Job Training Success Story - Tim Sammiels

When speaking with Tim Sammiel, Jr. for more than 5 minutes, two things are made perfectly clear… Tim is a man built on motivation and appreciation.

Tim’s story is not an uncommon one.  With a steady job of 7 years as a car dealership manager and a lovely young lady by his side, he was blindsided when he was abruptly laid off. Recently wed and with the prospect of a family on the horizon, he didn’t hesitate… he pounded the pavement!

With a wealth of knowledge of the car industry and experience with all facets of the position, Tim was surprised when he had a difficult time getting a new job. Even with job applications and resumes flying furiously, call-backs were scarce. Follow-ups revealed the same answer over and over again… he was just too qualified.

“I have years and years of experience managing; I can actually run a store, I can handle the books… it got frustrating.” Tim shared. “In a corporate world today, if you don’t know someone it’s really hard for you to move forward.”

Sometimes it really is who you know – and in this case, Tim’s mother-in-law knew Boca Helping Hands. With a “just try it out” she suggested he inquire about our, at the time, brand new CDL program. After a very thorough phone conversation with Program Director Trina Chin Cheong, Tim was vetted to fill the last and final slot in the session that was slated to start that very day.

“The attributes that he brought and how he embraced the opportunity we offered him, he kind of took it and ran with it,” added Trina. “It goes back to how motivated he was. He was just so driven! I just knew it, it was a gut feeling that he was going to embrace that opportunity and really just make the most of it.”

With a great deal of pride, Tim shared that not only did he complete the course, pass all the difficult stages of testing and obtain his CDL… he did it faster than any other student in his class. Equipped with his new skillset, he confidently re-entered the work-force and it wasn’t long before he landed a full-time driver position with CBS Rental & Supply.

Nearly 2 years post-graduation, Tim has flourish with the company. After successfully surviving a company merger and overseeing territories all across Florida, he has now been promoted to the position of Operations Manager. With full benefits, a 401k, a steady schedule and the ability to help support his growing family, Tim recognizes how generous of an opportunity our CDL classes are.

It is with his unwavering appreciation for Boca Helping Hands and the opportunity to attend these classes that Tim stays committed to maintaining a strong relationship with BHH. After graduating, he made a point to regularly visit his classmates and helps motivate them towards their goals. He regularly speaks with incoming classes about the importance of the gift of these programs and thanks contributors and grantors at various BHH functions. And with the ultimate commitment, Tim plans on working directly with BHH to hire their students once they obtain their CDL’s. 

“For someone who’s going to come here, whatever program they take, just go ahead and get to it. Everyone here is helpful, that’s why it’s called Helping Hands. So just ask for it and everyone will help you move forward,” Tim shared. “They are awesome! They really have no idea how many lives they touch.”

Despite the fact that Tim’s story isn’t an uncommon one, his motivation, perseverance and commitment to BHH has made him a story worth sharing.