I must say that applying to Platform to Employment has been the absolute best decision that I have made within the last twelve months…by far. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to the entire P2E team and their tremendous and undying support. Ben Bissell, Noreen Reilly and especially Mark Charpentier work tirelessly. The camaraderie among the group members was – and continues to be – unparalleled.
I remember vividly my initial interview with Mark at the DOL in Waterbury where he outlined the objectives of the program and what was expected of me as a participant. Two things that he stressed resonated with me, and I’ll paraphrase:
- “No one left behind”
- “Pay it forward”
I believe that as a group we adhered to that policy and that is indicative of the fact that even though the cohort has come to an end, we are all still very supportive of each other, regardless of whether we have already begun to work or not. Tools such as interview techniques, finding the hidden job market and how to be cognizant of body language and speaking about yourself with confidence are a tremendous help. I have learned to “tell my story” and “be memorable” as I share it.
As for me, I will continue to extol the virtues of this program and encourage those within my sphere of influence who are long-term unemployed, or know of individuals that are, to apply to this program.
It is indeed a Godsend, and I was honored to be a part of it.