TYLER, Texas (KETK) – Goodwill of East Texas offers more than a thrift store, it has a mission to provide skills, training and opportunities to people with barriers to employment.

YouthWorks is Goodwill’s six-week paid training program for ages 16-24. The first three weeks are a classroom environment where they focus on application and interview skills. Then, they move on to other skills like customer service, production, quality control and conflict resolution.

They partner with Chick-fil-A’s in the Broadway Square Mall and in Lindale to give youth some on-the-job training.

Community Engagement and Development Director LaKeidra Lincoln explained how this helps local youth.

“Our YouthWorks program in particular is for youth who are not in school,” Lincoln said. “So if your youth has already graduated high school or are just not in school for any reason, that’s the only requirement is that they can’t be involved in school because it will be during school hours.”

For more information, watch the video above and visit their website.