Pierre

After 13 years as a machine operator at a furniture manufacturer in Vermont’s rural Northeast Kingdom, Pierre had no reason to think he’d need technical training at ReCycle North. With the kids grown and out of the house, Pierre was ready to continue advancing in his career and enjoying the benefits of hard work; journeys on his snowmobile, competing in Tae Kwon Do meets, and spending quality time with his grandchild.

What Pierre had never expected, was that his knees would give out. Despite his physical fitness, he could no longer perform the repetitive motions on a concrete floor that his career demanded. After 6 surgeries, a year of unemployment, and constant pain, Pierre was ready to build on the basic computer skills he had learned from operating computerized equipment at work.

He took advantage of all educational opportunities that were close to home, and was eager for more. After searching for more opportunities to gain computer experience, he discovered that ReCycle North was the only place that offered hands-on computer repair experience combined with the technical training that is needed to pass the industry standard A+ Certification. After one month in the 6-month program, Pierre had a routine in place that would make others wince. He drrove an hour and a half one way from his home in Newport to ReCycle North early Monday mornings. During the week, he stayed with family in Winooski before making the journey back to Newport for the weekend. For Pierre, the miles were worth it, “The program is hard, but it paid off in the end.” Pierre is currently employed as a Computer Repair Technician at ReCycle North.

ReCycle North’s training programs serve a range of individuals. From the established career veteran like Pierre, to others who are struggling to gain new skills so they can earn enough to move out of a homeless shelter or off of public assistance for the first time in years.