Wendy Hobbie was recently named the 2017 National Staffing Employee of the Year and industrial sector All-Star. Here is a synopsis of her inspiring personal story.
Hobbie grew up in Montgomery, AL, as a disadvantaged youth raised by a single mother and grandmother. Her early years were difficult, but she persevered. She credits her grandmother for instilling the importance of a strong work ethic and the need to take pride in and to do your best at work—no matter the job. At any early age, Hobbie knew what she wanted to do: become a professional dancer and actress. Despite very limited financial means, she worked hard, and in 2008, made the big move to New York City to pursue her dreams.
While in New York, Hobbie connected with HMG Plus—a small, woman-owned staffing company specializing in hospitality—for work. She wanted the flexible work schedule that staffing offers to allow her to audition and to teach dance to deaf children—one of her passions. Hobbie currently teaches hip-hop dance to students aged three to 15 three days a week at the Lexington School for the Deaf. “We crank up the music, and it almost feels like we are in a club. The feeling you get when the kids feel the music is incredible,” she says. Her association with the school led to the opportunity to also teach dance to blind children and teenagers at Camp Helen Keller in Farmingdale, NY.
Hobbie is thankful for the blessings in her life, and is a believer in giving back. In fact, when she first moved to New York City she taught Sunday school to underprivileged students in low-income neighborhoods through a religious organization committed to providing services to children living in adverse conditions in metropolitan areas. Hobbie developed strong bonds with the children whose challenges mirrored some of the same ones she faced in her youth—bonds that still exist today.
In addition to other professional gigs, Hobbie is member of B-Girls BREAKing Through, a hip hop group, and a Bollywood dance company. She also likes to participate in fitness endurance events, like the Tough Mudder.
“I am honored to be the National Staffing Employee of Year, and hope that my personal story is inspiring to others considering work as a temporary or contract employee. Being a temporary employee is perfect for me at this time in my life. Staffing lets me support myself financially while pursuing my professional dreams and sharing my passion for dance with children, which means the world to me,” Hobbie says.
You can meet Hobbie in person at Staffing World 2016, Oct. 25–27, in San Diego.
To learn more about the stories of the National Staffing Employee of the Year and industry sector All-Stars, visit americanstaffing.net