For 22-year-old Adelbert Jones, the road to a desired career path took an unexpected detour. However, he leveraged WorkAdvance to steer back on course and regain stability.
Jones was working in Pittsburgh when he lost his job after getting into an accident that left him without transportation. He was forced to get back on his feet and find work elsewhere.
“My stepmom told me about WorkAdvance, so I signed up. There was a $750 stipend, and I needed that money to help me until I got a job,” Jones said.
Getting back on track
The program was expanded to Warren at the end of 2023, and Jones was a participant in the first-ever cohort.
He and eight others completed the three-week training and were prepared for careers in manufacturing. In February 2024, Jones was hired at Liberty Steel Industries in Warren.
Since then, his financial worries have lessened, and he’s been able to start saving money.
“My girlfriend and I don’t have to live paycheck-to-paycheck anymore, and I’m moving along pretty well.”
Jones works the slitter – where large rolls of sheet metal get cut into smaller widths. Depending on orders for the day, his shift is 5 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., or sometimes 3:30 p.m. Getting overtime is typical.
He plans to stay at Liberty Steel for quite a while but also wants to advance to other positions.
“I’d like to learn the rolling machine. That’s where the steel is rolled completely flat, and it’s about controlling it. I’d also be running that by myself, so it’s more challenging.”
Lessons for life
Jones is no stranger to hard work. In high school, he took AP classes and had high test scores. He went to college to be a power plant engineer, but it didn’t work out.
“The school I was at ended the program, and I didn’t want to change majors, so I dropped out.”
Being able to pivot and push forward has been a big lesson for Jones. WorkAdvance is now part of that journey.
“You get the career coaching, and they help you find a job. They don’t just teach you and put you out on your own. No matter what job you get, it will have consistent hours and pay. You know what to expect and can plan things out better.”
Being young, and having many working years ahead of him, Jones has advice for anyone hesitating to enroll in WorkAdvance:
“The sooner you start trying, the less you will have to do in the future. You might want kids someday, a house or a car. You can save up money and set yourself up with a good base for the future.”
