Entry-Level Placements For Recovery Friendly Employers
We make it our mission to support recovery-based vocational training by providing opportunities to develop skills that are foundational to leading an independent, healthy and meaningful life.
Our primary partner, FIRST at Blue Ridge, offers clinical care, campus housing, daily essentials and case management to people striving to overcome socioeconomic barriers, substance use disorder and justice involvement. As a state-licensed, non-profit therapeutic community, they rely on their vocational training program for funding — and that is where we come in.
Learning-To-Lead LLC serves FIRST at Blue Ridge by coordinating the assignment of vocational trainees to entry-level positions with employers that welcome second-chance candidates.
Examples: Machine Operation | Quality Inspection | Product Packaging | Manual Cleaning
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Flexible Shift Schedules
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Economical Hourly Rate
Second-Chance Career Development Resources
Our business was founded by Terry Houck, Jr. in 2023 but his relationship with FIRST at Blue Ridge began in 2015. At the time, he was with SSIS | ITS — an established family-owned enterprise that provided quality inspection, assembly, packaging, warehousing, distribution and temp-to-hire staffing services to manufacturers throughout the region. FIRST at Blue Ridge made it possible for SSIS | ITS to recruit veterans for project leadership roles and the success rate was remarkable.
After SSIS | ITS was acquired, Terry formed Advanced Manufacturing Performance Connection (AMP-Connect) with the mission of structuring sustainable vocational programs for non-profit recovery centers. Serving as an intermediary between clinical professionals and HR managers, AMP-Connect implemented mutually beneficial solutions to complex workforce challenges.
In 2021, AMP-Connect was acquired and renamed NewBridge Industrial. Terry continued to oversee operations on a contract basis for one year and added a mentorship component in partnership with Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC. Which brings us to where we are today.
Proactively supporting second-chance candidates in pursuit of wellness and independence is an important calling — one that requires real patience and persistence. Recovery-based vocational training can be a conscientious and economical answer to entry-level workforce needs, but it is essential to remember that career development is the main objective. So companies that promote inclusion and offer clear pathways to full-time employment will experience much greater productivity and retention.
Jared Champion
FIRST at Blue Ridge Vocational Coordinator
Strategically Diverse & Inclusive Employment Network
We consider ourselves fortunate to have strong partnerships with reputable companies throughout the region, and we show our gratitude by listening carefully to their needs and working hard every day to deliver innovative solutions.
Atlas Precision is one of those trusted companies. Founded in 1979 by Johann Hofschuster, they are the premier plastic injection molding product and service provider for global automotive, healthcare, electrical and telecommunication customers.
More important, they treat our vocational trainees with heartfelt compassion and respect — and that holds value beyond measure.
Ellen Steele
Atlas Precision HR Business Partner
From Vocational Trainee To Full-Time Employee
FIRST at Blue Ridge champions lifelong recovery for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations by providing fundamental resources before and after program completion.
Overcoming substance use disorder and prioritizing wellness is the central aim, but the importance of career development as part of the process cannot be overstated. Personal financial security is crucial to relapse prevention.
For this reason, clinical care remains available to qualifying FIRST at Blue Ridge graduates at no charge. In addition, they have access to low-cost transitional housing and free transportation for up to one year. Which gives employers peace of mind — knowing the support system that empowered their vocational trainees to perform their best will continue to serve them once they are hired on.
Kit Roberts
Recovery & Career Development Consultant
