Mary Anderson is a busy mother of four, with nine grandchildren to take care of. Her previous job was physically demanding. However, her bishop from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints advised her to apply for a career in Deseret Industries Thrift Store. Deseret Industries Thrift Store.
“When you first start here, you’ll actually are accompanied by a counselor who is there to talk with you. This is wonderful, and then we’re continuous training,” Anderson said. “We read the book with our job coaches. They assist you in going to college or any other type of college you would like to attend. They also assist you in building your resume, so that you can find an interview and maintain a job.”
Through this experience within her tool belt, Anderson hopes to finish her business administration degree.
“Getting an employment here is much more than the job itself,” Anderson said.
Anderson is just one of the employees of Deseret Industries who receive not just a paycheck but help with resumes, job coaching and counselling. These services help Deseret employees an edge over the competition for jobs and help them get better-paying jobs in the coming years.
Anderson was in attendance to celebrate the grand opening of the thrift shop and donation centre’s new site at 3850 W. Orange Grove Road. The new location has expanded the store’s space to 5,000 sq. feet, resulting in more available jobs.
While The LDS Church backs Deseret, applicants don’t require membership to be employed. The majority of current employees aren’t members of the church.
Tucson, the city’s local Beatrice Gonzales, is one of the employees. Gonzales was a frequent customer from Deseret at the former location before applying. The employment at Deseret typically lasts for one year so that more members of the community benefit from their work facilities. But, Gonzales was enjoying her time at Deseret until she requested to stay for longer. Gonzales was granted an additional six months.
“The people me work alongside are amazing individuals,” Gonzales said. “I enjoy working with my job coach, and even those who aren’t my own. They’re great job coaches. You’re able to contact any of them anytime there’s a need that you’re in, or you have a question that needs to be addressed. They’re always available for you to talk.”
Gonzales was grateful to her supervisor, Gary Nelson, for highlighting the leadership skills she didn’t even know she was lacking.
“Gary my manager recognized traits within me which I didn’t consider myself to be as team leader and team leader, something that I had never imagined to learn that I had within my self,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales hopes to continue his career in the retail industry following Deseret.
Nelson said he loves working with people and watching how they develop throughout their time at Deseret. Nelson has worked previously at various chains of grocery stores, which made employees feel like numbers could be easily replaced. Deseret differs by letting employees leave feeling confident and prepared to do a better job.
Nelson spoke of a woman in her 20s who worked previously at Deseret. From her appearance, one could conclude that the woman of 20 was not confident in her abilities. She also did not have any work prior experience. She progressed through various roles in Deseret. While she went through each task, she became more confident. Nelson stated that this young woman was a team leader when she finished her work at Deseret.
“So here’s this young, quiet ladywho we’re asking her for direction others.” Nelson said, “She took on the task and took it on, and then did an excellent job. Everyone turned to her for guidance. They never saw the job coach.”
When she noticed significant improvements in her performance at work, Deseret helped her purchase professional attire and began the job search. The job she found was offered within a matter of weeks. This story of success is the main goal of Deseret.
“It’s not only for those who struggle with getting work, perhaps it’s somebody who hasn’t worked in long and need to know whether they’re able to get a job,” Nelson said.
Deseret Industries is currently looking to recruit and train 20 additional employees. Contact them at 520-903-1036 or in-person to inquire about job opportunities. You can also visit their website at deseretindustries.org for more information.
“Deseret Industries is about opportunity and hope,” President Ken Moeller declared from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Marana. “It is an opportunity to make a fresh start, gain experience in the workplace and become an honest employee. It is a place where individuals can build confidence in their abilities.”
