turnover and more tenured employees who already have knowledge about the job and its requirements.

Generation worked with Florida Blue to create a tailored curriculum designed to encourage seasonal call-center employees to stick with the company and move up into managerial roles. “We were really excited to work toward helping Florida Blue employees have a mindset of persistence,” says Lauren Pfanenstiel, digital program coordinator for Generation Jacksonville. “Our goal with Florida Blue is to create a long-term, loyal employee who wants to grow with the company.”

Connecting the dots

The summer 2018 pilot program taught students specific workplace tools and helped them understand why certain elements of their jobs are important. “That’s where the disconnect happens a lot of times for our employees,” says Smith. “They know that they’re supposed to be nice, but being nice is just a general term. But to break it down and say this is the reason and this is what’s expected and this is why that’s important. This leads to retention and an important part of the curriculum started to reveal this to us.”

For employee Xia, this kind of training gave her a new outlook. “You may think you know it all, but you don’t know the difference between customer service and customer experience,” she says. “What I learned is there’s a huge difference. I can service the customer, but it does not mean that they had a great experience with me or with my company. And a customer who has a great experience with our company—they’re your biggest promoters.”

Classwork on soft skills like listening, professionalism, and attitude were also a vital component of the program, especially since empathy is an important trait for call-center employees. “We’re dealing with people who have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses, chronic-care conditions, diabetes, you name it,” says Smith. “It’s an emotional roller coaster every day on the phones. It does take a special skill set to be able to talk to 40 different people and be positive and empathetic and understanding of their situation. It’s their first call, but it may be your 30th [of the day].”

More than just a paycheck

The program’s results are still being analyzed. But early indications are positive. Pfanenstiel says some students have already indicated interest in full-time or managerial positions.

Xia has goals of management, a path she’s been interested in but intimidated by in the past. But the program has made her feel confident it’s something she can achieve and has provided her with recommendations of books to read and other steps to take to continue growing her skills.

“They gave me things to invest in to make sure that I’m able to stay motived,” she says. “It’s lighting my fire. I’m taking my tools that I’ve learned to go ahead and pursue what I really wanted to do. I know that I have the leadership skills. Everything that I’ve ever done in life I ended up being in a leadership role. Straying away from management was a horrible idea. [The program] brought me back to what I really want to do here at Florida Blue.”

The hope is that more seasonal employees feel the way Xia does. “It’s incredible to see what impacts this could potentially have longer term,” says Smith. “We’re at the infancy stages of this. But to hope and see what this could be like 3, 5, 10 years from now is really exciting.”

Pfanenstiel says Generation and Florida Blue are now looking at options for turning the pilot program into something bigger, so that Florida Blue can help more of its employees with professional development and encourage them to pursue opportunities at the company. “We know that a job can be just a paycheck for people,” she says. “But when they’re inspired to do more and they love their company and feel like their company loves them, we see people bringing their whole selves into the job. We want to see people who feel inspired, who see the bigger picture, and who want to stay at their companies.”

That’s definitely the case for Xia, who plans to use the skills she learned to help both herself and others. “When you’re a person that so much has been given to, you’re so full you want to overflow and give back to someone else,” she says. “Once I’m able to show that I’m great at it, I want somebody else to be great at it too. I don’t want to be the only one just sitting here great at it. So that’s what I plan to do, just take it, teach it, and be great at it.”

In 2017, Thomas decided not to continue his studies after four years of secondary school at Ning Po No. 2 College in Hong Kong, due to family reasons. In the following year, he spent most of his time volunteering, organizing charity sales and supporting basketball tournaments locally, while trying to find a path to meaningful employment. That’s when Thomas heard about the Generation X CLAP@JC Customer Service program from a social worker, and he instinctively felt that it was an opportunity to change his fortunes in life and did not hesitate to sign up.

Besides acquiring valuable skills, Thomas formed new friendships

“Besides acquiring knowledge on the customer service industry, I benefited tremendously from the new friendships I formed. I was able to befriend my course mates, as well as my instructor and various mentors. These friendships have made my program experience more rewarding!”

“In addition, other than course content, one of the biggest takeaways was to learn to live life the way I want to and not be affected by what others say. It’s important to believe in ourselves. We should not give up in the face of criticism, and this applies regardless of the role we are currently in. We should stay true to ourselves, work hard, and not give up on our goals!”

Thomas has high aspirations for himself and for his career development

After graduating from the Generation X CLAP@JC Customer Service program in 2018, Thomas was offered a job as a Customer Service Assistant at AsiaWorld-Expo. 

“Generation expanded my social circle, turning classmates into lifelong friends. My instructor helped me secure a position at the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) and kept checking in on me. I’m very grateful to have encountered Generation. I was able to fulfill my wish of traveling to different parts of the world and experiencing different sceneries and things.”

Where is Thomas now?

Thomas has advanced from an Assistant Customer Service Officer role to Customer Service Officer at AsiaWorld-Expo, a role which he continues to hold today. 

“My short-term goal is to help exhibitions run smoothly. In the medium term, I would like to be able to share Hong Kong’s culture with visitors from different parts of the world. Ultimately, my aim is to become a driving force behind the exhibitions scene here,” he says

課程內容分享

「學到最重要嘅一定包括面試同寫 CV 嘅技巧。正式面試前做嘅幾次模擬面試同 CV360 教學絕對幫助僱主更容易睇到我嘅優點、技巧同態度，從而協助佢哋檢視我點樣適合呢份工。」

「透過「鼓掌 X 創世代」入面嘅僱主探訪環節，我唔單止了解到唔同公司嘅空缺，更加深入了解到各個公司嘅文化，由此令我選擇到最適合自己嘅公司。」

「角色扮演畀我係返工之前已經識點樣應對各式各樣嘅客人。例如應對好憤怒嘅客人嘅時候，就算佢係前台大吵大鬧，都唔駛急、唔駛怕、唔駛直接搵上司，而係可以安排佢去一個角落，等佢稍微冷靜後慢慢用心聆聽，再去理性解決。」

在「鼓掌 X 創世代」的個人成長

「真係會令我個人有責任心重好多嘅，以前對返工嘅責任冇話有幾重視，心情唔好咪射波囉，請病假囉。但係讀完課程後就發覺前台好咩崗位都好，你遲到一分鐘都係遲，都要其他人幫你執手尾。課程令我學識點樣從人地角度出發，體諒他人，堅持每一日準時返工，改變左我個人好多。」

「好多時客人未正式提出佢嘅要求，我哋已經可以觀察到佢嘅需要，主動關懷客人送上令佢覺得貼心、窩心嘅服務。例如當客人凌晨才到達酒店，我哋已經預早準備好一切匙卡及安排運送行李，務求令客人用最短嘅時間辦理入住手續，盡快上房休息。」

「鼓掌 X 創世代」是我信心的泉源

清雯對酒店款接行業一直深感興趣，早在2014/2015學年便完成了香港專業教育學院的酒店款接基礎文憑課程，卻因沒有信心而止步於申請酒店的前線職位。

經過「鼓掌 X 創世代」的培訓課程，清雯逐漸累積足夠的信心，再次嘗試加入酒店款待行業。

「「鼓掌 X 創世代」令我可以好自信咁表現我最好嘅一面！我唔再怕去申請酒店嘅前線職位。」、「就算係真正工作實踐嘅時候都根本唔會怕，因為最難嘅嘢你已經過左。」

清雯邁出了她的第一步，參加了「鼓掌 X 創世代」，改善了自己的態度、累積了更大的信心。你準備好邁出你的一步了嗎？

Diamond was looking for a change and so she went on Indeed to check out available jobs in the Dallas area. And that’s where she came across Generation.

“I went to the Generation website and I did research and was watching other people’s videos,” she says. “And from there I was like, it’s pretty cool how there’s someone out here who’s trying to help others. And maybe this could be good for me, because there’s things that I’ve ran away from and was scared to do.”

Like being a manager. She’s been asked to take on that role at past retail jobs she’s held, but always been too afraid to take the leap.

Generation’s Retail Career Advancement program helped change that mindset. From the moment Diamond started the application and interview process, she felt comfortable with the program and the people involved in it. “I just wanted to see where they could take me and how far I could go with this,” she says.

Building blocks for a career, not just a job

Activities Diamond participated in during class, like role playing, have given her a new outlook at work. “Taking me out of my comfort zone gave me so much confidence,” she says. “I was so excited and I couldn’t wait to come back to class and to see what I was going to learn next.”

She also learned how to juggle different commitments, since she started a new job at Nordstrom while in the Generation program. “I was jumping between both and I felt like I could do both of them instead of choosing just one,” says Diamond. “Taking that risk made me more confident. They [Generation] made me feel like I would be able to see myself where I really wanted to be.”

Generation made it easy for Diamond and her fellow students to succeed, by providing gas and bus cards and teaching them how to communicate when unexpected issues arose that impacted their ability to get to class. “They were building us for a career, not just a job,” she says. “They cared. It felt like family. It was not just going to a class and learning something. It was more than that.”

Generation staff Lou, Joshua, and Demetra played a big part in creating that family feel. “There’s a lot of young adults out here who don’t know where to go or what to do,” she says. “For them, to put this program out there to help young adults do better in life; they show so much compassion. All this I’m doing for them as well. They’re proud of me, and I’m so proud of them being proud of me. They will be the reason why I’ve come so far in things in my life in the future.”

Succeeding on the job

Since completing the program, Diamond has been in the top-two for sales in her department at Nordstrom, something she had never achieved before. She would recommend the Generation program to anyone else out there who needs a boost.

“Generation is for anybody who wants to go further in life and build something,” she says. “They brought things out of me that I didn’t even know was there. Now I’m excited about going to work. I have more confidence, and I’m happier than ever.

“Whatever you feel within that you can’t get out, trust me, they will bring it out of you,” she continues. “You will just feel like a whole new person. It will motivate you to want to go out there and do more.”

A few weeks into the Generation program, Quartx felt like giving up. Life had been challenging her lately, and she was feeling defeated. But the Generation staff noticed and offered encouragement and advice, and that gave her the boost she needed to continue on.

“I was like, I came this far, why would I stop?” she recalls. “It would be a waste of their time and mine. And I really wanted this; I really, really did. There’s a lot of things I want to do that I still can do, and I don’t feel like anything should hinder me. That’s why I came to the Generation program.”

So, when the program required Quartx to show up for a mock interview session at Walmart, she prepared the night before and arrived early. But she didn’t expect the mock interview to turn into a real one—or to get hired on the spot.

“I wasn’t in there looking for a job,” she says. “I went and did what they taught me in the program. I did the interview, and before I could leave class that day, I had a job.”

A change in perspective

Walmart assistant manager Kim Hayman saw the potential in Quartx. “I look for an individual who really wants to make a positive impact within my company and within themselves,” she says. “A good employee is someone who comes to work with positive attitudes and helps others and shows good leadership skills. Quartx is an excellent employee. She is a good leader and self-motivated.”

Quartx now works in the frozen and dairy departments at Walmart. “I know them by heart,” she says. “And where I’m working, there are so many advantages to move up and move around that it’s crazy.”

It’s a big change from her life before Generation. The mom of three was unemployed and didn’t see a lot of potential for herself out there.

“I probably was headed nowhere before I got in the program,” she says. “I have grown a lot since this program. This changed my whole attitude and perspective. Had I not come to this program, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

In a better place

Quartx knows she was going “the wrong way” before Generation. “It taught me how to handle a lot of situations better,” she says. “I am in a better place.”

She now has dreams of one day being a chef, whether at her own restaurant or someone else’s. “I like to cook,” she says. “And I can barbecue. My dad loves my barbecue; he will literally pay me sometimes to barbecue.”

She thinks her experience in Generation will help her succeed in both her current job and any future endeavors she takes on. “You’ve got to believe in yourself,” she says. “Walk with your head held high. If you want to do better, you’ve got to act better sometimes. And the only way you’re going to get there is if you do it yourself. Generation is life’s best friend. I know a lot of people that probably came into this group with me who didn’t expect to get what they got out of the program. But we got a lot out of the program.”

Kim Hayman has gotten a lot out of it too. “I chose to partner with Generation because the people in my community are important to me, and I want them to be successful,” she says. “I would definitely encourage other companies to work with Generation. A small investment within our community is well worth it.”

Mary was feeling defeated. She had recently lost her job cleaning trains and train stations, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to support herself, or even get the push she needed to find another employment opportunity.

Then she found Generation’s Retail Career Advancement program in Dallas. She hadn’t realized the program was an option to her, but once she did there was no turning back.

“I saw free and I saw an opportunity to learn,” she says. “Helping someone for free is something you don’t see, commonly. When I found out about the course, I had to hop on the Generation train.”

Doing so has changed her life. “I didn’t really have that ‘real’ motivation,” says Mary. “I had the idea and the idea would get me started, but it didn’t help me finish. With Generation, it gave me that belief in myself. I’ve always noticed everyone I’ve met believes in me, but I didn’t believe in myself enough to keep going.”

She does now though, thanks to the program and the skills it taught her. Those include specific retail-related expertise like customer service and sales tactics, as well as soft skills like time management and personal responsibility.

“I am more confident in my ability to do more and to grow,” she says. “And it’s made my mind greater. It makes me want to grow even stronger. So, it completely changed my life.”

“Great things are coming”

While still a student in the program, Mary caught the eye of Rahim Saafir, senior human resources manager at the Hilton Garden Inn, Dallas. He was giving a tour for Mary’s Generation class and he quickly realized that she would make a great addition to his team.

“She is amazing. Truly amazing,” he says. “Great things are coming from that young lady.”

Rahim saw that Mary was exactly the kind of employee he’s always looking to find. “I’m looking for someone that is not looking for a job—they’re looking for a career,” he says. “I’m looking for someone that’s passionate about guest service. We hire for the personality; we can train for the skill. But to teach that smile, either you’ve got it or you don’t. If you’ve got that, I can teach you everything else.”

His instincts about Mary proved accurate. “You can just see her making a guest feel welcome,” he says. “She’s our little chatterbox. She’s always getting engaged in conversation. And I truly am looking forward to seeing great things from her.”

Support System

For Mary, this kind of belief in her abilities wasn’t something she experienced or expected much before enrolling in the Generation program. She grew up in a family that didn’t offer her much support and went through a lot in her teenage years, but she found a way to survive and move beyond her past.

“Generation is for those second chances or those extra chances, for those who didn’t get a great start and who thought that there was nothing left,” she says. “It’s for someone who knows there’s more. Or doesn’t see the light that everyone else sees. That was me. I didn’t see what everyone saw. Everyone else saw this girl who can do great things.”

“Everyone may have something in their past, but we can work through that. We can see through that,” says Rahim. “I see that confidence in her [now] when she walks in the door and when she’s trying to assist guests.”

Mary now has the follow-through she was lacking before Generation. “They broke me out of the shell that I didn’t know existed,” she says. “I knew I was a vocal person, but my fear always made me stand back. I always hid in the corner. And I know now I have a voice that carries, and I can do so many things.”

That includes succeeding in her front desk associate position to help her move up the hospitality ladder. “I see myself maybe being a general manager,” she says. “Anything that keeps me in the presence of people; anything that keeps me taking to them, making their day. My biggest success story would be, ‘I remember Mary. She did this one day or I spoke with her and she said this and it’s something I never forgot.’ My philosophy is impact one person, because that one person can go on and go on and impact someone else.”

Outside of her job, she’s also working on various book, film, and art projects and speaks to the Generation students following in her footsteps. “Any opportunity I have to promote Generation, I do,” says Mary. “They’re imprinted on me. You’ll regret not working with them.”

A Developing Relationship

Rahim is on the same page. He got introduced to Generation through a previous relationship he had with Dallas partnership manager, Joshua Boyce. Through Mary was his first Generation hire, he expects she won’t be the last.

“As long as they welcome and want the partnership, we’re open,” he says. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re always looking for talent—exceptional talent.”

The Hilton Garden Inn is one of the hotels in the lodging portfolio of HRI Properties, which works around the country. Rahim recently introduced Generation to one of HRI’s vice presidents. “We’re looking for opportunities and we’re always coming up in unique cities,” he says. “So let’s keep that partnership going. It’s got to go beyond Dallas, that’s for sure.”

DeChanta’s job isn’t easy. Every day, she needs to ensure that each employee under her supervision is dedicated to the service and quality standards set by Cadia Healthcare, a long-term care facility in Wilmington, Delaware. Because there are a lot of emotions around the clientele they serve, she says her staff needs to provide exemplary service to meet and exceed residents’ and their family members’ expectations.

DeChanta and Cadia have partnered with Generation since its inception in 2014, helping to form and shape the program to what it is today.

Currently, 34 students from the Generation program are employed with Cadia, and the need is clear—90 percent of Generation CNA graduates found work within a year. The Bureau of Labor Statics reported in 2017 that there were more than 1.5 million Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) employed in the U.S. and 41 percent of these individuals were employed in nursing homes.

They’ve got grit

“There’s something else that drives the Generation students. Something deep within. It’s a different sense of purpose that they have. You can tell … they’ve got grit. And that works for us.”

A certified nursing assistant job at Cadia is full of challenges. It’s very demanding and the hours, more often than not, aren’t 9-to-5. And that’s why DeChanta says it’s more important than ever for her to find new employees with tenacity in entry-level roles.

She says that developing individuals’ careers in partnership with Generation gives her a jump start on finding those determined, steadfast, and excited new staff members and that the trust she now has in Generation, helps her with the hiring process.

Challenges with entry-level employees

“Reliability is important—regardless if it’s a sunny day or a blizzard. We’ve got to have the confidence that they’ll be there and they’ll do the right thing, even when no one’s looking.”

Like a lot of companies, it’s hard for Cadia to find entry-level employees that are reliable and trustworthy. Generation works on the hard and soft skills employees need to be just that. In fact, 88 percent of our CNA graduates are retained 90 days after they’re hired, compared to a 2012 American Health Care Association (AHCA) study, that reported that median CNA retention rate in skilled nursing facilities in was just 68.3 percent.

Our curriculum focuses on communicating with supervisors, being on time, and building on the behavioral skills and mindsets you can’t see on a resume. And DeChanta thinks that makes all the difference.

“If the company’s willing to invest in the Generation program, what they get out of it will be an unbelievable benefit to them.”

DeChanta says that Generation helps her find employees that exemplify these soft skills and more importantly, Generation is willing to tweak programs along the way to fit the needs of the employer.

“We’ve been an active participant in putting together their [the student’s] teaching modules. So, when we receive a Generation student, we’re going to get what we need to continue to do what we do.”

It’s the people

“What makes me feel good when I go home is I know one of those Generation students is going to talk to a friend who’s circumstances still need to be changed. They’re going to talk to a friend and say, ‘let me tell you about what I’ve been doing.’”

Partners like Cadia and Generation think that if you can change the direction of just one person’s life, you’re doing right. Generation serves a population of young people for whom the existing education-to-employment system has not worked. They face a myriad of life challenges, including those as basic as transportation and child care. To allow Generation students to manage their lives during training and focus on learning, we provide social and instructional support services.

Generation’s program is aimed at young people who have barriers such as being diagnosed with a disability, having a GED but a lack of work history, are a single parent, and/or are people who are living in low-income households, and we train them for new jobs in fields where employers can’t find people to fill their positions. And Generation works with 1,900-plus employer partners and a wide range of implementation partners and funders to train those individuals to help close the skills gap.

Valued Added

“It would take years to do what Generation prepares those students for within a few months.”

Partners like Cadia know that Generation makes an investment in many different areas of an individual’s development, including providing mentorship in tandem with instruction. Professional mentors assist with everything from mock interviews, coordinating child care services, to transportation issues during the program. As an added benefit to the employer, the professional mentoring continues up to 24 months as graduates adjust to their new jobs.

With Generation’s proven and tested curriculum, businesses and employers undoubtedly benefit. Our retention and recruitment efforts create lasting career impacts—so both participants and employers have the incentive to continually invest in skills-training opportunities.

“You’d be amazed at what benefits and value Generation students can add. The impact Generation is making to those in their surrounding communities is nothing but a plus.”

As a mid-career level professional, she enjoyed her job but knew deep down, she had untapped potential and was capable of more. Thanks to Generation’s Retail Career Advancement Program and Geri’s fortitude, she’s moved to a completely new city, with a leadership role in a new organization—something she may not have done without Generation.

Outside the Comfort Zone

What held Geri back was something we all grapple with from time-to-time: self-doubt, fear of public speaking, letting go of boundaries, and trusting our own instincts. But with Generation’s instruction and coaching, Geri learned how to step out of her comfort zone, and because of the Retail Career Advancement program, Geri is now the Office Administrator for the Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s now responsible for assisting the executive director with regular office administration, fostering a culture of philanthropy within the organization, and leading staff and volunteers to help institutionalize the organization’s mission and goals.

“Generation means a lot to me. Through Generation, I was able to grow personally and gain a better perspective and appreciation for others, their culture(s) and differences of opinions. Generation has helped instill an unexplainable inner strength within myself.”

Tapping Into Inner Strength

Even Geri’s mentor, Regina, explained that when Geri first started the program, she wasn’t very comfortable speaking up or asking questions. During the program, she was challenged to step out of her comfort zone to try new things.

“Geri really came out of her shell as the program progressed. She gained a lot of confidence in the classroom by engaging with other students, mentors, and instructors.”

Throughout the program, Geri practiced tapping into her inner strength, teamwork, and honed her interpersonal skills that she knew employers would want on the job. In addition to developing those soft skills, the Retail Career Advancement program also helps instill technical skills—exposing students to a culture of coaching and feedback, sales tactics, decision-making, and ethics—helping to shape work-ready employees.

“Our instructor and mentor allowed us to see “life happen” to them, yet they remained steadfast, committed, and dedicated to the program. They both instilled a sense of strength to our class. They showed us how to keep moving and how to change negatives into positives by changing our perspective and understanding that learning was not just for ourselves, but it was for us to ‘pay it forward!'”

Enriching, Empowering, Enlightening

When Geri reflects on the program, she knows that Generation helped her succeed—personally and professionally.

“I’ve been able to overcome my fear of communication and let go of boundaries that I believed would keep me safe. I know how to listen intentionally and trust what is inside of me! Generation has taught me that I am stronger than I thought I was. Generation also taught me that there are people who genuinely care about me with no other motive than to see me and others succeed.”

Ben has overcome some obstacles in his life; most significantly, in sixth grade, he was diagnosed with autism. Ben struggled to recognize emotions and he says he could never tell how someone was feeling when he looked at them. Because of this, his educational path like many Generation students, was sometimes elusive. After high school, he attended college to become an engineer, but after only two semesters, he recognized it wasn’t the right fit. He then returned home to Pennsylvania and started the nursing program at a community college. After completing only two semesters and frustrated with his progress, he discovered Generation’s Certified Nursing Assistant program and decided it was a better fit.

The next step

He, like many Generation students, found stability and support in the program. He relied on his mentors and instructors to help with assignments and questions and says that they were always there to talk through any problems or issues. Ben says that with help from Generation’s tailored curriculum and quality instructors and mentors, he’s started to overcome his challenges to read faces and emotions. In fact, Ben’s current supervisors at Cadia Health say his bedside manner is top-notch. This close connection and one-on-one attention from Generation’s staff helps get students like Ben to the finish line and land their dream job.

A cut above

“I joined the Generation program because it is a cut above the standard CNA program. It doesn’t just teach you the skills you need, it teaches you how to act in the workplace. I also joined because there is a job waiting at the end of the course.”

Generation teaches life skills

“The most valuable skill I have learned from the Generation program are the PACT skills (Professionalism, Adaptability, Compassion, and Teamwork). These skills are the most valuable to me because they can transfer to any job. And, I really enjoyed the clinicals. I was able to put the skills I have learned to practical use.”

A solid path for the future

After his graduation from the Generation program, Ben started a job at Cadia Rehabilitation as a Certified Nursing Assistant. “In the future, I want to attend college to get my bachelor of science in nursing at either Lincoln University or West Chester University. Eventually, my long-term goal is to become a pediatric emergency physician, working at a Level 1 Trauma Center.”

Education without employment

Annet was born in Bungoma, a village in rural Kenya, and raised by a single mother with a passion for her children’s education. Annet finished high school and completed a diploma in business management at great financial sacrifice to the family. “But finding a job was not easy. I was fresh from college with only a diploma, competing against people with degrees,” she says. Eventually she found a job as a cleaner.

Generation gave me new motivation

When Annet had an opportunity to join Generation Kenya’s financial services sales program, she jumped at it. But she was surprised by what she learned there. “We were really taught how to handle stress, how to believe in yourself, how to relate to your employer. It really motivated me.”

That changed Annet’s whole approach to interviewing. “Before, I didn’t know how to express myself, and my self-esteem was low.” With her new self-belief, Annet excelled in her interviews and was offered not one but three jobs after Generation. “After struggling for so many years, it was now up to me to choose which company I wanted to work for.”

The top performer nationwide

Annet chose to join a new branch of NIC Bank, where her job was to convince businesses to open accounts and buy financial products. Initially she struggled to meet her targets. “So I really reflected on what I’d learnt from Generation, and I said to myself: God help me, I’m going to do it.” That month she opened 33 new accounts, making her the best performer in the country.

Stepping stone to the future

Annet kept on making great sales month after month. When she spotted a job opening at Safaricom, Kenya’s leading mobile telecom operator, she decided she was ready for the next step in her career. “I was making good money, but Generation taught me to seize opportunities to learn and grow.” She shone in that interview too, and is now thriving in her customer care role.

Annet has only just got started. True to her mother’s commitment to education, she has enrolled in part-time university degree course, and is planning to do her Masters. She’s also paying school fees for her younger sister, and college fees for her brother. “Back in the village, my mom really likes telling people what I’ve achieved!”