We are so excited to welcome Shawneeq Pettey-Ford to our Hopeworks team! She is joining Carol Dann in our Adult Basic Skills Department, helping more young adults earn their GEDs and move forward in their education. Having previously worked with Carol at Camden County College as an ABS instructor, Shawneeq felt that Hopeworks would be a great next step for her: “I was ready for a change, and excited to be working with more youth, so Hopeworks seemed like the perfect fit!”
Shawneeq was born and raised right here in Camden, and attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick and in Camden. Since joining the Hopeworks team about a month ago, Shawneeq has done an amazing job connecting with our youth, and has helped several youth get their GEDs! Her main goal at Hopeworks is “to grow and build the ABS department to reach more youth, and to make a positive change in Camden.”
Shawneeq toured Hopeworks a few years ago when we were still on State Street, and she says that although the building is a lot different, the same culture she encountered on her tour is still here. When asked about her time here so far, Shawneeq says, “I love it, it is so welcoming and so open; and everyone at Hopeworks always wants to help!”
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 […]
Headlined by Truist Bank, the event removed access barriers to career readiness, connecting Camden, NJ – March 16, 2026 – On Thursday, March 12, Hopeworks, a social enterprise dedicated toempowering young adults to establish living wage careers, hosted its third annual HOPE Summit at theRutgers Camden Campus Center. Headlined by sponsor Truist Bank, the summit […]
