Celebrating 5+ Years of Success: Capstone Participants Build Long-Term Careers

Finding a job is an important milestone for any young adult, but staying, growing, and thriving in a role for years is where true independence takes root.

At Franklin Capstone, our mission is to guide neurodiverse young adults through the final stages of their education and into confident, independent lives. Through a mix of social, vocational, and life skills programming, alongside partnerships with local organizations and county services, we help participants secure and maintain internships, volunteer experiences, and competitive employment.

Achieving job stability takes hard work, adaptability, and the right support system. Today, we are thrilled to celebrate three Capstone participants who have reached an incredible milestone: five or more years with their employers! Here is what Gordon, Will, and Adam had to say about their workplace journeys, overcoming challenges, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Gordon - PCs for People - 5 Years of Service

Q: Where do you work?

A: I work for PCs for People in St. Paul.

Q: What is PCs for People?

A: We recycle electronics. Our mission is to get laptops to people who need them, such as low income families, nonprofits, or people who are trying to get back on their feet and can't afford a brand new computer. A lot of companies like banks, corporations, or schools will donate their used equipment, and we will repair and update them, and sell them at a discounted rate. Oh, and Franklin Center actually gets their staff laptops from PCs for people.

Q: What are your tasks at work?

A: I'm a computer technician, and I mainly focus on desktops. I refurbish them. I open them up and put whatever RAM and software the customers want into the computer.

Q: How did you find the job?

A: I started off by volunteering the PCs for people. I was connected through the District 287 transition program that I was in. Towards the beginning of COVID, all of a sudden a lot of people needed computers to work from home. So they needed more staff, and reached out to see if I wanted to work with them.

Q: What do you like about your job?

A: My boss, who started off as my coworker. He’s very nice. I also like the mission, and working with the volunteers. We have a lot of high school volunteers who have disabilities. We also have a group who come from MICC to volunteer.

Q: What's been a challenging part of the job?

A: There has been a lot of turnover. At one point, there was a max exodus of a bunch of people. It was hard to adjust to, but there have been some changes made that have been beneficial, some better communication from the higher ups. That is really helpful.

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: Being there for five years.

Q: What advice would you give to a young person who's just starting their job search?

I would say to keep searching, the right job will find you. Don't get overwhelmed if you get told no. If you feel overwhelmed, it's okay to ask someone for guidance. You don’t have to know everything right away.

Keep searching, the right job will find you. Don't get overwhelmed if you get told no. It's okay to ask someone for guidance. You don’t have to know everything right away.

Will - Lunds & Byerlys - 6 Years of Service

Q: Where do you work?

A: Lunds & Byerlys in Eden Prairie.

Q: How long have you been there?

A: Six years.

Q: How did you first find the job?

A: My grandfather suggested it, as I was becoming that age of where I need to get a job and such. So, we happened to have one close by, and decided to check it out, and... It was so long ago, so it's hard to remember exactly, but I definitely remember that they were hiring. So, I got them all the stuff they needed, like a resume, references, ID. I came in and said what was needed to say. I guess they emailed my parents saying that I got the job.

Q: What is your typical schedule?

A: I work four hours a day, three days a week. I usually do Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays.

Q: What are your tasks at work?

A: I am a Courtesy Clerk, so I bag groceries. I help people out with their groceries, I refill bags, I take baskets to the front so that they're restocked, I throw out the garbage under the registers and take back recycling if needed. I return unwanted items or throw away damaged items.

Q: What is something you like about your job?

A: I like the schedule I have. It's hard to give up this type of schedule. It's not my dream job, it's just a job, and I just do it for money. But it’s nice. Can be a little frustrating, though. Since we're moving back into school year stuff and are a little understaffed.

Q: What is a challenge at your job?

A: I guess sometimes dealing with the people. I never know what type of person is going to walk in and how they will act. There are some people who like their groceries bagged in a specific way, which kind of drives me nuts. It's not that big of a deal, but it kind of drives me nuts. I don't want the food to get damaged, don't get me wrong about that. But I know what I’m doing.

Q: Have you grown through this job?

A: I think yes, it has helped grow a bit. My job definitely helped me with getting out of my shell. And sometimes at my job, I have the opportunity to contemplate a lot of thoughts. Because the hours seem long there, and I have a lot of time to process thoughts that I don't usually process.

Q: Is there any advice you would give to somebody searching for their first job?

A: If someone mentions the suggestion of a job, then yeah, check it out, but it doesn't have to be that job specifically. Just go with whatever fits right in your schedule. And do something that's comfortable. And be flexible.

My job definitely helped me with getting out of my shell.

Adam - Cub Foods - 8 Years of Service

Q: Where do you work?

A: Cub Foods.

Q: What do you do at Cub?

A: I’m on the clean team. I clean restrooms, put away carts, sweep the floors, take out trash.

Q: How long have you worked at Cub?

A: I started at Brooklyn Park in 2018. I moved to St. Louis Park in 2024.

Q: What do you like about your job?

A: I like helping people out.

Q: What’s a challenging part of your job?

A: Sometimes it’s hard to ask where the other employees are.

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: Earning money.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is looking for a job?

A: Have a good day!

I like helping people out!

Gordon, Will, and Adam demonstrate what is possible when young adults are equipped with the tools, confidence, and community backing needed to navigate the workforce. From learning how to communicate through changes to stepping out of comfort zones, their 5-year milestones represent years of personal growth. We can’t wait to celebrate future Capstone participants who reach this milestone. Congratulations to these three for paving the way!