Ricky Cobb
Michael W. Haley, Graduate of the Year Award Winner

When Ricky Cobb’s employer of twenty-six years closed the doors in 2005, he found himself alongside hundreds of other unemployed Rockingham County workers.  Ricky, who had worked on his family’s Ruffin farm for years before joining the company, had dropped out of high school to support the family business, but now, with no job and no diploma, he was regretting his decision.  That’s when he turned to the Goodwill Community Resource Center in Reidsville. 

Ricky began his time at Goodwill with a computer skills training class along with GED classes – a fundamental step in reaching his first goal.  “I was kind of scared at first, but once I started the first few classes I really enjoyed it,” Ricky says.

Ricky also boosted his employability by taking part in Goodwill’s Human Resources Development (HRD) classes where he polished his resume, set short-term and long-term goals and practiced his interview skills.  When a new employer, Alcan Packaging, came to town, Ricky was ready.  He was selected out of thousands of applicants in the screening process and was eventually offered a permanent position.  What’s more, Ricky Cobb received his GED in the fall of 2006 all while working a swing shift at Alcan.

“Getting my GED helped me get where I am now,” explains Ricky. “Talk to the people at Goodwill – they’ll help you out.”

Susan Steinberger, Goodwill’s Community Resource Coordinator at the Reidsville Center says, “Ricky has a good attitude which has gotten him far.  He has more self-confidence now.”