Returning home to care for his grandfather, Jeremy Kirkemier moved to Carlisle, AR, settled in, and began searching for employment. After a year of unsuccessful job searching, Jeremy went to the Arkansas Workforce Center in Lonoke, visited with Sheila Sims, OneStop Center Manager, and discussed potential opportunities available through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program.
Soon after, in January 2017, Jeremy enrolled in the WIOA program and received Occupational Skill Training services. He began working on his Certificate in Welding at UA Pulaski Technical College. Excelling in school, he maintained a 4.0 GPA and graduated in December 2017 with his Technical Certificate.
Prior to graduation, determined to find a job in welding, Jeremy contacted Bigham Agriculture in Carlisle about a possible job opportunity. Remarkably, he secured employment as a welder, making $14.00 an hour, just two days after graduation.
Despite Jeremy’s obstacles, he overcame the challenges of being unemployed and is thankful for the opportunities the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program provided to help him achieve his goal.
