BuRSST Community Stories

A BuRSST resident’s story follows:

This story is a compelling example of how people are impacted through the relationship they build with Airport Jobs. From initial contact and through the continuum of services Airport Jobs provides, this story demonstrates the benefits enjoyed by many individuals, families and communities.

Joel D, a SeaTac resident, has made significant progress in his life since first coming through the doors of Airport Jobs in July 2005. Originally from the Philippines where Joel reports “poor people stay poor, and no one is interested in helping poor people, and the rich people are very rich;” he now tells a different story about his experience in this country.

Prior to coming to Airport Jobs, Joel had other jobs outside of the airport, but was never able to adequately support his family. The vast number of jobs available through the Airport Jobs office gave Joel the ability to apply for several new opportunities without positive results until he received special assistance from the Employment Specialist to land a job. With this help, he was off and running with his new stable job and soon after able to secure a second job at the airport to better provide for his family.

He continued to visit Airport Jobs to stay abreast of the opportunities at the airport to get a better job. With that, he was introduced to the Career & Education advisor who made him aware of Airport University. Immediately, Joel knew that this might be the way to a better job and enrolled in the Computer Beginners class. The next quarter, he joined the Leadership & Supervision class, which he reports enabled him to use the skills he learned in class on the job right away.

No one in Joel’s family had ever been to college and the more classes he attended at AU, the more he felt that college was the way in which he could fulfill his dreams. Because he worked two jobs he would only be able to attend one class at a time and there is no financial aid available for such students (a student must attend ½ time in order to qualify for traditional financial aid). Moreover, all his income was needed to support his wife and children so there was nothing left to pay college tuition.

As a result of Joel’s strong connection with Airport Jobs and Airport University, he was the first to learn of a new support services ‘Scholarship’ fund available to airport workers. He immediately contacted the Career & Education advisor about it and applied. As a result, Joel was able to receive monies for his initial application and testing fees and then subsequent tuition assistance. Without either, he would not have been able to consider the notion he would be a college student at Highline Community College.

He says his life has changed dramatically since his first visit to Airport Jobs in July 2005. He is working and supporting his family the best he can while believing, for the first time, that one day soon he’ll be earning a livable wage from one job and fully engaged in other activities to continue to advance in his life and career.

He’s a great example of the role Airport Jobs plays for people coming to the airport in need of a job. According to Joel, he’s become a role model to his family of how hope, hard work, determination, and education provide opportunity here that they did not have back in the Philippines.

A BuRSST resident’s story follows:

Adam H, a SeaTac resident, found his own way to Airport Jobs. The Employment Specialist (ES) conducted some special outreach to Adam after noticing he had looked at several jobs but had not submitted any applications. Adam was surprised by the call and asked warily “do you call everyone?” Once he understood the role of the Employment Specialist at Airport Jobs is to provide individualized assistance to BuRSST area residents, he eagerly returned to the airport to further pursue a job.

Adam H is a well-educated man who once had a bright career as a teacher and later as a sales manager. During a period of recession, he lost his job. The loss of his sales job triggered a difficult time in Adam’s life. Adam separated from his family, went through a divorce and his continued unemployment left him in poverty. He tells of “falling on hard times” and “falling into drugs,” ultimately becoming a meth addict, unemployed and hopeless.

Adam entered treatment for his drug addiction and completed that program in March of 2006. Since that time, he was unable to find employment and looking to live anywhere in SeaTac where he could find people to take him in. When he arrived at Airport Jobs he was feeling pretty hopeless and desperate once again. He spoke about how his situation was compromising his sobriety because he was staying with people who used drugs. But he had no choice, as he had no other place to go. He said that it was getting harder and harder to stay clean and sober as his situation worsened despite his withdrawal from the use of drugs.

The Employment Specialist worked with Adam to develop a new job-search strategy; Adam was eager to learn and try something new. After working together with the ES, he was scheduled for an interview with an airport employer the next day to try out the new approach. More importantly, Adam was now equipped with a better attitude about himself and some renewed hope in his job search. After the interview, Adam reported that not only was he able to use what he had learned in the interview comfortably, but he was offered a job. The employer was so impressed with Adam, he was offered a supervisor position!

Weeks later, Adam returned to Airport Jobs walking tall with a big smile on his face to tell the ES: “I just came by to thank you because you changed my life.” He went on to report that now that he has a job, he was able to move into a ‘clean and sober’ house, was feeling secure again about maintaining his sobriety, and optimistic about his life.

Adam is just one example of the impact that a job has on an individual’s life in addition to a weekly paycheck. These other benefits are vital in the outcome of reducing poverty for BuRSST area communities and residents.

A BuRSST resident’s story follows:

This story displays the longer-term affects of the work that BuRSST has been doing. This particular story demonstrates ongoing impacts as well as longer term potential for individuals, community and families.

The first client to enroll in our Job Seeking Basics course for BuRSST residents was a young man, Arthur H. He was merely 18 at the time. He had just finished a high school completion program and was involved in some ‘at risk youth’ activities to direct his next step. He attended the class each day, although timidly, quietly paying attention. The class ended with an interview with DAL Global Services. Initially, Arthur was not one of the candidates that they selected for the next step of their interview process. Taking into account the things he learned in class, Arthur approached the hiring manager from DAL Global. He was then invited to the next step after showing additional initiative. Later, he was offered and accepted a Ramp Agent position with DAL Global.

When asked how his family would react to his new job, Arthur responded, “no one in my family has ever had a job like this. I think there are a lot of opportunities for me. I don’t think my family will believe this because I hardly can.”

Arthur’ new job began in October 2005. Since that time, he has assumed a leadership role in his family dedicated to demonstrating the value of hard work and tenacity. His job at DAL Global was full-time graveyard shift. He excelled on the job and was recognized as an extemporary employee even during the holiday season where he worked a second job at Toys-R-Us to help his family during the holiday season.

Six months later, Arthur continues to make strides in his job at DAL Global. He is on the premium day shift crew, on line to be promoted to crew lead next month, and looking for education opportunities to further develop his career. He says he will sign up for the next leadership class that is offered at Airport University because he wants to do well when he takes on the promotion. A staff member recently spoke with Arthur -- she summed up the progress that Arthur has made by saying “what struck me most was the thought, wow, Arthur is now a man.”