Debbie Smith's Senior Employment Success Story

Letter from Mrs. Debbie Smith

“I want to thank the state of Tennessee for allowing me to attend the Meritan program in Memphis, TN, in February of 2015. I lost my job in August of 2014. I had been looking for a job for several months with no luck. My unemployment was about to end, and I was unsure how I was going to make it. The reason why I was not able to get a job was that I lacked computer skills and confidence. For every position that I wanted to apply for, I needed to have Word and Excel - Microsoft skills, and I had none. I have worked on a Job for seventeen years as a bill collector with no computer skills. It was all data entry, so I was lost until my counselor at the Memphis Career Center told me about the Meritan program for people 55 and older who wanted an opportunity to learn new skills and get a fresh start.

Being in the program helped me to build my confidence. I attended career workshops and met with the different supervisors of corporations here in Memphis. I learned how to create a resume while in the workshop. Having that extra boost of confidence helped me in a time of need. I got hired through the program for a permanent position. In 2016, I decided to go back to school and get my degree. In 2019, I earned my Associate of Business Administration, and in December 2020, my Bachelor of Business Administration / Human Resource concentration. I graduated with honors and received an induction into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society. I plan to return to Strayer University to earn my Master of Business in the spring of 2021. Thanks for the fresh start. It changed my life.”