When Lance first came to Hopeworks, he admits that he was very reserved, shy and “only did what he had to”. However, He quickly realized how important it was to communicate with others. He began doing things outside of his comfort zone, including giving tours, and quickly became known for his charismatic personality. Lance said that in the beginning he was very nervous but he remained persistent. He is now an intern in the web development team, and having learned web design languages such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript in the training program, he is able to apply these to become a full-fledged web developer. He also utilizes the skills he learned in Photoshop, which assists him in becoming a better graphic designer.
Many youth come to Hopeworks seeking a change in their lives and when asked what advice he would give youth hoping to become successful at Hopeworks, Lance says it would be to STAY PERSISTENT and to STAY POSITIVE. He says, “Take advantage of when guests like CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners come to visit. Ask them questions, pick their brains, and get insight from them because they were once in your shoes. Use the methods they were taught to propel them to the top and apply those methods to your own journey.”
In the future, Lance’s goals are to earn more internships around the city and to eventually get into the game development industry. Ultimately, he wants to own his very own game design studio with a huge team of dedicated programmers and designers to create something that has never been created before. Lance says his favorite part of being at Hopeworks is the genuinely positive atmosphere. “Everyone wants us to succeed and the positive support of the entire family at Hopeworks is something that I truly admire.”
In this series, Michelle Cheang, director of Catalyze, sat down with alumni and current participants of Catalyze-supported career-connected learning programs. Through in-depth conversations, Michelle and the learners discuss their experiences, growth and career goals. In the following videos, we'll hear directly from EJ Garcia, a learner at Hopeworks, about how he has developed his career […]
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Grace Manning leads a program helping land young professionals work at companies like Subaru. Grace Manning is director of employer and alumni relations at Hopeworks, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia and South New Jersey, offering workforce development programs to young adults. Through training programs, paid internships, and placement services with local employers, Hopeworks helps young, diverse […]
