Goodwill Southeast Georgia outlines entry-level jobs, internships and support for local students

Sheila Blanco, public information manager for Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, interviewed talent-acquisition specialists from Goodwill Southeast Georgia about local job and training opportunities for students and recent graduates.

Goodwill Southeast Georgia encourages students and entry-level jobseekers to begin in retail and warehouse roles that can lead to management, said Tara Fisher, talent acquisition specialist. "We are a nonprofit social enterprise," Fisher said. "Every donation, every purchase goes toward our six Opportunity Centers that we have throughout our region." She listed locations in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Brunswick, Jessup, Waycross and Statesboro and said about 98% of revenue from stores and business lines supports mission programs.

The nut graf: The organization described a range of positions and supports intended for people aged 16 and older — from retail and donation-warehouse work to manufacturing, federal contract work and office roles — plus internships and tuition assistance designed to help students gain credentials or continue their education.

Goodwill representatives described several lines of work beyond retail. Fisher said the organization operates a manufacturing site in Pooler and business-service contracts at military and federal sites including Hunter Army Airfield, Fort Stewart and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, and staffing at a GSA building in downtown Savannah. Other work areas include e-commerce, transportation and warehousing, information technology, human resources and marketing.

For students and recent high-school graduates, Fisher recommended starting in a retail role if they have no prior experience because "we like to promote from within" and employees can advance through team lead and assistant manager positions into a 12-week store-manager training program. She added the organization runs summer internships in areas such as marketing and IT and holds hiring events year-round.

On eligibility and benefits, Mallory Pastor, also a talent acquisition specialist, said Goodwill hires applicants age 16 and older for entry-level positions. She said leadership roles and the tuition investment program require longer tenure: employees must be with the organization more than six months to qualify for tuition assistance, which Fisher described as up to $2,500 per year. Pastor listed standard benefits for regular full-time positions, including health, dental and vision insurance and a 403(b) retirement plan; she also highlighted internal mentoring through "success ambassadors." "It's a very close knit family environment," Pastor said of the workplace culture.

Representatives also described the AbilityOne program, which Fisher said provides work-readiness development for people with documented disabilities to help them move into competitive employment. Fisher directed viewers to Goodwill's careers website for application details and AbilityOne information.

The discussion was presented as information for students, families and educators; no formal actions, votes or policy changes were proposed during the segment. The presenters encouraged interested applicants to apply online or attend local hiring events for on-the-spot interviews.

Looking ahead, Fisher said Goodwill is building internship programs and continuing to expand apprenticeship-like opportunities, particularly in business services and technical roles. Pastor reiterated the emphasis on ongoing training and workplace support for career advancement.