Georgia native Harold Murden’s work experience included furniture and appliance delivery, but more recently he had been doing custodial work at Amazon through a third-party contractor. The contract ended in 2020 and Harold found himself looking for a new career. In September 2021, he attended a Goodwill Job Fair held at New Hope Church in Decatur. While at the fair, he spotted a flyer with information about Goodwill’s various training programs and wanted to learn more.

Harold had been interested in a welding career for years, but each time he investigated programs, the cost of the classes he found were not within his budget. When he visited the South DeKalb Career Center, he was delighted to learn that the costs of his training would be covered by SNAP Works. He enrolled in the program and began classes at Goodwill’s Stockbridge Career Center in mid-October.

Harold found everyone at Goodwill to be extremely helpful and he appreciated the gas cards that were provided to help defray his transportation expenses from his home in Ellenwood. During his time in training, Harold experienced the typical challenges that accompany learning a new skill; however, he mastered the material very quickly and his performance was so exceptional that he was offered a position before he completed the program. By the third week in November, Harold was placed in an internship with Action Metal Fabricators, where he now works full-time as a laser technician at a wage of $15 per hour.

When Harold graduated in early December, he had earned the nationally-recognized American Welding Society Certified Welder certification, along with OSHA10 and CPR/First Aid certifications. He is enthusiastic about the growth opportunities available in the industry and purchased a welder so that he can further develop his craft at home. As he achieved 120 days on the job, Harold says he enjoys his work because he gets to do what he loves to do. He is always impressed by the many things that can be done with metal.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Goodwill is pleased to honor Harold with the 2022 Outstanding Graduate for the Stockbridge Career Center.