Applying his talents in a promising career

James Homer of Largo was a successful information technology professional until the economy started its slide into a deep recession. When his company downsized, a sudden and unexpected layoff left him reeling. As an older worker, James knew it wouldn’t be easy to convince a new employer that he was a good investment.

James was surprised to learn from his Goodwill employment counselor at WorkNet Pinellas that he was eligible for free training funded by federal Workforce Investment Act dollars. Goodwill arranged the funding, and James enrolled in a Web developer certificate program at St. Petersburg College while he continued job hunting.

After five months of unemployment, it appeared that James was going to be one more casualty of the economy. He could see the end of his unemployment benefits and savings, yet he still had a mortgage, car loan and other bills to pay. It occurred to him that he could actually lose his house.

Then things turned around. Armed with knowledge gained in his training program, James landed a great job in the IT department at St. Petersburg-based Catalina Marketing. Now a senior software build coordinator, he couldn’t be happier. “I’m doing more responsible and creative work than I was before,” James says, “and I am in constant awe of what a great company this is.” According to his boss, James’s future at Catalina Marketing looks bright indeed.