Michelle Guides Trainees & Graduates to Success
It has been a busy couple months for Michelle Hilliard, The Doe Fund’s Associate Director of Workforce Development. After representing The Doe Fund at an event with actors Bill Murray and Taylor Schilling, she stepped into a new responsibility very different from any she’s done before in her past five years with us.
Michelle joined us recently to share the wisdom she’s gained over the past five years at The Doe Fund, the most rewarding part of her work, and how it felt to be onstage in a leading role at Graduation.
Michelle, thanks so much for stopping by! To start things off, you recently took on a new role on top of everything else you do at The Doe Fund: moderating the alumni panel of our Graduation Ceremony. What was the experience like?
The experience has been amazing because it’s given me the opportunity to speak with, connect, and spend quality time with graduates old and new on another level — many of whom I’ve worked with personally. When I was first approached with the opportunity to be a part of the panel, I was nervous. But I got excited after I thought of it as a chance to be involved with the Graduation Ceremony in a different capacity. Hopefully, seeing me on stage helped people learn more about what we do on the workforce development team.
What is the most rewarding part of the job for you? What keeps you coming back to work every day?
As Associate Director of Workforce Development, my job is to help ensure Ready, Willing & Able connects trainees to better-paying jobs in high demand careers. We do that not just through occupational training courses, but also Career Essentials, which prepares trainees for everything from creating resumes to searching for jobs, breaking down paperwork and pay stubs, resolving workplace conflicts, knowing their rights in the workplace, and more.
With that in mind, my answer is absolutely when a trainee finds employment and housing and is reconciled to himself, his family, and his community. It reminds me time and time again that The Doe Fund’s mission is successful!
Seeing the fruits of our efforts — the success of so many people who have overcome so much — is what makes Graduation such an inspirational experience. I love what we do. It’s definitely a community effort, and it’s all possible because we have such a dedicated team.
Is there one story or experience with a graduate that sticks out as particularly special?
There are so many that have moved me to tears, but what immediately comes to mind is Stephen Johnson, one of the graduates on the alumni panel I moderated. When I met him he was very angry. He came to my class and sulked. He didn’t want to be there and told me so.
But he came to every class, not one absence. At every one, Stephen became more open and engaged. He started to give valuable insight — and even hope — to his fellow classmates and peers.
Each Career Essentials course ends with mock job interviews. At the end of Stephen’s mock interviews, he stood up to speak. I remember how he began to cry as he thanked The Doe Fund and the volunteers there for all they had done for him… it brought me, and everyone in the room, to tears as well.
Stephen is now living his best life. We are so proud of him and the entire Class of 2024 for putting in the hard work to become productive members of our communities and to give back!
What is one message that you hope trainees and/or graduates take away from your work with them?
First, that dignity, housing, and employment is a right to which we are all entitled. Second, the men in our programs can come back from anything! They have the power to change not only the trajectory of their lives, but the lives of their children, and their children’s children.
