Banking on a brighter tomorrow

When Rajwant Kaur came to the United States from India in 1995, she dreamed of earning an American ­certification.

Now, just days away from realizing that dream, the thought makes her cry.

Kaur, 51, of Matthews, is one of 27 students who will graduate Feb. 5 from Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s Banking and Customer Service training course. During the free, nine-week course, students learn the skills they’ll need to land a job as a bank teller, check processor center or customer service representative. Graduates receive a national certificate for career readiness.

Providing almost 18,000 people with job training and resources last year, Goodwill, 2122 Freedom Drive in ­Charlotte, is on the recession’s front lines. While the number of people it’s served has almost tripled since 2007 – when it served about 6,500 people – the nonprofit, which serves 18 Carolina counties, also has seen a marked shift in the type of people looking for jobs. Today, more of the agency’s students have college degrees and had stable jobs for years.

“This is opportunity land. We can ­fulfill our dreams here,” Kaur said, choking back tears.

Kaur counts herself among the new “breed” of Goodwill students. In India, she earned an associate’s degree that allowed her to become a machinist. She also has a sewing certificate and in her native country made clothes to order. For the last decade here, she’s worked for Circle K convenience stores, and is now an assistant manager at two locations off Monroe Road. It’s a good job, she said, with health benefits that helped her retired husband as he underwent cancer treatments. He’s a proud cancer survivor now, she said.

But Kaur’s work hours with the 24-7 company can be unpredictable, and with a 2-month-old granddaughter at home, she doesn’t want to work odd hours. She heard about Goodwill’s job training classes from a TV commercial. Kaur is working nights and weekends at Circle K so she can attend classes, which run weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.   

“When I came into Goodwill I didn’t know how to type … but now I do,” she said, smiling. She’s also learned to make a resumé in addition to specific banking skills, such as check processing. Perhaps the biggest benefit, though, has been the self-esteem boost.

“I have confidence now that I can do anything,” Kaur said.  

That’s all part of the program, Goodwill spokesman Armando Barragan said.

“It’s more than just a job. We’re developing them,” he said. “It’s also being able to survive, learning money management and being able to support your family. When (students) get out in the real world, we want them to be able to manage their money.”

The class has made Kaur one of Goodwill’s biggest recruiters.

“Many of my co-workers (at Circle K), they don’t have any skills. I tell them, if you want to learn come (to Goodwill),” she said. “They’re listening, and I think they’re going to make some changes.”  

To her banking teachers, Kaur was among the best in this session.

Instructor Philip Gaber, of Mint Hill, said when he arrives each morning at 7:30 a.m. – an hour before classes start –  Kaur usually is already there, practicing keyboarding or key coding used by bank tellers.

“She’s constantly studying or practicing … her productivity is among the highest in the class,” Gaber said. “Just based on her work ethic, I don’t think she’s going to have a problem (finding a job).”

Need training?

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is accepting registration through Friday, Feb. 5 for a Banking and Customer Service class to be held Monday through Friday, Feb. 15 through April 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register or for more information, call 704-372-3434 or e-mail marie.antoine@goodwillsp.org. Classes in construction skills and hospitality and tourism also are available. For a complete schedule, visit www.goodwillsp.org and click “Training.”