Key Points
- Ayonia rebuilt her confidence through the BETTER WORK Program, learning that her past setbacks don’t have to define her future.
- The support of BETTER WORK mentors, Champions, and classmates helped Ayonia find community, share her story, and recognize her own potential.
- Today, Ayonia is building a career and setting new goals, determined to create the life she now believes is possible.
For much of her early life, Ayonia Shipp believed she had everything planned out.
Raised in Columbus, Georgia, she excelled in school. She graduated near the top of her class from Shaw High School before earning her associate degree from Columbus Technical College in 2015. She imagined a future where she could build a career, get married, and eventually start a family.
Shortly after graduating high school, Ayonia began working for the Muscogee County Division of Family & Children Services, expecting the job to lead to the career she’d retire from. At the same time, another dream quietly lived in the back of her mind. After participating in Future Business Leaders of America in high school, she hoped to one day own a trucking company and build financial stability for herself and her family.
But life didn’t unfold the way she planned.
After becoming pregnant with her daughter, Dior, Ayonia unexpectedly lost her job. As she searched for new employment, repeated setbacks and barriers made each opportunity feel impossible. With every rejection, it became harder to believe her future could look different from her present.
Still, giving up was never an option.
“I wanted to wake up and not be stressed in my life,” Ayonia said. But beyond a new job, she needed hope.
Rebuilding Her Confidence Through BETTER WORK
That hope arrived in an unexpected place.
While attending a United Way Community Schools meeting to find speech therapy resources for Dior, someone asked if Ayonia had heard about the Georgia Center for Opportunity’s BETTER WORK Program. She enrolled in the class BETTER WORK offered, hoping it might provide the fresh start she’d been looking for.
Ayonia entered the program believing she was already a confident person. But through the program, she began to realize that years of setbacks had affected how confidently she viewed her ability to change them.
“I learned that all the hardships in my life currently don’t have to be in my life in the future,” she said.
As the weeks went on, Ayonia realized that years of disappointment had quietly turned into fear and discouragement. Through conversations with facilitators, volunteers, and fellow participants, she began recognizing the obstacles that had been holding her back, both professionally and personally.
“The lesson that had the most impact on me was learning how to overcome roadblocks,” Ayonia shared. “The facilitators and other participants showed me that nothing is too large for me to overcome.”
One exercise became a turning point.
Through the program’s “30-second commercial” activity, participants practice introducing themselves to potential employers with confidence and clarity. For Ayonia, the exercise opened her eyes to what she was capable of.
“During the commercial exercise, I learned from the Champions that I only had to be myself,” she said. “That boosted my confidence and made me realize I can make a difference in my future job.”
For the first time in a long time, she began seeing herself the way others already did.
“I now know what I am capable of,” she said.
Finding Community Support That Lasts Beyond the Class
For Ayonia, one of the greatest gifts of BETTER WORK was the people she met.
Throughout the class, she found herself surrounded by mentors and classmates who believed in her long before she fully believed in herself. Opening up about her personal journey wasn’t easy, but it became one of the most freeing moments of the experience.
“The BETTER WORK class was the first time I shared my story,” Ayonia said. “That took the weight off my shoulders.”
Even after graduation, that support didn’t end.
Ayonia continues meeting weekly with BETTER WORK Program Manager Amber, who encourages her as she works toward new goals.
“I am so proud of Ayonia and her growth during and after the BETTER WORK class,” Amber said. “No matter what life throws at her, she always gets back up. Ayonia can find the silver lining in the darkest cloud and is a great encouragement to all of us.”
She also stays connected with her program Champion, Fred Blackwell, whose continued encouragement reminds her she isn’t walking this journey alone.
And Ayonia hears from volunteer Greg from time to time, who checks in to see how she’s doing.
Those conversations serve as another reminder that the relationships built through BETTER WORK extend beyond the classroom.
Building a Career and a Future with Confidence
Today, Ayonia works for a private duty home health care company, a role that allows her the flexibility to take Dior to her weekly therapy appointments. While she continues pursuing opportunities in customer service, phone support, or data entry, she carries something even more valuable than a resume.
She carries confidence.
Now, Ayonia doesn’t define herself by the setbacks she’s faced. Instead, she chooses to focus on what she’s learned through them.
“You can’t let your past determine your future,” she said.
Ayonia is currently setting new goals, celebrating each milestone, and creating the life she once thought was no longer possible. Whether her future includes owning a trucking company or building a career in corporate America, she now believes she can achieve those goals. She also hopes her story will encourage others who are facing uncertainty to keep moving forward.
Ayonia celebrates her BETTER WORK graduation with Dior.
Experience the Transformation BETTER WORK Offers
If you’d like to find a supportive community and connect to career pathways, employers, training, and local resources, please visit our BETTER WORK Program page.