Rickia Guerrier visited the Urban League of Palm Beach County and asked a staff member if our agency offered any training programs that could assist her with finding employment as soon as possible. 

She had dropped out of high school in the 10^th grade, she was involved in criminal activities in school and never returned to complete her high school education.  Her low self-esteem was related to her limited basic reading and math skills. 

She stated she was not interested in a GED program at this time, but needed employment immediately to pay rent and buy items for her kids. 

When she entered our PBSO Workforce Development Program, she was given hygiene items, gas cards, and incentive payments during her tenure in the program.  

Interested in working in daycare, Rickia was hired to help out in a local daycare center.

But two weeks after starting, she was unable to continue working there after it was learned about her involvement in the justice criminal system.

She was then referred to another work experience job, where she worked for only a short period of time because she didn’t have daycare for her baby and had to ask her boyfriend for help.

Upon receiving her first subsidized work experience check, you could see her enthusiasm and feel her excitement when she said: “I am so happy to receive my first pay check. This is the first time I have ever worked and made some money.”

Soon, she was hired by Kentucky Fried Chicken as a cashier/cook at a rate of $14 per hour with medical and dental benefits. 

She thanked our staff for giving her the opportunity to feel as if she is a real person, and she said she would like to always think positive and to be respectful and polite to everyone around her.

She now feels she’s on her way to becoming self-sufficiency and uses her monthly bus passes to get around.

She added she will never forget what she learned in the program – especially this:

“YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE.”