Hopeworks is proud to announce that Xavier Padiila this month began his journey as a Junior QA Analyst at Subaru of America, one of the 11 young adults that earned living wage jobs just in the month of July!
As Xavier’s new supervisor at Subaru shared, “Xavier is doing really well and has been helping us go through all of our PreUAT. He is very eager to learn new things and is quick to learn what Kiran (co-worker) has been teaching him. He is getting along really well with the team."
Just in the last 2 months, Hopeworks has placed 23 young adults in living wage jobs, with an average starting wage of $44,489! The hard work of Xavier and young adults like him is transforming both lives and communities.
Another Hopeworks young professional has been hired by our partners at the Michaels Organization! We are proud to announce that Erionne Vogues recently secured a full time position as Building Services Representative. Erionne has worked incredibly hard to get to this point and all of his coaches and mentors have had great things to say about working with him.
This announcement is a 2-for-1! We are excited to announce that two of our web team members have been offered positions at Diginuiti. Diginuiti is a digital marketing agency that helps businesses grow their online presence. Tatiana and Jason both credit their time at Hopeworks as instrumental pieces to their journey.
“I am so grateful to Hopeworks for giving me the resources, work experience, and network I needed to start my career in design,'' says Tatiana. “Thanks to Hopeworks, I can finally say I have the confidence to call myself a true professional and I am excited to grow in my new position!”
Jason says the SEER Certification program was a huge help in getting him prepared for his professional transition.
“If it wasn't for Hopeworks and the certification program through SEER, I would've never found my interest in Digital Marketing. I truly can't thank Hopeworks enough for opening so many doors for so many people, it's really a blessing to have been able to be a part of this organization!”
We wish Tatiana and Jason all the best in their next chapters and cannot wait to see how they continue to progress.
Another awesome job announcement! Youth Healing Team member Rose Nunes was recently offered a position as Patient Care Manager at Crossroads Treatment Center.
Rose has always been passionate about educating people on trauma-informed care and healing trauma. Equipped with the knowledge and experience from Youth Healing Team presentations, we know they will be an amazing Patient Care Manager.
We are so happy to see you take the next step on your journey Rose, good luck!
Congratulations is in order for Sierra Patterson who recently began a new position at New Jersey American Water! Sierra has been a valuable part of the Hopeworks family for a few years and we’re incredibly excited that she is taking the next step in her career.
As part of American Water’s “Water Up! Utility Training Program”, Sierra was a part of a paid 11-week training that helped prepare participants with the necessary skills for this job. The training was a pipeline for other Hopeworks alumni and interns to gain full time jobs there as well.
Sierra you are destined for greatness, keep pushing forward we’re always rooting for you!
Another huge alumni update! We are pleased to announce that previous Hopeworks GIS Team Member Chris Newbill, was recently offered a full time position with New Jersey American Water.
Chris has always been a valued member of the Hopeworks community, and was a valuable asset to the GIS team when he was here. He then moved on to New Jersey American Water in a contract-based position where he continued to dedicate himself to upward movement.
Eventually, all of his hard work paid off and he is now getting settled into his new position and continuing to grow in his career!
Chris, your passion for the GIS industry is evident and we are proud to have been a part of your journey. Good luck on your next chapter!
Talk about keeping it all in the family! Hopeworks is dedicated to helping young professionals gain new skills, secure living wage jobs, and create generational wealth. There’s no better example of that than this story. Sisters Courtney and Aniya were recently both offered incredible job opportunities with New Jersey American Water and The Camden City School District.
Aniya has always been passionate about her goal to educate and her ultimate dream is to become a special education teacher. With this new job position, she is well on her way!
“I’m super excited about my new career and chapter in life. This has been a journey for me to figure out my purpose in life and I can finally say inspiring children and giving back to them is my number one goal.”
Courtney is also excited about her new journey. She recognizes that past obstacles and determination have brought her to this point.
“This job solidifies all the hard work and determination I’ve had for the past two years. There have been a lot of tears, failures and positive experiences to help me be where I am today. I am extremely grateful and blessed to see where life will take me.”
Courtney will work as an Operations Specialist in the administrative department doing permit requests, coordinating, budgeting scheduling, and more. Her job is to make sure that New Jersey American Water has all the supplies, parts and policies in order to help with the road work on water mains and pipes lines on construction sites.
Good luck Courtney and Aniya!
A picture is worth a thousand words and Acasha’s photo next to the job board says it all! We are so proud to announce that we now have the second job placement of this month at the Philadelphia Water Department! Along with Fran, Acasha Mann will also be joining the team as an Engineering Aide.
Acasha explains the job with elation and animation, “The job entails that I will be learning the ins and outs of one of Philadelphia's sewage plants. I will be learning how to run tests, and work in teams to collect and relay data, like a science project, just on a daily basis!”
She also anticipates the potential new career opportunities that will inevitably come her way through this position. "This new job could potentially open several avenues for me. I'm excited about being in the lab again as I was back in school. I also look forward to the opportunity of being a scientist!”
We cannot express how thrilled we are to have supported Acasha up to this point, and continue supporting her as she navigates this new career path. Congratulations Acasha, and good luck!
We are so excited to announce that GIS Intern Corey Denlinger, will be taking his exceptional skills and talents over to Benefits Data Trust as a Benefits Outreach Specialist!
Corey’s responsibilities will mainly consist of helping customers apply for benefits and resolving any questions or concerns they may have.
Corey shares his excitement for the challenging new journey coming his way, “I am very excited to help people attain health benefits, helping people always puts a smile on my face. Everyone at BDT shares a passion for helping others, which is something I can really get behind.”
Corey admits that during his time at Hopeworks he has been able to find himself in a way he never thought possible.
“In all honesty, I wouldn't be here without the support and guidance that I received from Hopeworks, this place has seriously transformed my life.
I feel like I found a purpose and a new outlook on life. I can feel myself maturing and I have found more confidence in myself.”
BDT is lucky to have you Corey, good luck on your new journey!
After much training, dedication, and hard work, Web Team intern Fran Dixon has earned a position with the Philadelphia Water Department! Fran will initially join the team as a Community Apprentice, through an internship with the Development Department to prepare for their role as an Engineering Aide.
Fran points to Hopeworks as a launchpad for success and professional development. “Hopeworks helped me practice my professionalism and connected me with Rodriguez University. Rodriguez University helped me gain the knowledge, experience and network I needed to land a job with the Philadelphia Water Department.”
During their time at Hopeworks, Fran also connected with Hopeworks Board President, Brad Aronson. Brad is an angel investor, mentor and creator of the Hopeworks Entrepreneurship class.
“Brad Aronson has also been a huge help by preparing me with mock interviews prior to my interview. Overall, I am excited for this new journey into engineering and into the city of Philadelphia.”
Philadelphia Water Department is gaining a huge asset with Fran who has proven to be a thoughtful, generous, and compassionate person! Congratulations!
