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The Salvation Army’s EARN (Employment Advancement and Retention Network) program, which has assisted more than 73 people in finding employment since its start in fall ’98, produced its third class of career-ready graduates this spring.
Amber M., Wanda J., Coral H., and Tina N. are well their way to their career goals, thanks to the individualized instruction of the program. Of the graduates, all of whom were referred by local Army assistance programs, one is working, one is searching for a job, one is in an office and computer training program, and one will start her training in the fall.
The class of eight was the largest one yet, and the students had a unique chance to discuss their goals and skills.
“I appreciated the larger class because there was a lot more interaction,” said Anne Durbin, the program’s manager. The students had a chance to see that their experience and knowledge were valuable.”
The EARN class, held at the Seattle Social Service office, consisted of 40 hours of training over a two week period. According to Durbin, some discovered skills they didn’t realize were unique to themselves and everyone appreciated the opportunity to practice their job interviewing skills through role-playing.
The program also provides career counseling, resume preparation, and development of employer relationships with graduating participants. With the fall class starting soon, Durbin is excited about the program’s potential and hopes to expand the program to other Salvation Army corps in the Northwest.