As a single parent working full time, Charles Conner’s mom struggled to provide Charles and his siblings with the opportunities she dreamed for her family. So she turned to Mercy Home.
The adjustment was tough for Charles. Living and sharing with a group of other boys was new to the eighth grader. But, by the end of his sophomore year, he was adjusting and doing well. That summer, through the Chicago Summer Business Institute, he received a paid internship with Harris Bank. To participate in the program, applicants must be a sophomore or junior in high school, and have a 3.0 G.P.A. or higher.
As an anti-money-laundering specialist, Chuck did computer database work, filing and organizing five days a week. “I enjoyed it very much,” Chuck said. “I was always busy; they kept me working every single minute.”
He enjoyed it so much, in fact, that the following summer he was given a similar position, again through the CBSI, at Northern Trust Bank. There, his supervisors helped him learn many important skills.
“They were very nice, but took being on time very seriously,” Chuck said. “I learned to always be on time and how to stay organized.”
Chuck credits Mercy Home for offering great support to all the youth seeking jobs. Through courses and job fairs, he learned about resume and interview preparation, filling out applications, and how to appropriately leave a job.
Toward the end of Chuck’s senior year, he got a job as a clerk at Jewel-Osco, where he still works. He left Mercy Home after graduating from high school, and is now studying computer engineering at UIC.
“My internships gave me great experience and training,” Chuck said. “They helped me be sure of what I wanted to major in at college.”
