| Success Stories | GDOP Success Stories A report from Connie Kennedy, GDOP Coordinator The links below provide a snapshot of a few of the occupational transitions people are currently making in the Oregon groundfish industry. For your convenience, stories are separated by the person's gender and their previous fishing related job (on-shore and off-shore work). These people have accessed existing re-employment or re-training services provided by local Workforce Investment Act (WIA) providers, with the help of their regional GDOP Outreach Peer (fishing industry peer mentors), and the local Oregon Employment Department. These success stories can be attributed to the hard work and persistence of the people making the transition, with the support of their regional GDOP Outreach Peer. Just as language can be a cultural barrier to understanding people, Outreach Peers act as cultural interpreters in an occupation unlike many others. Names and places are generic to respect privacy. Some stories retain the Outreach Peers point of view as I thought it relevant to show the relationship of trust Outreach Peers have developed with the people they are connecting to resources. The amount of time it takes to make an occupational transition varies. For some people, it goes quickly. For others, success will take place over a longer period of time. College level training often takes more time than vocational trainings. For some the need to continue to make ends meet while in transition will force them to take breaks to earn income. Fishing as a survival job is one way people will do this. Help other fishermen and e-mail us your story. Contact: Connie Kennedy, gdop@oregonstate.edu
|
