When Adam Slayter, 38, completed his military service with the U.S. Navy, he had had no idea that it would be difficult to find a job.
He had worked multiple jobs in the past and had a knack for building computers. At the time his wife, Samantha, was working as a manager at the Goodwill store in Canton. They had four children and money was tight, so going back to school was not feasible. Adam spent his days looking for job, submitting applications and caring for their children. After several months of not being able to find employment, his wife suggested he check out the IT Certification courses offered by Goodwill’s GoodTech Academy, made possible by funding from Walmart.
Adam said he and his father always looked to upgrade to newer and faster systems and loved to explore new technology outside of computer systems,
He said that Goodwill made it possible for him to get an education in information technology by supplying him with the materials and the flexibility he needed to continue caring for his children at home. Adam also received career coaching and career navigation services which helped him to improve his resume writing skills and learn more about the various IT certifications to further a career in the field.
He showed up daily eager to learn and participate. He was willing to help other students with projects and labs as well as test ideas and excel over the required learning. A few months later, Adam passed the CompTIA A+ certification. This certification gave him a better opportunity to improve his quality of life. GoodTech Academy’s Technology Education Manger, Kari Lindley, noticed how he encouraged other students and how closely he worked to help them understand the ideas and execution of the material. This opened up the opportunity for Adam to become part of the GoodTech team as an Instructor in October of 2019.
GoodTech Academy and Adam thank Walmart for providing this opportunity for him to improve his quality of life. “Every day is an adventure and a gift from God. So try and enjoy every day because it’s a gift to you and the adventures make your story,” he said.
