Natural Caregiver Earns CNA and Upward Mobility

Andrae discovered his gift for caregiving early in life. He and his two younger brothers were raised by a single mother who struggled to keep a roof over their heads; he remembers his family sleeping in their car during cold winter nights. “All of those experiences didn’t define me,” he said, “but they definitely shaped me.” When his mother’s health declined while Andrae was away at college, he immediately left school to take care of her.

To pay the bills, he took a job as a healthcare worker at a group home for disabled and special needs patients. Despite the long hours and meager pay, it was there that Andrae discovered he was happiest when he was taking care of others. When he learned about Goodwill’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program, he saw a path forward on his career journey. He’d devoted himself to taking care of others; now, it was also “time for me to take care of me.”

During his CNA training, Andrae was supported and challenged by his instructors and career coaches. Upon graduating and earning his CNA license, he was hired at Henderson Hospital, where he has more than doubled his previous salary.

At Henderson Hospital, Andrae feels he is part of a “dream team” and is now working toward becoming a certified rehabilitation nurse. His coworkers immediately recognized his generous spirit and talent for caregiving; he’s even earned the nickname “The Gentle Giant.”

“I am so grateful to Goodwill for the opportunity,” he said. Andre is especially proud that in his new career he is now able to support his wife and two children as “the ‘Gentle Giant’ at Henderson Hospital.”

Goodwill helped Andrae follow his heart.

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