In 1993, I was extremely content with my suburban family and my comfortable career at IBM Corporation. On March 15, 1993, my life changed as IBM implemented the first layoff – downsizing as they called it – in my division. In a single day, 30% of the staff was told that their skills were no longer of benefit to the IBM Corporation. Needless to say, it was a sad day in the history of IBM.

While I was not affected by the layoff, I discovered skills and abilities I never knew I had on that day. I began to counsel people who were devastated to hear that their career with IBM would soon be ending. Some had been employed with IBM for more than twenty years, and they felt that their lives would never be the same. I assisted some with resume writing and job search strategies, and others with a sense of hope that this layoff could be the beginning of more exciting things to come.

The more I assisted my peers with shaping a vision for the future, the more I realized that my future was changing also. I realized that God had another plan in store for me; that I had a gift of helping people gain the skills and motivation needed to acquire employment, and survive and thrive in the modern workplace. So began the vision for The Training Source, Inc.

As our web site illustrates, The Training Source is in the business of developing people, not just skills.  Since our inception, we have assisted unemployed citizens to gain the skills needed for workplace success, and we have assisted the employed to be more effective and efficient in the workplace. And… it all started with a vision.

What is your vision? Do you realize that your life has a purpose, and that you have natural gifts to use in the fulfillment of your vision? Sometimes your vision is crystal clear, and other times it’s a little hazy. Sometimes, it is very subtle, and other times its hits you like a rock. When you discover your purpose, and pursue it with passion, then nothing can keep you from achieving your goals.

If your mind can conceive it (your life's purpose);

And your heart can believe it (faith in your ability and your higher spirit);

Then you can achieve it (your life’s purpose).

I have been blessed with The Training Source. Together with a caring and committed staff, we have made a difference in others’ lives. And, that makes it all worthwhile. As Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, "If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain."