Jardea Jenkins is a career navigator with the Workforce Partnership, managing our Ticket to Work program. We asked Jardea what professional moments he was proud of, his favorite part of working in workforce development and how he spends his free time.
What professional moment or project are you most proud of?
During my Navy career I had several occasions where I had to revamp and improve unsuccessful career development programs from the ground up after reporting to a new assignment. Each one of those challenges resulted in my programs being recognized as one of the best Navy-wide. Similarly, when I first started working for the San Diego Workforce Partnership in March 2020, I was given the opportunity to run a revenue generating program called Ticket To Work that previously was unsuccessful. Last calendar year we generated over $31,000 by assisting several Social Security beneficiaries in finding employment and working towards their goal of self-sufficiency! All while working remotely!
What do you like best about working in workforce development?
The most fulfilling part of workforce development is helping people find employment and reach their self-sufficiency goals. Many times, we encounter participants who don’t have a lot of confidence due to being worried about maintaining employment while dealing with challenges of having a disability, having never worked before or haven’t worked in years, and being afraid of losing benefits. Seeing them overcome those worries after we’ve assisted them is priceless every time. I did very similar work for the Navy so being able to use my knowledge, skills and abilities as a team member of the Workforce Partnership has been a huge blessing for me. What’s even more rewarding is working for an organization that has a climate of improvise, adapt and overcome when it comes to service to the community. My first two years were during the pandemic, but we overcame the challenges seamlessly and still produced outstanding results organization-wide.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I enjoy spending time with family, walking, hiking, working out (maxi-climber), listening to music (especially Reggae), watching movies, watching basketball, playing games (chess, dominoes, spades, etc.) and eating out. I volunteer for a few small organizations in Southeast San Diego including 100 Strong and the Beta Selam Academy. Since working from home, I developed a hobby of reading and watching documentaries about African history and ancient African spiritual science. Before the pandemic, I didn’t have much of a library but I definitely have one now!