When Akia Spivey graduated from high school in June 2021, she made a decision. She would get a job and break the cycle of poverty and unemployment that had plagued her family. She felt that she had no role models.

Akia, a 20-year-old single Black Brooklyn resident who grew up in the Gowanus section, came to Goodwill in January 2022. She had never worked, so the Goodwill team provided job exploration support and job-readiness skills training, which helped her gain confidence. She chose to join Goodwill’s Pharmacy Tech Training 8-week program and completed it on March 2022. The next steps? Getting help to draft her resume and receive interviewing skills preparation from the Goodwill team.

Akia began working full-time as Pharmacy Tech with Walgreens earning $15 an hour. On August 2022. “I love being a Pharmacy Tech and I am glad I did not give up,” she says.

Goodwill’s Pharmacy Tech Training program provides young adults with the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to work in pharmacy and prepare them for the pharmacy technician certification board (PTCB) exam. The 80-hour training takes place over 10 weeks and includes exam prep, lab days, and face-to-face meetings with the CVS hiring team. If you’d like to join this program, please check the eligibility criteria by emailing services@goodwillny.org

If Akia’s story inspired you and you’d like to make a financial donation to support Goodwill’s programs, please visit the donate page on our website

If your company is seeking talent, please email findgoodpeople@goodwillny.org

If you’d like to receive training, employment or behavioral health services from Goodwill, please request information by emailing services@goodwillny.org