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Lutherwood Caring People. Strengthing Lives.

Customer Service Fuels His Passion


Employment Advisor and client
Jeremys Story

Jeremy saw his workplace burn to the ground. The good news is that everyone made it out safely. The bad news is that with only two months on the job, Jeremy was now out of work.

But Jeremy’s career was just beginning and the mature, articulate high school graduate knew it. “Working as a line worker was an interesting experience,” the Cambridge native noted. “I saw some weird stuff come through the waste stream, and dangerous things like propane tanks which can explode. I also learned that this was not a career for me.”

A former teacher suggested that he go to Lutherwood’s employment office. Jeremy was a good fit for the Youth Job Connection program for 15-29 year old youth who are not in training or school and have minimal or no job experience. Through the 3-week program, participants receive a stipend while they work on skills and gain experience that prepares them for the labour market, and qualifying employers can access incentives to offset costs associated with training and employing a new hire.

“I learned how to make a targeted resume and improve my interviewing skills. I received workplace safety training and completed WHMIS,” he stated. Jeremy was also encouraged to think out of the box and discovered customer service. “I like working with people – helping people. There is a need for good customer service.”

Jeremy Quote

Within a couple of months, Lutherwood called about a full-time Customer Service Representative opportunity at a Canadian Tire Gas+ location. He was interviewed and by the end of the week was offered a placement which later became a full-time job.

“I enjoy it, they are a good employer,” Jeremy reflected. “I meet all sorts of interesting people in the convenience store. One time a tourist pulled up to the full service pump and tried to pump his own gas. He could not speak English and I have very broken Portuguese. But I was able to explain that he had to use the other line. Then, I helped him when his international credit card was declined and even showed him a translation website where he could get an extra 2 cents per litre off his purchase. You have to be attentive to the customer, that is what sells – and I like it.”

Comminuty Report
Read more client stories in our 2016 Community Report
"Two things that attracted me to Lutherwood were its strong values around supporting people and its business approach to operations. By focusing in part on infrastructure, revenue diversification, and organizational capacity, we can provide continued service to our most vulnerable in our community for many years to come."