Last week, Hopeworks got the great news that Marcel Njighe-Tezeh, a Hopeworks youth, had earned a permanent, high wage position at the Philadelphia Parking Authority in IT Support!
This is not just a job, but a transformative opportunity. Marcel described his journey recently in an essay:
Since I was 17, I have taken care of not just myself but also my beautiful family of 7 people. In high school, I had big dreams, but I imagined that my parents would take care of me. I didn’t think about how I would pay for college, or for food or housing. I didn’t imagine I would have to grow up and start paying for myself, and I didn’t realize to go to college I might have to take out a loan I couldn’t afford. I grew up far away from my extended family in Cameroon. To take care of my family, I have had to work overnight in a warehouse and by morning be on my way to school. Sustaining myself all this while has not been what anyone at my age would wish for but because of my dedication to success and the wellbeing of my family, I have accomplished the unexpected.
Marcel's accomplishment is amazing, but certainly not unexpected. It is an opportunity that he has earned. As his supervisor, Jacqui, shared, “You should be very proud of Marcel. He is quite the HIRE and we all are so happy for him.” In fact, because of Marcel’s success, the PPA has opened up another slot for another Hopeworks youth!
Congratulations to Marcel on his hard work and accomplishment!
New facility builds on proven workforce development model, with Dell Technologies supporting expanded access to AI tools and career readiness training NEWARK, N.J. – July 7, 2026 – Hopeworks announced that its newly established space in Newark, New Jersey is now fully open, with programming officially underway to support young adults entering technology and high-growth […]
The nonprofit provides paid training, career support and real work to help 17- to-26-year-olds move into full-time jobs averaging $43K a year. In a bright room at Hopeworks Kensington, young adults sit at computers learning to code, build websites and prepare for careers many once thought were out of reach. Some come in unsure of […]
The Rutgers Camden Campus Center was transformed into a high-energy hub of professional development last week as Hopeworks hosted its third annual HOPE Summit. Headlined by Truist Bank, the event served as a critical bridge between young adults in the region and some of the most influential employers in the Greater Philadelphia area. The summit is a cornerstone of […]
