Customized Job Skills Training
Refugee Women’s Alliance’s (ReWA) next round of Customized Job Skills Training (CJST) begin in August 2007. To enroll or find out more, contact Eriko Mori at (206) 721-5290 or Eriko@rewa.org, or Kristen Moss (206)721-5298 or kristen@rewa.org.
WorkFirst training prepares trainees for the workplace with high quality training covering job readiness, workplace expectations, life and employability skills, workplace communication and problem solving, and entry-level occupational skills. The program is intensive and designed for workers with limited work experience and/or skills, leading to initial employment on a career pathway.
Orientations are on Thursdays at 1:00 pm and Training is 35 hours per week. (35 hours of training per week includes vocational ESL, employer driven classroom skill instruction, internships, life skills and work readiness and computer basics.)
Eligibility
To participate in this free WorkFirst training program, trainees:
- Must be a parent of a dependent child. The child can live either with the trainee or with someone else, but the child must be financially dependent on the trainee.
- Must be a US citizen or resident alien who may work legally in the United States.
- Must be a TANF (public assistance) recipient with an Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) indicating Refugee Women’s Alliance WF program participation or have gross monthly income less than 175 percent of the 2003 poverty level based on family size as indicated below:
| Family Size | Gross Monthly Family Income No Greater Than: |
|---|---|
| 2 | $1,768 |
| 3 | $2,225 |
| 4 | $2,683 |
| 5 | $3,141 |
| 6 | $3,599 |
Retention Services and Wage Progression
WorkFirst training participants and graduates receive services through Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA). Staff can help participants coordinate:
- Child care services (only if space available, please contact ReWA, right away.
- Assistance with planning transportation; interview and job placement follow up.
- Provide social and human services and referral to other community services.
- Assistance accessing post-placement upgrade training
- Career counseling and job advancement strategies
These services are available while a trainee attends ReWA, and for a minimum of one year after the initial job placement. Refugee Women’s Alliance’s objective is to help WF graduates continue their training while working, so they can stay employed and increase their earnings.