Anoka County Job Training Success Stories:
Empowers Youth Program
Immanuel started working with the Empowers Youth Program when he was 18 through the Pre-Employment Transition Service (Pre-ETS) partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation Services. He was attending Life Skills Transition School and had a long-term goal of working in building maintenance. Immanuel's first work experience was working for the school and his Empowers counselor coordinated with his school case manager and work coordinator to find additional paid work experince.
Immanuel graduated from the Transitions School earning his High School Diploma and was placed at the Anoka County Government Center to continue to gain skills in a larger facility working as a custodian. The Director of Anoka County Facilities reached out to the Empowers program to offer an internship to Immanuel so he could start to learn more about building maintenance. During the next year, Immanuel excelled and in the summer of 2022 was offered a job working for the County at a marketable rate of pay with benefits. He now works 30 hours a week as a Facilities Engineer I for Anoka County.
The Director of Facilities Management & Construction stated, “I am VERY proud of my entire team for working with the Job Training Center (JTC) to come alongside individuals from the JTC and help make them as successful as they can be!” Immanuel has this advice to share, “This is a great opportunity for anyone with a job goal and is willing to put in the effort.” Congratulations Immanuel!
Senior Community Service Program
Warren has been enrolled in the Senior Community Service Program (SCSEP) since 2021 and was recently given a chance to try a new opportunity with one of our partners at the Blaine Human Service Center.
Achieve Services, a day program for adults living with a disability, was recently added as one of our host sites for SCSEP Community Service Assignments. Warren was able to switch his host agency to Achieve Services and he is very happy there! He has even referred another person to work at Achieve. He was chatting with someone on his lunch period about how much he likes his training at Achieve and they ended up applying and were hired there.
Warren states that, “I love the people here…both staff and participants, they feel like family. I like knowing I am making a difference in people’s lives. I am very happy here and love what I do” Achieve has also been grateful for Warren’s positive attitude in serving their clients with disabilities and even purchased a gift card to Wal Mart for him to show their appreciation.
Warren is gaining valuable skills and this host site seems a great fit for his warm and outgoing personality. We are currently working with Achieve Services to hire him on as their direct employee. Congratulations Warren!
Dislocated Worker Program
Alisa enrolled in the dislocated worker program and was struggling to get interviews after sending out several resumes. Her goal was to find a job working remotely in Human Resources.
Her vocational counselor reviewed her goals and found that the current demand in the occupation Alisa was looking for was low and finding remote work would be a challenge. Alisa was up for the challenge.
They strengthened her resume and within two months Alisa was offered a position as a Human Resources Specialist at a hospital for a remote position.
Just what she was hoping for. Congratulations Alisa!
Career Pathways Program
I was in the workhouse. I didn't understand how I got myself into this situation, being incarcerated. I lost my concrete job; I lost a lot of people in my life. I did nothing for 5 months. There was talk about a Career Pathways Manufacturing program where you could learn to weld. People encouraged me to sign up.
I filled out the application and was accepted. I was nervous as I hadn't been in school for many years. From the first day at Anoka Technical College, I felt accepted and part of something. I could better myself. The instructor was people oriented and handled students well. He kept on encouraging us saying, "everything will be ok, you'll make mistakes and be patient." He was patient and I learned to be patient with myself and others from him.
As class went on, I understood more and more about welding and even more, I knew it would benefit me in the long run. I was inspired by what I was doing, what I was achieving and my goals. I gained greater respect for myself, peers, and the Manufacturing Program as I learned about all the opportunities I was about to get. The program gave us interviewing skills, how to write a resume, how to present yourself in an interview, how to prepare for the job, job leads, transportation funds and gift incentive cards.
From my experience, I was able to get a job interview while finishing the program. I was hired and working full time three days before we graduated!
In closing, this was probably the best opportunity and time spent in my life. Before this, I was jobless, struggling, only working six months out of the year. This program has made me successful not only in employment, but self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth. I am so grateful to go through this program! Congratulations Jeremy!