Preparing for the Future

“I earned the opportunity to enroll in a truck driving school.”

It had been a few years since I graduated from high school and I had been out of work for a while. My paper route was not enough to meet my obligations toward owning a car or helping my parents with the family expenses. I needed to do something with my life, so my bishop referred me to Deseret Industries.  I was interviewed and then accepted into the job training program. 

When I first arrived at DI, I was very quiet. People would greet me and I would just walk by them without speaking in return. I didn’t speak much to anyone. As a young boy I had been teased by others and the world for me had become an unpleasant place. Over time, I began to speak more often, until eventually I would start a conversation with my job coach or others. As more time went by, I felt confident enough to make suggestions to my job coach for solving work problems. It made me feel good when he chose to use some of my suggestions.

My first assignment was in the donation area. At first it was hard for me to speak to donors. I soon learned how to receive the donations, thank the donor, and fill out the donation receipt. I learned to sort and keep the donations organized. I had some difficulty working at a steady pace and was frequently late to work, but after much encouragement and goal setting, I began to work better and grow in my abilities. After several weeks, I was trusted enough to close up the donation area for the night!

As I further proved to be reliable, I earned the opportunity to enroll in a truck driving school. Eventually, I passed all of the tests required for my commercial driver’s license. 

Deseret Industries has helped me to grow in many ways as I have prepared myself for a better future. 

“Deseret Industries has helped me to grow in many ways as I have prepared myself for a better future.”

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