The DI Encouraged My Education

“Deseret Industries has truly blessed my life.”

Before I came to Deseret Industries, I was struggling. I was in a negative work environment and not making enough money for my family. I didn’t know which way to go in my life and needed to make a drastic change. It must have been inspiration when a sister from my ward, who worked at the DI, came into my work for lunch and told me about the Deseret Industries training program. 

I sought a referral from my bishop and I was hired.  Immediately I fell in love with Deseret Industries. I loved the people I worked with and the spirit they brought with them. I loved the people shopping there, and even the building we worked in.

As I set goals with my job coach, he kept nudging me to go back to college to finish what I had started. I continued to set goals and slowly worked towards returning to school. I finally was ready to apply for school, but my heart sank when I discovered I had missed the application deadline by two weeks. When my job coach found out, he said, “Well, you can still apply and we’ll see what happens.”

Two weeks later, I opened a letter from the university and read that I had been accepted for the upcoming semester—I almost passed out on the pavement! It was an absolute miracle, yet I was suddenly scared out of my mind! I had just two short weeks to prepare. The store manager and my job coach took me into the office to get the color back into my face and reassure me that everything would work out.

I obviously was meant to go back to school, because the miracles continued. Within those two weeks, I found a great paying job with my brother-in-law on his concrete crew and we were able to find an apartment. I am now in my sixth semester of school and have recently obtained my general contractors license for my own concrete construction company. I plan on continuing my education and getting my master’s degree.

I have set a goal to return someday to Deseret Industries to help others achieve their goals for success. Deseret Industries has truly blessed my life.

“I am now in my sixth semester of school and have recently obtained my general contractors license”

For more amazing stories like Jake's, visit the DI's Facebook page by clicking here.