News & Stories

As the San Diego Workforce Partnership shifts to a more human-centered program design and our approach to our work adapts to the realities of those we serve, we are also becoming increasingly aware that the term we have used for our participant stories—success stories—does not fully reflect the realities of our program clients.

Grads of Life—a national initiative that catalyzes market demand for opportunity youth—connects employers with programs that prepare young adults and equip them to be valuable employees from day one. Their Talent Pipeline Model includes outreach and assessment, skill development, work-based experience, hiring and retention. It’s a win-win—young adults receive the mentoring they need for workplace success, while employers build a talent pipeline that suits their hiring needs.

Sara Fox is a manager of programs at the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Here she tells a little bit about herself, both personally and professionally.

A stable, well-paying job is a top priority for Californians who struggle to make ends meet. Meanwhile, a skilled and diverse workforce is a key asset to California companies competing in a global marketplace.

Dipshika (pronounced DIP-si-ka) is a first-generation Nepali American who immigrated to the United States in 1997. A former opportunity youth, Dipshika had logged many records of traffic, court and criminal cases within a 10-year period.

Unveiling our new logo at our open house in February, we shared a new way to represent our organization to our funders, participants and partners. Our brand is about who we are and where we are heading. Let’s see if you picked up on these elements in our new logo.

We were named as a winner of a philanthropic funding contest by national nonprofit Strada Education Network to increase access and diversity in tech through income share agreements (ISAs), a student loan alternative by which a student agrees to pay a small proportion of their income for a set period of time.

The San Diego Workforce Partnership is spearheading an initiative to help opportunity youth in San Diego County find meaningful employment in the service sector. Service sector roles include anything that is customer-facing, such as hotel or restaurant positions. 

Young people are preparing to enter a labor market that is becoming more reliant on skill level, with growth in certain sectors that are often off the radar of students. Additionally, students often have unrealistic expectations of the workforce and can become intimidated by the idea of going to college and not making it in the real world once they have graduated. It is up to educators, employers and community leaders to help make the connection for our future workforce. Here are three ways we can work to improve career education in our schools.

Amber Shevin is a CONNECT2Careers program analyst at the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Here she tells a little bit about herself, both personally and professionally.