Posts in category: Stories We Live By

Justin came to MND in October 2017. He was a stay at home Dad, forced to make that choice after both of his In-Laws had passed away. Although his wife had a higher paying job, they now struggled with just one income. His bills were piling up when he saw our sign and stopped in to learn more. Within a day, Justin was registered for our Maritime Transportation, Distribution and Logistics training program.

Justin attended training and completed the program. This wasn’t an easy task as during this time, as he was also getting kids to daycare each morning, making sure he had a suit to wear, worrying about bills, and discovering his youngest child was autistic. Although this brought on a new set of challenges for the family, Justin communicated with his Job Coach and together, they lined up resources not only for his employment, but for his family.

Justin says one of his proudest moments came when his little boy realized, and commented, that Daddy was wearing a suit. His son was PROUD and he knew at that moment he just had to succeed!

Currently, Justin is gainfully employed and is also planning to further his credentials to ensure job growth and long-term stability.

Shamia, 32, has shared about the lack of direction she felt as a young college student and the difficulty she had finding decent work as a single mother of two, as well as the low-paying, dehumanizing positions she was forced to accept because of her limited schedule. In October 2015 she enrolled in our Maritime Transportation, Distribution and Logistics training and demonstrated a high level of commitment by consistently being on time despite working night shifts. After 3 weeks she completed the training and she received a job offer the following Monday to become a Longshoreman.

Now gainfully employed at the Port of Baltimore, she thanks MND for the security and direction that quality employment has provided for her and her family. Shamia and her two children are now living in their own apartment for the first time. She is so proud of this accomplishment and is finally completely self-sufficient and excited about what the future holds for her family. Shamia continues to find new opportunities to grow and learn and was featured in a picture on the cover of the Port of Baltimore magazine in September 2016.

In July of 2017, Adrian registered to participate in MND’s Maritime Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (MTDL) training program. We asked him why and he simply responded “I realize that the MTDL training is going to change my family’s future”.

Adrian was briefly out of work and was looking for a fresh start with a long-term opportunity. And he was extremely “dedicated and invested” to use his words. We couldn’t agree more. During the first week of training, his girlfriend Tanya was hospitalized, his mother was on the couch recovering from surgery, and his granddaughter was home sick with an ear infection. But Adrian was in class every day. Sadly, Tanya became increasingly ill, and during his training, lost her battle and passed away. However, Adrian never missed a day.

He found support in the staff, strength in his goal, and comfort in the fact that he was going to continue his journey and his commitment to Tanya, as she left behind three grown children and her little grandchildren, that he would now have to help take care of without her.

Upon completion of the MTDL program, and with a renewed sense of accomplishment and confidence, Adrian was quickly hired by an MND business partner. According to his supervisor and business owner, Adrian is an excellent employee, already in line for advancement.

Like many Baltimore residents, Roger is capable and motivated, yet experienced difficultly finding quality work. Unable to afford college, and recently laid off from a Baltimore charter school that closed, he had little sense of where to turn. Scared, frustrated, and lacking a plan, his brother’s Instagram post eventually led him to MND for MTDL Training. Roger knew very little about the Port of Baltimore, despite the fact that he had lived in Baltimore all his life. Yet, the promise of a good job was all he needed to jump into the industry with both feet.

After successfully completing the MTDL training class in January 2016, MND connected Roger with a ‘survival job’, transporting cars for the Mercedes Benz’s Baltimore Vehicle Processing Center. Roger saw this as a stepping stone and continued to take full advantage of MND’s ongoing services, which he cites as critical to his success. Roger enrolled in MND’s Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) certification program in the summer of 2016. This six month online training course and certification exam is designed to help individuals become experts in current import regulations, allowing them to administer complicated customs processes necessary for the importation of goods transiting Baltimore’s port facilities. MND covered all costs for this training course and exam, as well as providing weekly instruction and study support. Through these support sessions, Roger came into contact with his future employer, transport and logistics specialists John S. Connor, Inc.

Before Donnette Mitchell came to Maryland New Directions she was in a stagnant place. “I was trying to figure out which way to go with my search for employment. I had been trying for so long and I wasn’t getting any leeway,” Donnette said. Her friend found out about MND and signed both of them up for training in January 2014.

At MND, Donnette gained new knowledge about job searching that she immediately found useful, and was able to apply to her own job search. She figured out why her resume was not working, and learned how to make her resume and cover letters stand out to employers. “Before coming to Maryland New Directions, I didn’t have the confidence I needed,” Donnette said.

She was able to utilize the skills she learned during the workshops quickly. She interviewed for a job at Lifetime Medical Care the same day as her mock interview at MND. Donnette was feeling under the weather during her interview but she felt so confident about her skills and qualifications that the employer did not notice. She gave a thank you card to the interviewer and they were very impressed.

Donnette landed the job as a Welcome Desk Representative with Lifetime Medical Care and is excited to work hard at her new position. Now that she is employed, it is her goal to advance in the company and further her education in the medical field.

Before coming to MND, Richard Dickerson’s life was hectic and his job search was frustrating. He was working on getting back into the groove of things after being incarcerated, but was having a problem finding employment in his field of structural wiring with a criminal conviction on his record.

Dickerson saw the sign for MND while visiting another service provider in the building and decided to give it a try. He enrolled in the Career Focus program in June 2012 and never looked back. At MND, Dickerson practiced interview skills and filling out job applications. He also discovered what employers expect before and after hiring. The main thing he took away from his experience at MND however, was the importance of talking about himself. Dickerson was used to letting his work speak for itself. He now knows to sell his skills and strengths to employers and has the confidence to do so.

After completing his training, Dickerson continued to job search diligently. He took care of his children and took odd jobs here and there to make ends meet. Finally, Dickerson’s hard work and training paid off. He was hired in late 2012 as a linesman doing low-voltage wiring and underground cabling. “When I was hired, I felt very much relieved,” Dickerson said. He plans on learning the aspects of this side of his field and excelling from here. “There is a good chance I will go back to school, but for now I want to work on getting my credentials and clearance back and bettering my skills.”

Before coming to Maryland New Directions, 23-year-old Nasir had held a variety of jobs, but hadn’t found anything stable. As a new father, Nasir knew he needed a career to care for his one-year-old daughter, but he had never written a cover letter and needed help with his resume and interview skills. A friend of Nasir’s who works at the Port of Baltimore told him about MND’s Maritime Transportation Distribution and Logistics (MTDL) Training program and he decided to sign up. “I see a lot of people in my neighborhood who are out of work and struggling with poverty,” Nasir says. “The MND program gave me something to look forward to.”

On September 4, 2015, Nasir graduated from MND’s three-week MTDL training program. Looking back on his experience, Nasir says he learned a lot about the interview process, his hard and soft skills, his transferable skills, and writing a resume. “I feel more aware of how important it is to focus on my career passions and desires,” he says. Nasir especially loved MND’s Connections Friday events. He felt inspired by the career journeys of the business professionals who visited and encouraged that he wasn’t alone. Nasir likes the transportation industry and sees the railroad as a good place form him to find a career. As a first step, he recently secured a full-time job as a Warehouse Worker and is looking forward to moving up and supporting his daughter.

“It was the best thing that happened to me in recent times,” Jason said about his experience at Maryland New Directions. Jason had what he called a “fantastic career”. He had worked all his life in logistics and distribution, but when the company he worked for went bankrupt, he lost his job. Jason worked a few short-lasting jobs, but wasn’t able to make enough to support himself and his family. He began to experience depression. He knew he needed to get back to work and be productive, so when his sister suggested MND, he took advantage of the opportunity and signed up.

Jason found MND especially helpful because he had been working for so long that he had lost touch with the skills he needed to seek and find a job.He was also appreciative of how dedicated, professional and empathetic the MND staff was to him. With a professional resume and updated skills, Jason decided to apply for a position at the new Horseshoe Casino.

The application process was long, but the knowledge he gained at MND made him confident he could get the job. It also helped him realized the importance of networking. Knowing someone who worked for the company helped with the hiring process and Jason was hired in the finance department at Horseshoe Casino! “I’m looking forward to do something again,” he said. Although he is able to retire soon, Jason plans to work hard and do his best at his new job for as long as he can.