Ashley Scott came to SERJobs with a self-described “checkered past.” As a teenager, Ashley made poor decisions related to recreational drug use, which resulted in petty crimes that landed her behind bars. However, Ashley knew she wasn’t “who [she] was,” and after serving a few months in the Galveston County Jail, she became determined to live a better life. After that experience, Ashley states, “I was ready to stay on a straight and narrow path.” Ashley eventually had two children, and although the relationship with her children’s father didn’t work out, Ashley loved her life with her kids. Unfortunately, Ashley worked hard but had a low-paying job in the Hospitality Industry, and she couldn’t support her children the way she wanted.
Ashley knew it was time to forge a different path for herself and came across a SERJobs Facebook post advertising SER’s CORE + Construction training. This two-to-eight-week program allows clients to obtain their NCCER and OSHA 10 certifications. Ashley was thrilled that the activity was taking place in Galveston. She was in touch with SER’s Galveston Career Coach, Freelander Little, who had an office at Turning Point Church. Ashley expressed that what she wanted was skills training that would result in a certification or credential to find employment where she could earn a better wage.
Once Ashley completed her training and obtained her certifications, she was excited about all the fantastic new skills she gained. Still, the Covid-19 pandemic was entirely upon us by this time, and there was no work available. Eventually, she obtained one of SER’s paid-work-experience positions with 4B Disaster Response Network. Following Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, local churches went to work serving the community with immediate relief efforts. As the damage was assessed, they built a long-term plan to help communities on the long road to recovery. The 4B Disaster Response Network was formed to answer Hurricane Harvey’s immediate needs and prepare for future disasters that might affect our communities. Ashley was put to work repairing damaged homes.
While at 4B DRN, Ashley gained even more skills, such as mixing and installing a drywall and how to install flooring. After working there for almost two months, Ashley decided to leave 4B to take care of her child, who was struggling with asthma. A family member who had cared for the children had to temporarily step away from that obligation due to reasons related to Covid-19.
Today, Ashley has a new job at Regent Center in League City as a manager, with opportunities for advancement. Ashley related to SER that her supervisor appreciates the versatile skills she possesses, which she learned through her SER experience. In addition, Ashley indicated that the extra time her coach spent helping her with her computer skills (creating a resume and learning to create and edit documents, email etiquette, etc.) has been invaluable.
Ashley feels that the incentives provided by SER during this challenging time helped her tremendously, allowing her to purchase work clothes, steel-toed boots, and other work supports. In addition, gas cards allowed her to get to and from work during the Covid crisis while struggling financially. Ashley’s career coach, Free Little, affirmed that Ashly was highly motivated and teachable and believed that Ashley’s positive attitude, even through challenges, led to her success.