Finding the Right Fit, A Take on Employment at Triumph

The first thing that greets me in my office each morning is my favorite piece of artwork. Not only is it a drawing of one of my favorite cartoons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but it was drawn by JeRay, one of my favorite people.

When I was a new Employment Specialist at Triumph, JeRay was one of the first people I worked with. He had no job experience and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. This made me extremely nervous. Where should I even start? After much thinking (and overthinking), I realized that the best job for JeRay would be somewhere where they enjoyed him as much as the Triumph staff did! We hopped in my car and spent the entire day stopping in businesses near his home and meeting the staff and management. He won everyone over with his killer smile and by the end of the day, he had been offered a job at Demetri’s in Homewood! Fast forward over a year and JeRay’s coworkers shared with us that JeRay is “the best thing about Saturday morning breakfast”. That is a huge accolade considering their food is AMAZING!

JeRay is now an active member of our Social group, a staple at Demetri’s Saturday breakfast, a panel member at the Employment First Job Coaching seminar, and a featured artist at our Art Show! He is also one of the coolest guys I know.

Alicia Virgilio