Editor’s Note: This article is a continuation of ‘Bridging the Gap’ from the Friday, March 13, edition of the Okmulgee Times.

— A Story in the Room

By the middle of the week, you begin to learn something about one of the instructors guiding the class.

Brad Campbell has a way of encouraging people without making it feel forced. When someone struggles to recognize their own strengths, he pushes gently, asking questions until they begin to see what he sees.

What many people in the room don’t realize at first is that Campbell once sat in the same seat they’re sitting in now. He came through the WorkReady program himself. “When I came through the program, I was skeptical at first,” Campbell said. “But by Tuesday I had started to buy in.” That experience changed the direction of his life. “Once I was presented with the opportunity to work here, I jumped on it,” he said. “You could tell the program was headed in a good direction, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Today, he helps lead the program. That journey gives his encouragement a different kind of weight.

Campbell understands what it feels like to walk into the room unsure about the future and leave with a clearer sense of direction.

His story serves as a quiet reminder throughout the week that the process works, not just in theory, but in real life. “If you don’t put anything into it,” he often tells participants, “you’re not going to get anything out of it.”

— Day Three: Telling Your Story

By the third day, the focus shifts to something employers often ask for during interviews but many applicants struggle to explain.

Success stories. You’re asked to think back through your work history, and sometimes your personal life, to identify moments when you solved problems, improved a situation or helped someone succeed.

At first, it can feel awkward and many people are not used to talking about their own accomplishments. It’s been ingrained in us from childhood to ‘be humble’ and bragging is frowned upon, but this is where advocating for the good you’ve done and still do, is necessary for the modern job market.

Job Data: Employers frequently use behavioral interview questions designed to reveal how someone handles real situations, questions like “Tell me about a time you solved a problem” or “Describe a situation where you helped a team succeed.” Being able to answer those questions clearly can make the difference between moving forward in the hiring process or being passed over for another candidate.

That’s where the success story exercise becomes important.

Participants begin identifying moments in their own lives that demonstrate responsibility, leadership and problem-solving experiences that may have gone unnoticed before.

Brad Campbell helps guide the conversation, showing how those everyday moments translate into workplace value. Many participants realize something surprising. The skills employers are looking for may already be present in their lives.

They simply hadn’t learned how to talk about them yet.

— Day Four: Speaking With Confidence

By the fourth day, the focus moves from writing to speaking. Now it’s time to practice interviews. You begin verbalizing the skills you’ve spent the week identifying on paper. For some people, this is the most challenging moment of the workshop. Talking about your strengths out loud can feel uncomfortable. But with each practice round, confidence grows.

Barriers are discussed openly, transportation, childcare, gaps in employment and strategies are explored for navigating those challenges while still presenting yourself as a capable candidate.

Kiska Johnson often steps in during these discussions, helping connect the lessons from earlier in the week and reminding participants that the skills they’ve identified are real and valuable. She joined the program after spending 15 years working in another industry and says the work has changed her perspective. “This job is more than just a paycheck,” Johnson said. “It’s really helping people.”

She recalled one participant who needed baby clothes. “It broke my heart,” she said. “So I made sure she had several bags. She wrote me a letter thanking me for taking the time. It’s amazing what we do here.”

— Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Later in the week, representatives from several training programs visit the class to explain additional career pathways available through Oklahoma’s network of career technology centers. Among them are programs connected to Green Country Technology Center. You learn about hands-on training opportunities in fields like phlebotomy, certified nursing assistant (CNA), certified medical assistant (CMA), truck driving and other skilled trades.

The representatives don’t conduct training during the workshop itself. Instead, they explain their programs and help you explore enrollment options if you decide to pursue additional education.

For some people in the room, those conversations open doors to possibilities they hadn’t considered before.

— Joannie’s Story

Among the participants in the class was Joannie Hackler of Okemah, who came to the program from a very different place than many of the younger attendees.

Hackler had spent years working in professional environments before stepping away from the workforce to care for a family member.

“I had to move to Okemah to take care of a family member,” Hackler explained. “So I’ve kind of been semi-retired for the last couple of years.” Now that life had shifted again, she began exploring the idea of returning to work – possibly through remote opportunities.

Like many people searching online for employment, she quickly discovered how difficult that process can be. “It’s really hard to find reputable remote jobs,” she said. “A lot of times they just want your email address and you never hear back. You don’t really get to talk to a real person anymore.”

When she saw an advertisement for WorkReady, the timing felt right.

“It just hit me at the right moment,” Hackler said. “I thought, you know what – this is something I need to do.” What she found inside the classroom surprised her. Having worked for major companies like Chesapeake Energy and Williams, Hackler had participated in numerous professional training programs over the years.

So she had something to compare the workshop to.

“I’ve been through a lot of different trainings,” she said. “And I think their training is excellent. It’s first class the way it’s organized, the way it’s presented.” Hackler said the structure of the program stood out immediately. “They were very organized,” she explained. “Everything was spot on the timing, how the class flowed. They’re a well-trained group of people.”

But beyond the professionalism of the program, she also appreciated the way instructors engaged the entire class. Participants were often encouraged to pair up with someone they hadn’t spoken to before, an exercise designed to build confidence and communication skills. “I liked that they would say, go talk to someone you haven’t talked to yet,” Hackler said. “It helped people who might not normally feel comfortable walking up to someone.”

For Hackler personally, the workshop served as a reminder of how quickly job-search skills can grow rusty.

“I haven’t had to interview for a job in years,” she said. “So I realized I was rusty.” By the end of the week, that had changed. “I felt like I was really ready to do an interview,” she said. “They gave us tools – things you wouldn’t necessarily think about, like preparing your space for an online interview or having notes ready.”

The program also helped open doors she hadn’t expected.

Through WorkReady’s partnerships with local training institutions, Hackler was able to enroll in a phlebotomy course at Green Country Technology Center. “I didn’t even realize that was an option,” she said. “Now I’m signed up for the class. They’re paying for it.”

For Hackler, the experience reinforced something she believes others in the community should know.

“I would recommend it to anybody,” she said. “Whether you’re younger and just starting out, or someone like me who’s had a career already, it’s just good training.”

— New Beginnings

By Friday afternoon, the room feels different than it did five days earlier.

The week ends with a small graduation ceremony. Participants receive acknowledgement and certificates of completion. Phone numbers are exchanged, and before long a group text thread begins forming a way to stay connected beyond the classroom. What started as a room full of strangers quietly looking for work has become something else entirely.

A community. More importantly, many leave with a renewed sense of confidence. The uncertainty that walked through the door on Monday has been replaced with tools, strategies and a clearer direction forward.

It’s a reminder of how much can change in a short amount of time.

Five days. Sometimes that’s all it takes to begin again. As someone who took the class myself, I left impressed by the structure of the program, the professionalism of the instructors and the genuine effort to meet people where they are.

WorkReady doesn’t promise instant success. What it offers instead is preparation. The kind that helps people recognize their own strengths and step forward with purpose.

And sometimes, that’s exactly where a new start begins.