GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After losing his job, Troy Newsome turned to CareerSource North Central Florida for help. He knew from the experience of others that he may be able to get assistance finding a new job through CareerSource NCFL. “I lost my job, and I came into CareerSource because this is a great place to find employment.”

Though he expected to receive help searching and applying for open positions, Troy was offered more than he’d bargained for: An opportunity to participate in a special program for individuals interested in pursuing entrepreneurship. He quickly enrolled in the course after qualifying for assistance under the US Department of Labor-funded program, “Opportunity Quest.”

“As soon as I lost my job, [CareerSource NCFL was] starting a program called ‘Own Your Future,’ and that just seemed like the perfect opportunity for me,” recalls Troy. “After losing my job, I vowed to myself, ‘Hey, maybe it’s time for me to go into business for myself.’”

“Own Your Future” is a 4-week boot camp-style program developed by CareerSource North Central Florida that is designed to help eligible job seekers learn how to run their own businesses. The training covers relevant topics including how entrepreneurs with limited resources use their ideas and skills to remain sustainable; how to identify resources and establish goals; and much more.

“‘Own Your Future’ is an entrepreneurial program that’s trying to teach you to change your mindset and get over the obstacles and whatnot that have prevented you from becoming your own boss,” Troy says.

Troy speaks highly of “Own Your Future,” and has been very pleased with the program and enjoyed his experience as a participant. He thinks that everyone considering enrolling should dive in and sign up.

“If you think about enrolling in this program, please do! Don’t hesitate! Go ahead and join the program. It will probably be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself,” he says.

Troy’s story is certainly unique to him, but his experience is not. CareerSource NCFL is dedicated to helping job seekers throughout Bradford and Alachua Counties find jobs, train for better opportunities, and be proud of their work. Thanks to Troy’s commitment to his own professional improvement, he has a bright entrepreneurial future ahead of him.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kathryn Swatman walked into CareerSource North Central Florida, looking for one thing: a job. But CareerSource NCFL offered her something that she wasn’t expecting. And this changed everything for her.

“Opportunity Quest–it’s kind of changing your mindset to think more entrepreneurially. I really enjoyed it,” she says. “First, when I came in, I didn’t know why I was being signed up for an entrepreneur class. All I was doing was looking for a job.”

Opportunity Quest is a 4-week business and entrepreneurship training course that covers topics from self-employment foundations to business goal creation and everything in between. The unique benefit of the course is the shift in perspective from thinking only as an employee to understanding the mindset of a business owner. CareerSource NCFL notes that program participants often return to the workforce to earn higher wages or begin their own business.

For Kathryn, she discovered that the mindset shift taught and modeled in Opportunity Quest could be applied to all areas of her life. She explained, “It taught me a lot about myself in corrective action thinking and the ways to help myself progress.”

When Kathryn came into CareerSource NCFL, she expected to be pressured to find work quickly.

“It was a lot more positive than I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be a lot of pressure of ‘you have to find a job,’ ‘you need to get employed,’ ‘we need you to follow these rules,’ but it was very laid back.” Kathryn discovered.

CareerSource NCFL acts as a network for employers and employees alike, connecting each group to a multitude of resources that are beneficial to all. Through hiring events or training sessions, the center strives to equip every person and business representative with tools that will benefit their future career and business goals.

Kathryn knows that Opportunity Quest changed her outlook on life and shifted her career perspective. She says, “Even if you’re not looking to start your own business, I think this would be a great class to go. It’s very eye-opening–something that you can implement in your daily life.”

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – You might be surprised to learn that Marlana Armstrong is just 19 years old. After all, it’s not just any teenager that has the drive to start their own company. 

Marlana, the CFO of O-Bio Inc., has done just that. At the age of 19, Marlana enrolled in Startup Quest® with a STEM Ready scholarshipgrant from CareerSource NCFL. 

“My entire life I’ve been in school… I step into Startup Quest and I’m introduced to an entirely different world,” she says. 

With the resources she found at Startup Quest, Marlana was able to talk with professionals who have actually lived many of the experiences she was learning about through her research. Through the support from the staff, the trained researchers, and her team, O-Bio Inc. was born. 

“What 19-year-old gets to start up a company that is biomedical with all of these really smart people who are professionals? It’s just been a crazy opportunity… and all because of Startup Quest,” she says.  

CareerSource NCFL gave Marlana access to an internship with STEM Ready, a program for which she has nothing but praise. 

“STEM Ready is an opportunity for employers to experience subsidized… labor for months at a time, and I personally think that is so valuable for people in general,” she says. 

Providing opportunities for paid, real-work work experience to those who are unemployed who are unemployed stimulates both the local and national economy, not to mention providing a mutually beneficial situation for employer and employee. 

“If you’re not employed, you feel like you’re in a rut. If you’re on the employer’s side [and] you don’t have the people to do your jobs, you’re in a rut,” Marlana says. The STEM Ready program “takes businesses from level 1 to level 5” by giving employers and employees alike the chance to work together towards a common goal. 

Marlana is grateful for the opportunities she has found because of her time with Startup Quest. 

“Because I was introduced to it early, it’s motivated me to go and do something way bigger than I could have ever imagined myself doing,” she says. With big ideas and strong motivation like Marlana’s, we’re confident her successful career is only just beginning.