Recently, CitySquare's Build 4 Success construction trades training program participants worked on site at The Cottages at Hickory Crossing. It was a great experience for our students, and it is great to see these 50 new homes coming out of the ground at last!
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Showing posts with label CitySquare WorkPaths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CitySquare WorkPaths. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 03, 2014
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
CitySquare Work Paths "Build 4 Success" graduation. . .a crude snippet!
The video captures, in a very unprofessional manner, just a snippet of the most encouraging graduation exercises for CitySquare's most recent Build 4 Success class, a 14-week, 310 hour course in hard skills construction training.
This spring's class was a truly great one.
These graduates will be stepping up into living wage jobs thanks to the high-level training they received and of which they took full advantage!
What a great group!
And, again, forgive my crude video. I just had to give you a glimpse.
As we move forward, employment training will occupy more and more of our time and resources.
This spring's class was a truly great one.
These graduates will be stepping up into living wage jobs thanks to the high-level training they received and of which they took full advantage!
What a great group!
And, again, forgive my crude video. I just had to give you a glimpse.
As we move forward, employment training will occupy more and more of our time and resources.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Workforce Training and CitySquare
Here are scenes from the DFW Education Center where CitySquare partners with Northlake College and the Construction Education Foundation to offer our WorkPaths training program. The 16-week instruction exposes students to every aspect of construction trades, including framing, floor and roof systems, H/VAC, plumbing, electrical, welding, OSHA, forklift operations, and much more!
A very high percentage of our students graduate, and over 70% find employment and remain employed 6 months out from course completion. Currently, 20 students are working through this very beneficial course! We're extremely proud of each of them!
What a phenomenal resource we have in the DFW Education Center. The multi-million dollar facility provides amazing options and opportunities for the students we recruit to the program and with whom we work on a daily basis.
A very high percentage of our students graduate, and over 70% find employment and remain employed 6 months out from course completion. Currently, 20 students are working through this very beneficial course! We're extremely proud of each of them!
What a phenomenal resource we have in the DFW Education Center. The multi-million dollar facility provides amazing options and opportunities for the students we recruit to the program and with whom we work on a daily basis.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Employment and low-skilled fathers
A major and growing priority here at CitySquare involves the provision of hard and soft workforce skills for our unemployed and underemployed neighbors. Anything that relates to job readiness and job creation attracts our attention. The following brief focuses on increasing employment options for fathers who attempt to negotiate our economy without the necessary skills to earn a living wage.
Pathways to Employment
Finding a good job that pays a living wage and offers opportunity for advancement is a value embedded in the American Dream. Despite this promise, many Americans are unable to receive the education and training they need to obtain stable employment with good wages, or end up in low-paying jobs that provide inadequate benefits and little opportunity for advancement. Numerous community colleges, community-based organizations and government entities have developed programs that create a pathway to employment focusing on areas such as job training, job readiness, placement, retention and advancement, and workforce supports.
For a list of key research that summarizes efforts to create a pathway to employment for low-income families click here.
Pathways to Employment
Finding a good job that pays a living wage and offers opportunity for advancement is a value embedded in the American Dream. Despite this promise, many Americans are unable to receive the education and training they need to obtain stable employment with good wages, or end up in low-paying jobs that provide inadequate benefits and little opportunity for advancement. Numerous community colleges, community-based organizations and government entities have developed programs that create a pathway to employment focusing on areas such as job training, job readiness, placement, retention and advancement, and workforce supports.
For a list of key research that summarizes efforts to create a pathway to employment for low-income families click here.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Report from BECK community service with CitySquare
We received the following report from our good friends at BECK after a great group of their interns joined CitySquare's WorkPaths' participants in framing houses contracted for construction with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. What a great partnership all around!
Thank you, BECK
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If you’re a fan of community service, affordable housing projects, nonprofit work or just sweating profusely while you dream of an air conditioned office, then I suggest you look into working with organizations like CitySquare and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity.
This is exactly what BECK’s interns did the June 22, 23 and 24th as part of an intern service project which took place in at 2717 and 2711 Silkwood Drive in South Dallas. It was the result of a group from CitySquare’s WorkPaths department, who teamed up with the BECK interns to frame two houses for Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity in three days.
WorkPaths is a department at CitySquare, a local nonprofit and provides tools and resources to adults who, for various reasons, lack necessary job training and education. WorkPaths partners with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity on projects allowing them to provide further training and implement construction skills they learned in WorkPaths’ construction training program, Build4Success. As for the interns here at BECK, it was not only a chance to get to know one another, but also an opportunity to work with an impressive organization filled with dedicated individuals who are making a positive impact.
The group included Lynsee Turner, Greg O’Bryan, Molly Lyons, Caleb Pritle, Jake Maxton, Trevor Brown, Dane Soren and Dylan Dorsey. It would not have been possible without the contribution of a few notable BECK employees - Greg Powell, Holly Crowder, Jim Gettman, Gillette Berger, Tim Kuykendall, Rachel Baumann, and Beth Butler. The willingness of the people at BECK to engage in a project such as this reflects the values of this company and is a credit to its already admirable standing within the local community.
David Claros, in reference to the workers from CitySquare, noted, “To see people like that trying to get their life back together was very humbling and made me appreciate the opportunities I have been given… It really put in perspective what I have been blessed with.”
Lynnsee Turner felt that “being a part of the summer 2011 CitySquare / Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity Intern Event was an awesome experience! Not only did we get to use the knowledge that we have learned the past few years in different classes, but we were also able to give back to a community in need, while having fun.”
Lacey Helm was fortunate to observe “the effects of hard labor on the body, but also the satisfaction from seeing with your eyes the production you have physically done.”
The opportunity to work with the people from CitySquare, although difficult, was incredibly rewarding.
Participating Interns included Lynnsee Turner, Greg O’Bryan, Molly Lyons, Caleb Pritle, Jake Maxton, Trevor Brown, Dane Soren, Dylan Dorsey, David Claros, Lacey Helm, Nick Jencopale, Javier Altamirano, Andrew Winchell, Sam Gunderson, Abigail Steck, Ricky del Monte, Billy del Monte, and Sean Luke. The majority of these interns will most likely never make their living in the labor side of construction. However, an appreciation and respect for those who do will prove to be invaluable. Apparently, scorching heat and difficult labor are ideal conditions under which to form friendships. While the purpose of the internship is to provide a glimpse into potential careers, it is also necessary to provide a sense of social responsibility. Thankfully, this responsibility is standard procedure here at BECK.
Thank you, BECK
This is exactly what BECK’s interns did the June 22, 23 and 24th as part of an intern service project which took place in at 2717 and 2711 Silkwood Drive in South Dallas. It was the result of a group from CitySquare’s WorkPaths department, who teamed up with the BECK interns to frame two houses for Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity in three days.
WorkPaths is a department at CitySquare, a local nonprofit and provides tools and resources to adults who, for various reasons, lack necessary job training and education. WorkPaths partners with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity on projects allowing them to provide further training and implement construction skills they learned in WorkPaths’ construction training program, Build4Success. As for the interns here at BECK, it was not only a chance to get to know one another, but also an opportunity to work with an impressive organization filled with dedicated individuals who are making a positive impact.
The group included Lynsee Turner, Greg O’Bryan, Molly Lyons, Caleb Pritle, Jake Maxton, Trevor Brown, Dane Soren and Dylan Dorsey. It would not have been possible without the contribution of a few notable BECK employees - Greg Powell, Holly Crowder, Jim Gettman, Gillette Berger, Tim Kuykendall, Rachel Baumann, and Beth Butler. The willingness of the people at BECK to engage in a project such as this reflects the values of this company and is a credit to its already admirable standing within the local community.
David Claros, in reference to the workers from CitySquare, noted, “To see people like that trying to get their life back together was very humbling and made me appreciate the opportunities I have been given… It really put in perspective what I have been blessed with.”
Lynnsee Turner felt that “being a part of the summer 2011 CitySquare / Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity Intern Event was an awesome experience! Not only did we get to use the knowledge that we have learned the past few years in different classes, but we were also able to give back to a community in need, while having fun.”
Lacey Helm was fortunate to observe “the effects of hard labor on the body, but also the satisfaction from seeing with your eyes the production you have physically done.”
The opportunity to work with the people from CitySquare, although difficult, was incredibly rewarding.
Participating Interns included Lynnsee Turner, Greg O’Bryan, Molly Lyons, Caleb Pritle, Jake Maxton, Trevor Brown, Dane Soren, Dylan Dorsey, David Claros, Lacey Helm, Nick Jencopale, Javier Altamirano, Andrew Winchell, Sam Gunderson, Abigail Steck, Ricky del Monte, Billy del Monte, and Sean Luke. The majority of these interns will most likely never make their living in the labor side of construction. However, an appreciation and respect for those who do will prove to be invaluable. Apparently, scorching heat and difficult labor are ideal conditions under which to form friendships. While the purpose of the internship is to provide a glimpse into potential careers, it is also necessary to provide a sense of social responsibility. Thankfully, this responsibility is standard procedure here at BECK.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Employment training opportunities at CitySquare
The following notice came out earlier this week from Andrea Bills, WorkPaths' Director, about CitySquare's employment readiness training programs. I thought this information was worth sharing here. If you live in Dallas, help us spread the word!
________________________________________
________________________________________
WorkPaths is happy to announce an expanded FALL session of Build4Success. Applications will be accepted beginning 2pm July 12th thru 3pm August 4th, 2011. The first orientation for Build4Success will be held Tuesday, July 12th at 1:30pm at WorkPaths:
Ransom Technology Learning Center
1824 Hall Street (corner of Hall and Munger)
Dallas, Tx 75204
Call 214-823-4409 x 300 to RSVP or x 301 for directions
Center Hours for Information: Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm
No information will be given over the phone; all interested candidates must attend an orientation. Interested parties can call x 300 to reserve a place at upcoming orientations; there will be an additional orientation on Wednesday, July 13th at 1:30pm. More orientation times and locations will be upcoming.
The application process for this program must be completed by 3:00 pm on August 4th. If you have people who are interested in the program, encourage them to get started at once. The application process takes several steps, the first being orientation. There are limited training slots and referring partners are encouraged and welcome to attend the orientation too!
Please email Tennille Robertson, Build4Success Program Manager, if you have questions: troberston@citysquare.org – or you can email me at abills@citysquare.org.
All applications must be completed and submitted by August 4, 2011 at 3:00pm! This includes testing, documentation and paperwork.
DO NOT have candidates contact individual staff members but rather please ask them to call 214-823-4409 x 300 (also listed above) to RSVP or for information regarding orientation times and locations and we will call them back.
Everything has to be done in 4 weeks!
Thank you!
Andrea Bills
WorkPaths Director
CitySquare
________________________________________
Path2Success Orientations are currently being held at WorkPaths (see location below). The next orientation will be Wednesday, July 13th at 10am at the RTLC. All information regarding information is the same as below. If you have questions about Path2Success, please email Dana Morrison, Path2Success Program Manager, at dmorrison@citysquare.org and she can also get you flyers.
________________________________________
WorkPaths is happy to announce an expanded FALL session of Build4Success. Applications will be accepted beginning 2pm July 12th thru 3pm August 4th, 2011. The first orientation for Build4Success will be held Tuesday, July 12th at 1:30pm at WorkPaths:
Ransom Technology Learning Center
1824 Hall Street (corner of Hall and Munger)
Dallas, Tx 75204
Call 214-823-4409 x 300 to RSVP or x 301 for directions
Center Hours for Information: Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm
No information will be given over the phone; all interested candidates must attend an orientation. Interested parties can call x 300 to reserve a place at upcoming orientations; there will be an additional orientation on Wednesday, July 13th at 1:30pm. More orientation times and locations will be upcoming.
The application process for this program must be completed by 3:00 pm on August 4th. If you have people who are interested in the program, encourage them to get started at once. The application process takes several steps, the first being orientation. There are limited training slots and referring partners are encouraged and welcome to attend the orientation too!
Please email Tennille Robertson, Build4Success Program Manager, if you have questions: troberston@citysquare.org – or you can email me at abills@citysquare.org.
All applications must be completed and submitted by August 4, 2011 at 3:00pm! This includes testing, documentation and paperwork.
DO NOT have candidates contact individual staff members but rather please ask them to call 214-823-4409 x 300 (also listed above) to RSVP or for information regarding orientation times and locations and we will call them back.
Everything has to be done in 4 weeks!
Thank you!
Andrea Bills
WorkPaths Director
CitySquare
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Work--Part 3
This post is the final in a 3-part series on work and CitySquare's efforts to provide hard skills, construction training for participants. The stories are encouraging and are presented here in "raw" case notes.
Cleto Villafana - Cleto was born in Mexico and came to Dallas, Texas when he was 15. He struggled initially with poor English skills but he wasn’t going to let anything as “minor as language” get in his way of achieving the success he sought. Cleto will be quick to tell you one of the reasons he has been able to do the things he has done is because of the support of his girlfriend (who became his wife), they met soon after he came to Dallas. With her help, he greatly improved his English and even though he did not graduate from high school, he did not stop learning. Cleto has his permanent resident card, a social security card and his driver’s license and hopes to eventually become a U. S. Citizen. He lost no time finding work when he married his girlfriend so he could support his “new” family. Things were going well until the economy slowed to a crawl and Cleto was laid off from his job and had been unable to find work. Cleto attended an orientation for Build4Success, thinking he probably didn’t have what it would take to get into the program because he lacked confidence in his ability to read and write English. He was very nervous about the TABE test but the WorkPaths staff, along with his wife, encouraged him to not let the test stop him, so Cleto gathered his courage and took the test. To his surprise he did well on the TABE test; he didn’t lack knowledge, he lacked the confidence in himself. He scored well and was selected to be a part of the program. Completing the coursework was not as easy for Cleto as for those whose native language is English but he worked hard, he’s smart and he was determined. After graduation, Cleto told the WorkPaths staff he was interested in working for a mechanical contractor. One of WorkPaths’ employer partners was interested in hiring Cleto but one of their requirements was new hires had to have a high school diploma or GED, he did not have either of these. During the B4S training, he told the WorkPaths Director he would like to enroll in GED classes and this information was transmitted to the employer. Due in large part to his strong performance during training, his dogged determination, and the recommendation from WorkPaths, the contractor agreed to hire him with the condition he get his GED after he was hired. WorkPaths arranged for him to start GED classes at CEF within a few weeks after graduation and on his own, Cleto also enrolled in ESL classes. He completed his GED with a score of 98 and the contractor is very pleased with him. Some people will allow perceived obstacles to stand in their way of achieving their goals while others will find a way to overcome challenges and succeed. Cleto is proof if you really want to do something and are willing to do what it takes to achieve your goal, you can accomplish it. “Can’t” is an English word he has chosen not to use.
Cleto Villafana - Cleto was born in Mexico and came to Dallas, Texas when he was 15. He struggled initially with poor English skills but he wasn’t going to let anything as “minor as language” get in his way of achieving the success he sought. Cleto will be quick to tell you one of the reasons he has been able to do the things he has done is because of the support of his girlfriend (who became his wife), they met soon after he came to Dallas. With her help, he greatly improved his English and even though he did not graduate from high school, he did not stop learning. Cleto has his permanent resident card, a social security card and his driver’s license and hopes to eventually become a U. S. Citizen. He lost no time finding work when he married his girlfriend so he could support his “new” family. Things were going well until the economy slowed to a crawl and Cleto was laid off from his job and had been unable to find work. Cleto attended an orientation for Build4Success, thinking he probably didn’t have what it would take to get into the program because he lacked confidence in his ability to read and write English. He was very nervous about the TABE test but the WorkPaths staff, along with his wife, encouraged him to not let the test stop him, so Cleto gathered his courage and took the test. To his surprise he did well on the TABE test; he didn’t lack knowledge, he lacked the confidence in himself. He scored well and was selected to be a part of the program. Completing the coursework was not as easy for Cleto as for those whose native language is English but he worked hard, he’s smart and he was determined. After graduation, Cleto told the WorkPaths staff he was interested in working for a mechanical contractor. One of WorkPaths’ employer partners was interested in hiring Cleto but one of their requirements was new hires had to have a high school diploma or GED, he did not have either of these. During the B4S training, he told the WorkPaths Director he would like to enroll in GED classes and this information was transmitted to the employer. Due in large part to his strong performance during training, his dogged determination, and the recommendation from WorkPaths, the contractor agreed to hire him with the condition he get his GED after he was hired. WorkPaths arranged for him to start GED classes at CEF within a few weeks after graduation and on his own, Cleto also enrolled in ESL classes. He completed his GED with a score of 98 and the contractor is very pleased with him. Some people will allow perceived obstacles to stand in their way of achieving their goals while others will find a way to overcome challenges and succeed. Cleto is proof if you really want to do something and are willing to do what it takes to achieve your goal, you can accomplish it. “Can’t” is an English word he has chosen not to use.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Work--Part 1
What follows are case notes, three stories to be presented in three parts, about students who participated in CitySquare's Build4Success construction skill training program. The difficulties folks face and the bravery them employ to create better lives keeps me going. The pathway forward and upward seldom turns out to be built along a straight line! But progress happens!
Sam Griffin – Sam has struggled with a number of issues since completing the Build4Success program in 2009. When he originally enrolled in B4S, he had been out of prison on parole only a few months after having served 17 years of a 45 year sentence for armed robbery. He got his driver’s license and then landed a job with Ed Bell Construction; after he went to work he was doing well. He saved enough to buy a truck (a deal through Ed Bell, they arranged for him to purchase one of the trucks their company was selling and he got a great deal from them). After working at Ed Bell for about 9 months, he was offered a better position with Azteca-Omega. The job at Azteca-Omega would provide him with benefits and training. He left his job at Ed Bell on the Friday before last Easter and was to start with Azteca-Omega on Monday following Easter (2010) when he was shot early Easter morning in the eye, it was a case of mistaken identity. I think most of us are somewhat familiar with Sam’s story surrounding the shooting but to refresh – Sam lost his eye. The CitySquare family rallied around Sam, even taking up a collection to help him out; Project Access worked with him getting his medical needs met, SWS helped him get moved out of a bad living situation in a bad part of town (he was forced to keep all his clothes in his truck so his brother wouldn’t steal them). CitySquare's Social Work Services (SWS) has helped Sam get into an apartment he found in the Junius Heights area and through donations he has been able to furnish it and SWS has helped him with his rent. Sam has endured several surgeries to repair damage to his eye socket and now has a prosthetic eye; he still suffers hearing loss as a result of the shooting. This past fall, Sam enrolled in the Path2Success course offered by WorkPaths and graduated in December just before Christmas. He has not been released to return to work yet but we anticipate that happening soon. My Sunday School class is going to purchase the hearing aids he needs, this should be the last step in being released to work. He will be part of the initial crew on the Habitat project in which CitySquare will be framing 50 new homes.
Through all of this, Sam has kept a positive outlook and has worked hard at recovering from his injuries, both physical and emotional. He has spoken at orientations about the opportunities afforded through WorkPaths training, he participated as an evaluator at tryouts, and most recently came to the DFW Education Center to talk to the current training class about ‘taking the course seriously’. He is very articulate and one of the other evaluators at tryouts told us he should be a motivational speaker. What he says comes from his heart. He is a great example of "hope."
Sam Griffin – Sam has struggled with a number of issues since completing the Build4Success program in 2009. When he originally enrolled in B4S, he had been out of prison on parole only a few months after having served 17 years of a 45 year sentence for armed robbery. He got his driver’s license and then landed a job with Ed Bell Construction; after he went to work he was doing well. He saved enough to buy a truck (a deal through Ed Bell, they arranged for him to purchase one of the trucks their company was selling and he got a great deal from them). After working at Ed Bell for about 9 months, he was offered a better position with Azteca-Omega. The job at Azteca-Omega would provide him with benefits and training. He left his job at Ed Bell on the Friday before last Easter and was to start with Azteca-Omega on Monday following Easter (2010) when he was shot early Easter morning in the eye, it was a case of mistaken identity. I think most of us are somewhat familiar with Sam’s story surrounding the shooting but to refresh – Sam lost his eye. The CitySquare family rallied around Sam, even taking up a collection to help him out; Project Access worked with him getting his medical needs met, SWS helped him get moved out of a bad living situation in a bad part of town (he was forced to keep all his clothes in his truck so his brother wouldn’t steal them). CitySquare's Social Work Services (SWS) has helped Sam get into an apartment he found in the Junius Heights area and through donations he has been able to furnish it and SWS has helped him with his rent. Sam has endured several surgeries to repair damage to his eye socket and now has a prosthetic eye; he still suffers hearing loss as a result of the shooting. This past fall, Sam enrolled in the Path2Success course offered by WorkPaths and graduated in December just before Christmas. He has not been released to return to work yet but we anticipate that happening soon. My Sunday School class is going to purchase the hearing aids he needs, this should be the last step in being released to work. He will be part of the initial crew on the Habitat project in which CitySquare will be framing 50 new homes.
Through all of this, Sam has kept a positive outlook and has worked hard at recovering from his injuries, both physical and emotional. He has spoken at orientations about the opportunities afforded through WorkPaths training, he participated as an evaluator at tryouts, and most recently came to the DFW Education Center to talk to the current training class about ‘taking the course seriously’. He is very articulate and one of the other evaluators at tryouts told us he should be a motivational speaker. What he says comes from his heart. He is a great example of "hope."
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