When I first found out about Hopeworks I was a sophomore in college. My friend, who was a GIS intern at the time, recommended Hopeworks since I needed an internship and more experience in my field before I graduate. I’m a double major in Psychology and Childhood Studies, so Hopeworks, being a trauma informed organization, was perfect. I genuinely love what they do for youth. At first, I struggled with balancing school, sports, and training, but with the help of my career readiness coach I was able to organize my schedule and set goals for myself. Despite having to work remotely, I eventually earned an internship with the Youth Healing Team.
While being a part of the Youth Healing Team I’ve been able to step out of my comfort zone, virtually train hundreds of schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations about the impact that stress and trauma can have on our brains and bodies and share healthier ways of coping with stress, especially during this pandemic.
Through my internship, I was qualified to obtain a position as a Crisis Counselor for the Center for Family Services even though I’m still a Junior in college. In this new role, I provide support for communities, individuals, and families. It is a great early start to my career. I plan to continue beyond college and attend graduate school to earn my Masters and Ph.D. in Psychology to become a trauma therapist or a psychologist with my own practice.
I’m a firm believer in knowing you’ll always end up where you need to be and Hopeworks is a testament to that. I took this step not knowing where it would lead me, but it was an experience I will always be thankful for, shared with people I will always be thankful for.
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 […]
This episode of The Water Online Show focuses on the water industry's workforce shortage. Hopeworks, a training organization, is addressing this challenge by partnering with utilities like American Water. Hopeworks identifies employer needs, trains young professionals, and places them in well-suited roles. This innovative approach is helping to bridge the skills gap and ensure a […]
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 […]
