Success Stories

December 2020

Allison's Perseverance Ultimately Pays Off

Allison held the position of porter for many years at a large hotel chain. She enjoyed the work and loved reporting to the job. Over the last couple of years, her hours started to dwindle until it reached the point where she was scheduled for only one day per week or not at all, due to business slowdowns. Allison has a great work ethic and very much wanted to work a regular part-time schedule, so she reached out to the job development team at Lifeworks in Norwood. It was determined that cleaning was something that Allison was skilled at and she also enjoyed that type of work. Pretty quickly Allison obtained a janitorial position at a restaurant in nearby Walpole. She started out well and got good reviews, but eventually it turned out to not be a good match between Allison and the company.

Undeterred, Allison kept looking and interviewing for similar positions. Her perseverance paid off when she obtained a porter position with Stop & Shop supermarket. She learned the job very fast including new skills, such as the baling machine, the cardboard crusher and sanitizing procedures. Working for approximately 20 hours per week, Allison enjoys being part of her work team. She has built strong relationships at work and she reports that there are many days she is sad that her shift is over and it’s time to go home. Allison also enjoys interacting with Marty, the store robot who helps identify spills that need to be cleaned up.

Allison epitomizes what it means to have a strong work ethic and perseverance. Her bubbly personality and willingness to pitch in makes her the perfect team member.

A Successful Career in the Making at AMC Dine-In Theaters in Framingham!

Chris started working with the Vocational Advancement Center (VAC) in Watertown, MAVAC has been an active Partner with the Greater Boston Employment Collaborative (GBEC). Through GBEC, Chris’s Job Developer saw a job description for crew members and Chris applied to AMC Dine-In Theaters in Framingham. He was called for an interview with the General Manager and after being told about different positions that were available, he chose to become an Usher.

Chris’s job includes checking tickets of guests entering the theater. There are strict processes to follow which include asking for identification for movies with age restrictions even if they appear to be over 18 years of age. Some guests don’t like showing their ID’s, but he cannot allow them to enter unless they show it to him. As AMC Dine-In Theaters does not allow guests to bring outside food into the Theater, there are times that Chris needs to inform guests that they need to dispose of food items before entering the theater. When guests argue with him over policies, he explains the rules and usually the guest is happy to oblige.

Chris has made his five-month anniversary and is very proud of himself. He likes the respect he gets from managers and co-workers. The managers frequently tell him he is doing a great job, that they appreciate him, and listen to Chris’s feedback about the position and the Theater. They’re very flexible and have successfully made necessary accommodations for Chris. In turn, Chris performs his work to a high standard. A win-win!

AMC Dine-In Theaters in Framingham offers great benefits including free movies for their employees. They also offer viewing of popular new movies before the public gets to see them. Chris was very happy to see “The Joker” before everyone else!

~This story was shared by our Greater Boston Employment Collaborative.

October 2019

Great business relationships lead to door opening opportunities

Bridgewell is a valued Partner agency with The NorthEast Employment Collaborative (NEEC). Bridgewell has maintained a wonderful partnership with The Salvation Army since 2016 when Michael Skoog, The Salvation Army’s Central Mass field representative, came to a NEEC JDN (Business leads and Networking) meeting to discuss The Salvation Army’s annual Bell Ringing campaign.

After learning more about the history of the campaign and the ways in which it helps the community, Bridgewell was eager to get involved. Bridgewell has many job seekers who have a desire to help others and are full of holiday spirit, so this employment opportunity seemed like the perfect match.

The first year we decided to jump right in, and 10 people were able to get a job working in two different locations. This year we are looking forward to our 4th season with The Salvation Army, said Ashley Smallwood of Bridgewell.

Bridgewell will have Bell Ringers at 3 locations in Reading and Stoneham providing employment opportunities to more than 20 job seekers! This opportunity has allowed job seekers to build valuable employment skills while giving back to the community. Positions such as these often serve as the starting point for many individuals who are ready to enter or return to the workforce.

~This story was shared by our NorthEast Employment Collaborative.