Howard Simpson’s first experience with Goodwill came in January 2019 when he was a student at Madison County High School. During that semester, he participated in Pre-Employment Training Services sessions and in the process, met Job Coach Jamie Parrott. By August 2021, Howard was ready to work and returned to Goodwill’s Athens Career Center for assistance.

Thanks to financial support provided by Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), Howard was able to participate in Community Work Adjustment Training (CWAT) and found the program very beneficial. He learned to stay on-task and focused, and also developed his communication skills. While assigned to work in the East Athens store, Howard enjoyed sorting. With Jamie’s coaching, he was soon ready to move on to an internship opportunity.

Howard wanted to find work near his Hull home and the Goodwill team delivered with a placement at Accurus Aerospace. He began the internship in October, at first keeping to himself while he became comfortable with his tasks. Howard was glad that the manager always had something ready for him to do and he was able to establish a good routine. The internship went so well that he was offered a permanent, part-time position as a deburr. In this role, Howard wipes down plane parts and makes adjustments where needed. At times, he is called to assist with shipping.

Howard says the job is satisfying because it allows him to keep to a schedule while doing stimulating work that is simple and not frustrating. When he’s not at work, he enjoys playing video games and is interested in learning more about twitch streaming.

In her nomination, Jamie shared that Howard was patient with the training process and coaching interactions between himself, other trainees, and supervisors. By staying committed to his future, he overcame his self-reported social awkwardness and gained stable employment. In recognition of his achievements, Goodwill is pleased to present Howard with the 2022 Outstanding Graduate Award for Athens.