Upskilling to Success

 

As the largest refurbisher of mass transit buses east of the Mississippi, Midwest Bus stays very busy. As such, the need for new talent is always present. GST Michigan Works! was able to assist with finding a new employee by combining resources with partnership across the organization.

A Justice-Involved Citizen came to the GST Michigan Works! Shiawassee Service Center to do research navigation, after which he met with one of the career coaches, who gathered more information. It was established that there were barriers and hurdles to overcome to facilitate employment. The coach reached out to the business solutions professional (BSP) for suggestions on who in the area might be a second-chance employer. After reaching out to Midwest Bus, it was suggested that he fill out an application, which was then forwarded to the company by the BSP.

Although lacking the proper skill needed for the job, the candidate was hired. Midwest Bus utilized On-the-Job-Training (OJT) funding to train him to the level required for proper execution of his job duties. This was accomplished with the assistance of an individualized training plan developed by the BSP.

Because of open communications and the partnership between GST and the employer, he was able to learn new skills by training in the bus overhaul process and now has a career, not just a job.

Renee Cooper of Midwest Bus stated, “He has been an ideal employee with perfect attendance. We hope to have him on board for many years to come.”