Monthly Archives February 2015

Jeanette Lowdon had lived and traveled throughout Africa and Europe for 27 years. After her last entrepreneurial venture—a jewelry-design business in Morocco—she returned to the States, where her sales savvy quickly gained her a Sales Agent position with a San Diego garden Nursery. She was showing up for work every day, but her heart wasn’t in it. Actually, Jeanette had decided on a career as an  Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA).  To prepare, she began taking courses in Anatomy, Human Development, and other pre-requisites for the California Medical College’s (CMC) OTA Program—which had a 2-year waiting list! Also, Jeanette enrolled with the San Diego Metro Region/American
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Our Spotlight! is shining brightly on a career success story, which garnered National attention, submitted by Career Agent Jordan Finkelstein, San Diego Metro Region Career Center/American Job Centers of California, operated by KRA for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP). Jordan, who aptly entitled the article Short Road To Success For The Long Haul, reported, “Brian Smith came to the Career Center, in November 2014, to pursue his career goal of becoming an interstate long-haul truck driver. Having relocated to San Diego from Montana, the year before, he realized that his series of ‘dead end’ jobs wasn’t working for him, even though
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Recently, KRA reported on California’s Expanded Subsidized Employment Program that transitions public-assistance recipients from “Welfare-To-Work” by providing wage-subsidy incentives for employers to hire and train unemployed jobseekers.  Connecticut’s Step Up has the same goals and objectives. In the Greater Hartford area, the Subsidized Employment Program (SEP), is administered by  CTWorks/American Job Center, operated by KRA for Capital Workforce Partners, through Jobs First Employment Services (JFES). Gerardo Heredia, KRA/JFES Career Agent: “Since inception, SEP has impacted the lives of thousands of JFES customers…like Angel Arroyo, with whom I worked closely to identify his most prominent employment assets.  During this process, I realized Angel was
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Her job as a Restaurant Manager required single Losia Nyankale, 30, to work during hours when she needed to be home with her two children, one of which was disabled.  Unwilling to cope with the irregular hours any longer, she quit and applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to support her family. While receiving benefits, Losia began studying to obtain certification as a Paralegal, to prepare for a career change.  Expecting to graduate in August 2014, she enrolled in the DC TANF Employment Program—operated by KRA for the Department of Human Services—in July, to become work-ready, and to find just the “right” position
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KRA’s January Spotlight! featured a new partnership—with international restaurant chain “FCR”— which, in less than 4 months expanded from KRA/Baltimore to three more TANF programs, including the  KRA/Camden [NJ] Workforce Development  Program, funded by the Camden County WIB. Before its second FCR-exclusive Recruitment Fair, KRA/Baltimore created FCR Boot Camp, an innovative work-readiness model that has also been integrated into the other KRA/FCR programs.  Nigel Charles, KRA/Camden Instructor:  ” To prepare candidates for successfully navigating the FCR hiring process, our 2-day Boot Camp coaches them in how to research the company’s job openings, to anticipate ‘tough’ interview questions, to complete applications, etc. The second day includes on-site
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The Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program (NPEP), operated by KRA for the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, provides job-placement assistance for individuals struggling to stay current with child-support payments, due to lack of employment.  Generally, the non-custodial parent is not living with the custodial parent, but in Stephen’s case, he was. Rhonda Feimster, Career Agent: “When Stephen initially enrolled in NPEP, he was frustrated, not understanding why his case was active, when he was living with the custodial parent.  I contacted the referring agency’s Case Manager, and at a subsequent hearing, the judge closed Stephen’s case.  However, he still
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