Dynamic Duo: Tom & Julie Mills

With full time careers and two children, this couple still makes it a priority to serve Jobs Partnership each semester in the LifeWorks classes…as Head Coach, Team Leader and writing curriculum. Meet Julie and Tom Mills. When asked what motivates them to continue volunteering, Tom says, “it’s the only place where you can see a life change in 12 weeks, some big, some small.”

They have many stories, but to Julie it’s the little things that leave an impression, like how students trust her with their issues. She says some are surprised she wants to help them for no reason other than she is grateful for her own blessings. Tom had a student who was filled with pride about participating in the class graduation. He had never graduated from anything before; he had never completed homework in the past. This was life changing.

Their service extends beyond the classroom. Tom was coaching a student who did not have a driver’s license. The student realized this was a barrier for employment and lost confidence. The Mills helped him learn to drive and then took him to get a license. He soon got a job and six months later bought a car. They will even recruit students by sharing the opportunity of LifeWorks training when seeing potential or experiencing great customer service from retail and fast food employees!

Julie and Tom say that Jobs Partnership gives them the rare opportunity to use their gifts fully and they are very grateful and will continue “as long as they keep letting us.”

Julie has a consulting business, Pragmatic Computing (www.juliestilesmills.com) and Tom is the General Manager for CMA Technologies.