Adult Students Prepare for Workforce at Career Readiness Workshop

by Charlotte Goff, Volunteer Coordinator

Thirty students from United South End Settlements' (USES) Workforce Readiness program teamed up with volunteers from Downtown Boston Rotary Club (DBRC) recently at the Career Readiness Workshop. The group worked on creating individualized Career Action Plans, interview skills, and more.

USES' Workforce Readiness program aims to open up economic opportunities for low-income residents of our community through basic education and professional development. This includes Adult Basic Education for students preparing to earn their High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Home Health Aide Training (HHA), and Technology Education/Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate program.

“It was great to see the students really engaged with the volunteers and taking this opportunity very seriously,” said Jessica Medeiros, Career Advisor and Job Placement Specialist. “A lot of our students don’t have high school diplomas so they feel like they are behind in their career path. Working with the volunteers and hearing that they actually have a lot of experience and skills and are already on the right track definitely helped boost their confidence.”

After completing their Career Action Plan with the guidance of a DBRC volunteer, each student had the opportunity to pick out an interview outfit. Clothes were donated by graduates, DBRC volunteers, and USES board members and staff.

“I found the perfect suit,” said Tammy Peña, a Microsoft Digital Literacy Certificate program student and South End resident. “When I wore it to my job interview the next day I was comfortable, more confident. It’s what I needed.”

“I was impressed and inspired by the students I worked with at USES,” said Helene Vincent, Community Service Co-Director of DBRC. “The one thing they all had in common was determination to improve their lives and the lives of those around them by studying hard and working towards their full time dream jobs.”

Click here to learn more about USES’s Workforce Readiness program.

Click here to learn more about Downtown Boston Rotary Club.