Career Passport - Class 19

On March 4th, we celebrated the graduates of our 18th Career Passport class. The program is based on a program developed by Chicago-based Career Advancement Network and customized by West Suburban PADS for the homeless population. Therapeutic aspects of the program emphasize reducing addictive and poverty-based logic, eliminating toxic relationships and developing psychosocial skills, increased awareness of inherited work ethic, understand how your childhood experiences impact behavior in the work place and how to manage those behaviors effectively. 

Employment readiness aspects include developing a career identity, addressing employer questions about incarceration or work history gaps, job readiness, job search tools, interviewing with employers and learning to find and obtain rapid employment toward a career path.

Of the most recent class, three participants have already secured employment and are well on their way to regaining stability in their lives. One graduate was hired at a grocery store after attending a job fair and implementing interview techniques learned in the program. Two other graduates were hired at restaurants, and are looking forward to learning new skills. A fourth graduate was accepted into a culinary program through one of our partner agencies, and is now training to become a chef. He has promised to come back to us to prepare a meal with his newfound skills. We can't wait!