OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Last week, Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma (GICO) announced the completion of their 20th Roots of Success course. The eleven receiving certification (pictured above) join a total of 169 trainees who have successfully complete the nationally recognized Roots of Success program since GICO first began integrating environmental literacy into their recycling tech trainings two years ago.
The four-week GICO recycling tech course provides a mix of classroom and hands-on training designed to assist job seekers in gaining the skills necessary for employment in the recycling industry. In addition to to learning about the environment in the classroom, trainees spend time developing their workplace and employment skills, while gaining valuable hands-on experience, by processing goods in the Goodwill Recycling Center. Approximately 62% of GICO graduates are hired permanently by GICO upon completion of the four-week recycling training program — in the Goodwill Retail Store warehouses, and Mission Services Center as sales associates, managers, processors, drivers, fork lift operators, job coaches and employment consultants.
In the past year and with the assistance of the Roots of Success trainees, GICO was able to recycle more than 12 million pounds or 95% of all donated items — with only 5% going to the landfill.
Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma is a thriving social enterprise, with approximately 84% of the revenue generated from recycling efforts being invested back into the operation to fund programs, like Roots of Success, which assist people with economic disadvantages and other barriers to employment in gaining job skills and securing employment.
For additional Information about the recycling tech training contact:
David L. Horne, Roots of Success Instructor
Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma
316 S. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK 73108
(405)278-7148 dhorne@okgoodwill.org