High school dropout turns her life around with TDL certification.
Then: A high school dropout, living on her own by the time she was 14 years old. Shawnquise Gatewood was incarcerated on drug-related charges and spent several years at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center. There she decided she wanted something better for her life and enrolled in the Skills Center’s transportation, distribution and logistics program. She also participated in CareerTech’s Employment Strategies for Re-entry workshop.
Joy Thomas, employment/transition coordinator for the CareerTech Skills Centers, said Shawnquise maintains a positive attitude and is serious about making changes to improve her future. At Mabel Bassett, Shawnquise learned
- How to be on time, “no matter what.”
- How to operate a forklift.
- How to present herself to an employer, including how to answer felony questions on applications and in interviews.
Now: Initially hired as a forklift operator, Shawnquise was recently promoted to machine operator at AAD/Flanders in Ardmore, Oklahoma. She says the promotion was due to her work skills and attendance. She received her high school equivalency diploma and says she is looking forward to a successful life outside prison walls.
“If it wasn’t for CareerTech, I wouldn’t have my forklift license,” she said. “CareerTech is the way to go.”
