When Donald Jones arrived at the Columbia Job Center in January 2026, he was carrying more than a resume. A justice-involved veteran rebuilding his life while staying at Welcome Home, a shelter serving veterans in Columbia, Donald was relying on public transportation and determination to get where he needed to go.
What he also carried was real skill. Donald is a certified structural welder with multiple welding certifications and years of manufacturing experience.
Referred by his VA caseworker, Donald was enrolled in the Wagner-Peyser and Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) programs and began working with Ricardo Garay, Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialist. Together, they built an Individual Employment Plan, explored career paths using O*Net and MERIC, revised Donald’s resume, and uploaded it to his MOJobs account.
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Then they went to work on the job search, pursuing entry-level openings and apprenticeships across the trades and manufacturing. Donald’s persistence paid off quickly. In February 2026, he accepted a position at Kraft, and within weeks, he was on the job as an assembly packer in the packaging department.
Donald’s story is just getting started, and that’s exactly the point. A steady job, a regular paycheck, and a team that believed in him have given him the foundation to keep building. His past didn’t define what came next. His skills and his work ethic did.
For veterans facing barriers to employment, whether that’s housing, transportation, or a justice background, the Central Workforce Development Region’s veteran services team meets you where you are and helps you take the next step.
Learn more at cwdregion.com/vetservices.