“I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life.” Finding a calling after incarceration - The New York Community Trust

October 31, 2023 | By The New York Community Trust

“I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life.” Finding a calling after incarceration

Photograph by Casey Kelbaugh

Michael Holder credits the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) with helping him find his professional calling and achieve job security. CEO provides employment services including community support, job-readiness training, and job placement and retention assistance—to individuals recently released from incarceration.

“During my time in probation and parole, I overheard someone talking about the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO). I immediately thought, ‘That’s exactly what I need.’

When I met with a CEO counselor, it gave me an understanding of the program’s benefits and the positive impact it could have on my future, as long as I could stick with it. So, I started working in sanitation at different locations. I was always punctual; I’d get the job done. There were only positive reviews on my work ethic, and eventually I moved to an office job. But then the pandemic hit. I didn’t know what to do. The New York office where I worked went mostly remote, which affected my position.

CEO kept me in mind. They called me about an opportunity with digital marketing at Mediacom. I didn’t know anything about digital marketing—but Mediacom trained me, and I’m a fast learner. I applied myself, and they said I exceeded their expectations. I have CEO to thank, because they didn’t give up on me, and I believe my strong work ethic played a significant role in my success.

I work in advertising operations, where I deal with quality assurance for ads and handle various digital tools and platforms. One of my notable achievements was working on the production of a commercial for Kay Jewelers, which I later saw on TV. It was rewarding to witness the outcome of my efforts. My responsibilities included ensuring the video length matched the ad length and employing an ad validation tool for verification.

In my role, effective communication with different teams is crucial. I had to learn how to write professional emails, read between the lines—what is this person asking for? How can I articulate this to get my point across? I learned that on the job. It’s like learning a whole new language.

Mediacom promoted me to senior associate in advertising operations—and I am thrilled about it. I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found this opportunity. It’s important to give people a chance, like Mediacom and CEO gave me. I appreciate that they are keeping up with the ever-changing times and fostering inclusivity.

All of CEO’s clients are people just coming home and trying to reacclimate themselves with society, and CEO is there to help. They provide an invaluable service to the community, and they deserve recognition for this. They should be throwing parades for CEO—there should be an awards show on TV just for them.”