David Mercer for Workforce Services Customer Testimonial Videos

Speaker: David Mercer

David Mercer: Hello, my name is David Mercer here in Round Rock, Texas. I was uh tell you all my testimonial with the program WIOA I was stuck in a dead end job and feeling unfulfilled in life. I knew I wanted more, but I wasn't sure how to get there. Then the Texas Attorney General required myself to be in a certain program with the Texas Workforce Commission. The reason being was for them to help me find a better job. At first, I wasn't too thrilled to attend the program thinking it was like probation. So I was hesitant, but I decided to make my efforts and truly give it a good try. I'm so glad that I did. The Texas Workforce Commission helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses, paid half my tuition as well as myself receiving appeal grant that attend to attend Austin Career Institute uh for advanced electrical and renewable energy class to become a certified electrician. Just after the first six months of the program, they also helped me with gas incentives to get to and from school to and from work as well. Uh personalized coaching and support was invaluable and couldn't have done it without them. Thanks to the Texas Workforce Commission. I completed school and now I have a very good chance of landing the dream job as a, an electrician that I've always wanted with a 50% salary increase. I know I will be doing the work that I love and making a real impact. I'm very grateful for the program and definitely recommend it to anyone that gets the opportunity that I did. Thank you.

David Mercer: To continue. What was the moment I realized I needed and wanted to change? I realized when I needed to change and wanted to change was when my paycheck stubs were 66% of my wages are taken to child support. And I couldn't support myself much less my six kids that I have on child support. I had to, uh, it, it just barely pay the, uh, bare minimum just to pay the child support for them. And I had no money for myself to be able to get out, get my own place or anything like that. That was probably the moment I realized I needed to change and wanted to change.

David Mercer: How would I describe the workforce solutions vocabulary in three words? Right at home. That was to be how I would describe the people and the staff that I worked with.

David Mercer: What advice do I have for others? Considering a career change through the Workforce Solutions Rual Capital Area, take all the help they offer, they know what they're doing and it will definitely change your life.