Exciting News from JobTrain Graduates

JobTrain Grads, Where Are They Now?

One of the most fulfilling aspects of serving  others is helping individuals reach their potential. JobTrain, helps thousands of men and women each year discover their strengths and teaches them how to pursue their dreams.

David Ibarra & his adorable son "Baby David."

David Ibarra graduated from JobTrain’s Solar Photovoltaic class in summer 2012.  He is now  in his second quarter at Foothill College, studying computer science. David hopes to transfer to Stanford or UC Berkeley and ultimately work as an engineer at Facebook. “I never attended city council meetings, spoke publicly or knew my real worth until I came to JobTrain,” said David. “Their staff opened my eyes and now I see a bright future ahead for my son and myself. Thank you, JobTrain.”  

Zahia proudly shares her Apple ID during a visit to  JobTrain.

Zahia Osseiran is a single mother of three and a 2012 JobTrain graduate.  She was a hard- working and tenacious student at JobTrain, and her multilingual skills helped her land a position as a contracted employee at Apple in their SIRI division.

Zahia said that she recommends JobTrain to anyone who is considering a job change or who wants to launch a career. “If you need a good job, especially if you are encountering difficulties, JobTrain is the place to start,” said Zahia when she visited JobTrain recently.

JobTrain Staff Provide Guidance for Living Purposefully in 2013

On Thursday, January 24, 2013, JobTrain staff: David Dias, Green Jobs Career Development Specialist & Life Skills Coordinator and  Kail Lubarsky, Director of Marketing & Public Relations; were joined by Timothy Russell, Program Manager of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, and interviewed by Emmy award-winning Henrietta Burroughs, for the local cable program Talking with Henrietta. 

From left to right: Kail Lubarsky, David Dias, Henrietta Burroughs and Timothy Russell 

The interview focused on the importance of setting personal and professional goals. A wide range of topics pertaining to finances, health, relationships, and other pertinent issues geared towards helping individuals learn how to establish a plan for living a purposeful life in 2013, were covered in depth.  

When discussing financial intelligence and making wise purchases, a terrific idea was shared by Timothy as relayed to him by Chandra Jones. It's known as the "3-3-3- Rule." It stipulates that: 

• If an item costs $30.00 wait 30 minutes 
• If an items costs $300.00, wait 3 hours
• If an items costs $3,000.00, wait 3 days before making the purchase  

The program was taped on January 24, 2013 and will air through February 9th on channel 27:

Sundays @5 p.m.                                     Thursdays @8 p.m. 

Tuesdays @8 p.m.                                    Fridays @3:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Wednesdays @ 2 a.m. and 11 a.m.      Saturday @10 a.m.

The show streams on the web at the above days and times at www.midpenmedia.org.

JobTrain & Single Stop USA Provide Critical Tax Aid

If you need help filing your 2012 tax return, don't worry! JobTrain and our wonderful partner Single Stop USA are here to help you for FREE!

The income cut-off is $51,000, so households that earned this amount or less last year, are eligible for this incredible and complimentary service.

Tax Aid will be at JobTrain every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, until Monday, April 15, 2013. No appointments are necessary! Simply walk in and meet your tax representative at JobTrain room 33.

Please click HERE to watch Single Stop USA Tax Site Coordinator Rolf Roster - explain everything that you need to know to get started with filing your tax return.

If you would like to learn more about Single Stop USA, please contact Single Stop Site Coordinator, Natalie Tercero at Ntercero@jobtrainworks.org or at 650.330.6428.

JobTrain Volunteers Lead Culinary Workshop for Local Seniors

On January 14, 2013, Culinary Art students from JobTrain volunteered their time and expertise to prepare tasty and nutritious meals for seniors residing at The Sheridan in Palo Alto, CA. Senior Loie Johnson, expressed delight for JobTrain students teaching her fellow residents how to prepare traditional dishes with a creative and healthier twist. "If I could afford it, I'd hire JobTrain students to cook for me every single day. The experience was just wonderful," said Loie.

Led by JobTrain Culinary Arts student Sean Swihart, residents enjoyed an entrée of baked salmon and side dishes of creamy squash risotto, coleslaw, and candied carrots. The meal concluded with a delicious dessert of vanilla icecream drizzled with olive oil and sea salt.

Sheridan resident Candy, learns to prepare risotto, alongside JobTrain chefs

The Sheridan residents loved the culinary workshop, enjoyed the food, and emphatically invited the JobTrain chefs to return next month.

Since 2012, JobTrain student chef Sean Swihart, envisioned teaching the elderly how to creatively prepare tasty meals for residents living on a fixed income. "It was really important to me (personally) to teach seniors how to cook healthily, quickly and conveniently - with the ingredients they most readily have access to," said Chef Sean.

"Growing up in Italy, we were taught that the table is family - it is community. Thank you for being here for us, for being our family and building our community," conveyed Sheridan resident Candy.

Watch Video 

JobTrain Chefs Halle and Sean with residents of The Sheridan

At JobTrain, we transform student lives and connect, build and help our communities. If you'd like to learn more about JobTrain, please contact Director of Marketing & Public Relations Kail Lubarsky at 650.330.6569 or via klubarsky@jobtrainworks.org.  

Stanford University Design Team Launches Special Project at JobTrain

On Tuesday, January 8, 2012, students from Stanford University launched the first day of their design course at JobTrain. Approximately 72 Stanford and JobTrain students participated in the innovative and fun design project. 

JobTrain staff and students were paired with Stanford students and conducted interviews with each other in order to learn more about one another. The objective was to gather as much information and data in order to design a wallet, customized to their partner's specific needs.

Materials utilized to create the customized wallets included paper, tape, post-it notes, cards, markers and pipe cleaners. 

Each team had the opportunity to share their prototype with their classmates.  

It was a terrific exercise and we look forward to partnering with Stanford again. 

Our special thanks to our wonderful partners at Stanford Erica Estrada-Liou, Steve Hilton, Sarah Stein Greenberg and Sally Madsen, for facilitating and organizing this special event.

 Click HERE to watch Optometric Innovation at JobTrain!

Living Life Without Limits: Kamal's Story

During these uncertain economic times, access to no-cost education for employment or career advancement is more important than ever. JobTrain proves that the best social service program in the world is a job.

Kamal Rasheed worked as a certified oncology pharmacy technician until he was stopped short with a diagnoses of multiple myeloma. Cancer ravaged his body, requiring a bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy and years of painful recovery. When the cancer went into remission, Kamal needed to return to work to take care of his family of six.

That's when he found out that the industry standard had changed, and the certified oncology pharmacy technician position he previously held, now required a high school diploma or GED, something Kamal did not have. Kamal was relieved to learn that JobTrain offered free GED classes. He worked closely with his JobTrain instructor, Karen Lundberg, and completed the program in just seven weeks!

Last night Kamal, delivered the student keynote speech at JobTrain's Winter 2012 Graduation Ceremony at Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center. 

Kamal's upward trajectory towards success is soaring, on December 1, 2012, he passed the pharmacy certification examination! Kamal is now working on submitting his application to reinstate his license with the California Board of Pharmacy.

"JobTrain is a community servant and JobTrain sponsors are true community heroes for sharing their resources to advance the lives of others," he says. "Thank you, JobTrain, and thank you, JobTrain supporters, for helping us realize our dreams."

Whether teaching leading-edge vocational skills to people seeking a career change or helping people reclaim their lives from welfare, addiction, incarceration and unemployment, JobTrain is here to help individuals discover their potential. JobTrain provides practical vocational and life-skills training, and access to quality careers.

JobTrain Board Member Tamar Pichette describes the organization as one "that consistently helps those who are most in need in the community. From offering them clothing, training and job placement, the staff and faculty are among the most dedicated and selfless people in the country."

"They quietly, efficiently and successfully accomplish the incomparable mission of giving people the dignity of a job, and have managed to do so on a lean budget," Pichette says. "The impact of this nonprofit cannot be overstated. The country needs a JobTrain in every neighborhood."

Since 1965, approximately 160,000 people have come through JobTrain's doors and emerged with the tools to become self-sufficient members of our community.
Please create hope and opportunity for people who are willing to work hard to change their lives.

Your tax-deductible contribution will put unemployed people into productive careers. JobTrain is located at 1200 O'Brien Drive in Menlo Park, bordering East Palo Alto. Please visit our training facility for a tour and experience the positive energy of lives in transition.

Visit jobtrainworks.org or call (650) 330-6521 or (650) 330-6569 if you have questions and to schedule a tour.

Overcoming the Odds: Leticia's Story

Life has been especially difficult for Leticia Gomez. She’s battled addiction and has tried to overcome her past, which includes incarceration.  When she was at her breaking point, struggling to help her nine children and five grandchildren, she discovered JobTrain.  She completed the Office Skills program and has benefited from the wide array of services and resources available at and through JobTrain.  Leticia felt that no one would ever employ her. She feared that she’d never have an opportunity to become self-sufficient and that her past would condemn her future. However, JobTrain counselors worked diligently with her and made concerted efforts to find Leticia employment. 

Today, Leticia returned to JobTrain and said her prayers had been answered. She’s now working at Mi Pueblo and VI Palo Alto. “I am so grateful because I come from a really tough background. I felt the doors were closing in on me. JobTrain gave me the  strength to keep going and to believe in myself. People like me, old and disabled can still get a job. Thank you, JobTrain.” 

View Leticia's Inspirational Bell Ringing Ceremony

Leticia Gomez