By Mary Knickenbocker
Brett Taliaferro is easily recognizable; his warm smile and signature long hair pulled back neatly rest comfortably under a billed cap. He can be seen each week volunteering at Launchpad Job Club setting up and manning the greeters’ table, explaining the various handouts, and putting first-time attendees at ease.
Also, he has stepped up as a co-facilitator for the Austin North X Northwest Clublet. This clublet is for job seekers looking for work in Travis and Williamson Counties. Taliaferro arranges for speakers and decides on discussion topics for the group. He sees taking this facilitator role as the most positive result of his unemployment.
His willingness to help others is also reflected in his participation at the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) as a warehouse worker inspecting, sorting, and boxing various food items for distribution. As a CAFB volunteer, Taliaferro utilizes his ten years of experience in warehouse operations and his attention to detail. His hard skills include:
- Shipping/receiving,
- Preparing bills of lading,
- Packing/unpacking,
- Stocking,
- Following ISO-compliant procedures,
- Operating standup forklift and pallet jack,
- Using computerized inventory systems,
- Training new employees, and
- Coordinating shipping with outside vendors.
Taliaferro takes great satisfaction in working with a customer from the time an order is placed until the product is out the door. He credits his parents for instilling his tenacious work ethic and his dislike for tardiness. Taliaferro brings these additional qualities to the workplace:
- Dedication,
- Adaptability,
- Punctuality,
- Trustworthiness,
- Positive attitude,
- Willingness to learn new skills,
- Attention to detail, and
- Patience.
