DI Supported My Dream

"The staff at the DI, along with a caring mentor and bishop, was extremely patient in supporting me through such difficult times."

I first started the program at Deseret Industries in 2010. At the time, I was struggling with many aspects of my life beyond just finding employment. The personal struggles led to a variety of issues during my training time at Deseret Industries, and after a year and a half I left the program.

Several months later, I felt like I had overcome many of my personal struggles, and I was allowed to try again. The staff at the DI, along with a caring mentor and bishop, was extremely patient in supporting me through such difficult times. When my personal life continued to interfere with my progress, my support group refused to give up on me. They believed in me when I hit a dead end and suggested a career I never even imagined: dog grooming.

I have always dreamed of becoming a hairstylist and I loved animals, but I never thought about putting the two careers together and making a profession out of it. With help from my development specialist, job coach, and vocational rehabilitation counselor, I attended school to become certified in pet grooming. Though the challenges that came with schooling seemed unbearable, I knew that was what I needed to do.

While at the DI, I became a lead for the registers and sales floor, with the responsibility of reorganizing store items each night as needed and making sure the sales floor was clean and orderly for the next day. This helped me learn to supervise others and I learned the importance of keeping things organized in the store. But the ultimate blessing came when I finished my schooling. I was soon able to find a job as a dog groomer and apply the skills I learned such as providing good customer service, being punctual to work, and maintaining a good work ethic.

I will be forever grateful for the entire staff at DI, my mentor, and my bishop. They helped me through the most difficult times of my life, and I have never been happier.

"I will be forever grateful for the entire staff at DI.... They helped me through the most difficult times of my life and I have never been happier." 

For more success stories like Dianna's, click here.