If you have a success story, we would like to hear from you. Whether you are one of the CSTB partners, staff or client. Let us know how we served you. Please click the link below to access a quick survey.
SUBMIT YOURS
"Mrs. Norma, I appreciate all your help and advice. Appreciate your honesty and it was nice to be your co-worker for a short time you kept it real. Thank you."
Imani Davis saw online that Career source was advertising a new program that would allow the client to get training in the cyber security field. After the program, Imani Davis wanted more training to sharpen her skills and started doing research on different opportunities that would allow her to grow and develop the skills acquired from the ACE Cyber Security program. Imani Davis found this opportunity and applied.
CSTB assisted Ms. Metzger with a childcare referral to School Readiness so that she could return to work immediately. CSTB also assisted customer with job searches and resume writing skills.
Amaya came to Florida only being able to speak Spanish. She is not currently a citizen of the U.S. and is unable to work as a result. While in the SNAP E&T Program, the SNAP team has been able to help her enroll her in ESOL classes at no cost to her. This has allowed her to stay in compliance with the SNAP Program while learning English. Amaya is attending all of her ESOL classes and is learning more English each day.
Mr. Daniel Perez was a long-term unemployed customer, 36 weeks. Although he has an AA in Arts, he was unable to obtain permanent employment. As he stated, during this difficult period he utilized his time to build his "self-worth" to obtain better opportunities. He was enrolled in the IT Security Program with Computer Coach, through the TechBoost Special Grants program.
Mr. Perez has always had a motivation to excel; Techboost has been a great contributor in building his self-esteem and providing the necessary tools to succeed. Mr. Perez is extremely grateful and appreciative to CSTB and the Techboost program.
Insight scope of how business works and taught me how to hustle and work very hard. I learned how to “work harder now and relax in the future.” It was a very positive experience.
Jose lost a job and was hesitant to go back to work due to a back injury. In his down time, he discovered that he had a strong interest in the IT field and even took some free online courses. Once Jose received my call while I was doing outreach, he had never heard of us but was pleased to hear about the program! As you can see his eagerness toward the program carried right into a successful outcome and the Get There Faster grant is exactly what he needed.
Ms. Neal had several barriers to employment. Customer was in need childcare assistance, professional clothing, and assistance in obtaining her HSD to obtain employment that would assist her in becoming self-sufficient. Due to participant having these barriers, she was limited with employment opportunities which have been mainly minimum wage jobs.
Ms. Neal was able to secure employment as a Residence Care Assistant at Central Tampa ALF working 40 hours a week earning $13.00 while she continues working on her HSD with Penn Foster. Customer is now on Transitional Status receiving Transitional Child Care.
"Hey Mr. Ted, just sitting here talking to my wife about our situation, as you know, I support her and her family, so when work and home dried up we became anxious messes. I was telling her about you the other day. Anyways, you have made it possible through this work thing for me and her to have anxiety free conversations again, which has brought her much joy and peace. I really appreciate this. When she's content and at ease it makes my job as a man a lot easier, and I enjoy watching her flourish. You’re a good man Ted, I don't really know you, but what I do know reminds me that my personal character goals are obtainable and, from what I see in you, will be enjoyable. You did a lot more than hook me up with a job in all this, God bless you and yours, and Thank You"
Koda Purvis
"I was very glad that Mr. David Lurie was with me all the way during my
employment process. Mr. Lurie went above and beyond for me with multiple
follow-ups with Human Resources for Busch Gardens while waiting for my
background check to process. I give Mr. Lurie the credit he deserves in me
getting employed and is a great person and highly recommended to get you a
job."
This success story is about Zaria Bailey. She attended her RESEA appointment virtually on April 4, 2022, meeting with RESEA Recruiter, Eva Lundi. Ms. Bailey had been searching for work for 2 months before receiving RESEA services. Prior to working with RESEA, Ms. Bailey was proactively working with CSTB and had attended an Employability Skills Training workshop, Professional Communication.
Mr. William (Bill) Rynknoski came into the Brandon center through the RESEA program in August of 2021. He held a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and was looking for a position as a Project Manager.
This success story is about Mr. Anthony Juliano. Mr. Juliano is a Veteran who served in the Army, having an honorable discharge. He attended his RESEA appointment at the Tampa Center on 5.31.22, meeting with RESEA Recruiter, Eva Lundi. Mr. Juliano had been searching for work for about 3 weeks before receiving RESEA services.
It gives me immense pleasure and delight to write this character reference for Mr. Ted Davis, in my opinion the "Best DVOP” in Hillsborough County! He is an exemplary advocate and mentor for the veterans and spouses of vets seeking competitive employment, educational training, affordable housing, and community resources. I was at very low and tough time in my life several months ago in providing quality of care for my severely ill parents back in Maryland; and Mr. Davis continued to encourage and uplift my spirits through his numerous emails /jobs leads and consistent follow-up calls just to see how I was doing personally as well as with my professional job searches. I salute and applaud his compassion, dedication, and commitment to meeting the needs of veterans seeking gainful work. He goes beyond the call of duty, and I just wanted to utilize this platform of communication to show my deepest appreciation for his overwhelming support, vocational expertise, high level of professionalism/integrity and foremost his genuine kindness during such a tumultuous time of my life. He also has the unique ability of “bringing out the best in everyone around him! Mr. Davis reinvigorated my hope as I mentioned before to continue to apply for jobs of interest despite my deep grief in the passing of my Dad back in May; and as result I was able to obtain competitive employment working in the capacity of an “Employment Placement Strategist” for a Federal grant within the Bureau of Prisons. I have nothing but good news and things to say about Mr. Ted Davis and I strongly hope fellow veterans, spouses of vets and staff recognize his true talents, skills and highly driven ambitions in working with esteemed Veterans! Careatha M. Burton
I am blessed to find a Veteran like Mr. Ted Davis that provided services and truly cared about me throughout this entire process. Mr. Davis constant follow-up at times when I needed it the most meant the world to me. I had no confidence or self-worth until Mr. Davis, and I worked together and now I have a job that I love and I will be changing my life. All I can say if there is such a thing as angels Mr. Davis is one of them. Mr. Davis a Marine Veteran picked me up and assisted in changing my live and I will never forget him. From the bottom of my heart thank you so much
This success story is about Lisa Zeoli. She attended her RESEA appointment Virtually on 06/07/2022 meeting with RESEA Recruiter, Massiel Luna. Lisa had been searching for work for about five months before receiving RESEA services. Lisa lost her Global Payroll Manager position working in Invest Cloud, back in January 2022 and was looking for a new position in the Human Resources field. Lisa has a Bachelors’ degree in Business Management, also a Society of Human Resource Management Certification (SHRM – CP). Lisa has over 15+ years’ experience in the HR field. Lisa says she has experienced some barriers with age, thus finding it difficult to find a new position. After meeting with Ms. Luna RESEA Recruiter, Lisa was referred to additional Employability Skills Training workshops, CareerEDGE and ONet. She expressed interest in taking more Human Resource Training that is called Certified Payroll Professional Certification. She was advised to apply for the WIOA Program to help with Tuition assistance. She was also referred to the CareerSource Tampa Bay website for helpful tools, programs, and information about upcoming job fairs within CSTB. Lisa was also provided with labor market information and advised regarding the use of EmployFlorida for resume creation and job searching. On 07/25/2022, Lisa was offered a position with Enforce Consulting. Lisa is now working full time as an Implementation Consultant, earning a wage of $50.00 per hour. Lisa is gaining valuable experience working in a field that she enjoys, while earning a salary that gives her the ability to be self-sufficient and continue to work in the Human Resources field that compliments her experience and knowledge.
Ezekiel Daniels reported to CSTB Brandon as a walk-in seeking employment and having questions about the Federal Bonding Program. With help from Al Chisolm, Mr. Daniels was able to learn more about the Bonding Program and complete the online process. On March 23rd, he was employed at Waste Management and later offered a higher position as team lead on June 15th.
Lanett Hall relocated to Tampa from Utah about 6 months ago, seeking employment for a fresh start. She filed for unemployment and used the CSTB job search resource room. On May 24th, the customer reported she was seeking assistance in applying for food stamps and was given information and instructions by CSTB Staff to start the application process. Ms. Hall reported that she is successfully receiving food stamps and that she is very grateful for the services she received at the CSTB Brandon Center from Angela Roberts and Al Chisolm.
"We look Forward to participating with CareerSource Tampa Bay on future workforce opportunities. Both Cindi Perez and Karoline Guerrero from your team were most professional and helpful."
When challenged with navigating the transition from military life to a civilian career, Ted Davis had my back. After serving in the Marine Corps for 6 years and completing an additional 4 years of intense academic study, my next mission was to transform my military experience into marketable skills, while leveraging my degree to move into not just a completely different career, but a brand-new world. The idea of searching for new jobs, explaining what I had to offer, and finding the right words to represent my worth was a mountain I didn't know how I was going to climb. With Ted Davis' guidance, I learned that everything I had experienced, the good, the bad, and the ugly, wasn't just the real-world experience organizations were looking for, it's what they needed. He vigilantly helped me with job leads, tapped into his vast network to help me refine my resume, and put me in touch with the right people who knew how to break into every industry I was interested in. By the end of my experience in the VR&E program with Ted Davis, I had industry-leading companies offering me positions that were higher than the original job I had applied for and at starting salaries in the 99th percentile or what new college graduates earn. I'm excited to begin the new career that I landed during my time working with Ted Davis and I'm motivated to set higher professional goals for the future. I can't thank Ted Davis and his team enough for helping me get this far. Semper Fidelis.
“The ACE program has helped me to find my path from straight out of high school and get started on my new career path . Not only did the ace program help me learn many new things it also provided education and a career, a great combo. A blessing is what I call it! I couldn’t be more grateful for the ACE program helping me get to where I want to be. When I got out of high school I had somewhat of a clue what I wanted to do but just wasn’t sure of how to get there. That’s exactly what the Ace program did for me helping me get to my destination and it’s only the beginning.”
“The program is more hands on, not like other programs which you just sit in a classroom. It helps learners like me, who learn by doing and not just instruction.”
“It was a very good event. I got the kind of applicants I was hoping for and it looks like we will be able to fill quite a few of our vacancies.”
“I can’t be more grateful for all the help and guidance you and your boss have provided.”
“I am very grateful for your help all this time. Thanks to God that I found this program that helped me achieve what I need. All workers from CareerSource helped me correctly. Life will keep going and I will never forget the good service that you provided to me and your respect and love.”
“I am a first-generation college graduate in my family, and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity that Diana has helped me with through the WIOA Youth Program!”
Dear Zoe,
Firstly, I’d like to start by thanking you for your unwavering support, encouragement, and dedication to my case and the thousands of others you have helped and will help achieve their goals and dreams. You personally have helped me overcome the demographic obstacles associated with being a young single mother, a domestic violence survivor, and a recovering addict. The first day I met you, you spoke words of encouragement and throughout the last 25 years, you continued to water those seeds you planted in me. I just want to give back what you gave me, will continue to lead in your footsteps, and pour into the young women who surround me with similar circumstances.
Dear Cynthia,
As you know from January 22 to 24, 2020, I took the Advanced U.S. Immigration Law training that was taught by US immigration where I satisfactorily completed 24 hours of education and training in the U.S. Immigration Law. I am grateful to you and CareerSource for paying me for the training.
As a result of that training in the next days I will register with the federal department of Justice as an immigration attorney. I will register with the Federal Department of Justice as an immigration attorney, and I trust that in near future I will get a job or open my office as an immigration attorney. I will keep you informed of these employment arrangements. I reiterate my thanks for your dedicated attention and professionalism to help integrate into the labor market.
I lead a Homeless Initiative at my church where we supply CARRE bags with essentials and feed the homeless/less fortunate. I was talking to a young woman by the name of Denise, who is currently homeless and going through a tough time. I spoke to her about connecting with Career Source Tampa Bay and possibly enrolling in some type of training, her eyes filled up with tears and she said, “I am I enrolled in the R3 Program, Monica is my career coach, this program is my only source of income at the moment and if it wasn’t for the program and the financial assistance, I wouldn’t have money to eat.” This moved me immensely I saw the impact this program has to the community we serve, and it came full circle. This program is changing the trajectory of our customer’s lives.
He worked full time but had to set a goal for himself to complete this in 6 months or less. He did in fact complete his high school diploma in less than 6 months. He is currently waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic situation to clear when the military will once again be bringing new recruits in.
Olivia Smith is a Junior at Hillsborough High School. The Summer Job Connection program allowed her to gain a lot of experience and prepared her to go into a profession. Her first job was teaching Korean to underprivileged girls as a part of her passion. She’s studied the language for 5-6 years and is currently learning Chinese and Spanish.
“So many people’s businesses were down. People were out of jobs, I mean me myself. I hadn’t worked…”
“It turned out to be a really awesome program. Definitely highly recommend it for other employees and people, it was pretty easy
“It’s a win, win, win opportunity. This is almost too good to be true, they’re going to compensate the employer to train me ...
