HomeAid San Diego, a nonprofit organization working to provide services to mitigate the housing crisis in San Diego County, will be graduating its second cohort of the WORKS (Workforce Opportunities for Rebuilding through Knowledge and Skills) program. The WORKS program was created to provide meaningful employment opportunities for youth, men, women and veterans who are experiencing, at risk of or exiting homelessness while simultaneously addressing the critical labor shortage in the home building industry. The WORKS program is an immersive experience that supports HomeAid’s mission to help mitigate homelessness in San Diego County.
The second cohort is comprised of fifteen students affiliated with nonprofit organizations including Promises2Kids and PATH, who have signed up to participate in technical construction training with industry professionals that, upon completion, will prepare them for careers in the San Diego building industry.
“Our unique program of partnering with service providers who work with at-risk populations and the companies who provide jobs specific to this program is a winning equation. In the last two months we have conducted two cohorts. Six of seven students from our first cohort have secured new jobs. Our second cohort has 15 students and graduation is scheduled for June 27” said Mary Lydon, executive director of HomeAid San Diego.
Partially funded by Lennar Foundation, the charitable arm of Lennar Corporation – one of the nation’s leading homebuilders, the WORKS program helps to remove barriers to employment by providing the skills needed to create sustainable careers that will help individuals, who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, build new lives. Through partnership with local and national construction educational programs, training facilities, social service organizations, high schools and faith-based entities, the WORKS program increases the likelihood of students permanently exiting homelessness by teaching them a range of basic construction fundamentals and allowing them to explore a variety of fields of work that may interest them.
In addition to education and job placement services, the WORKS program also provides career exploration, resume support and assistance with job applications to help graduates secure jobs that will offer full-time income, benefits and long-term stability.
Through job placement partnerships with leading companies in the building industry including Lennar, Circle M Construction, Hy-Lang Electric, Alta Drywall, Royal Cabinets, West Coast Lumber, Capo Fireside, McGee Contracting, Prevost Construction and more, the students will have the opportunity to apply for positions specifically earmarked for WORKS graduates after completing the program.
In addition to being led and partially funded by Lennar Foundation, the WORKS program is also sponsored by organizations including Lucky Duck Foundation, Conrad Prebys Foundation, Bank of America, Brookfield Properties, Avalon Bay, County of San Diego, US Bank and Circle M Construction.
“We are dedicated to supporting this important program that helps individuals who have had challenges in their past rebuild their lives,” said Alan Willingham, Senior Vice President of Operations for Lennar’s San Diego division and WORKS program Chair for HomeAid San Diego.
To learn more about the HomeAid San Diego WORKS Program, how to apply as a student, how to offer job opportunities or how to become a sponsor, please reach out to Mary Lydon at [email protected].
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About HomeAid San Diego
Founded in 2002, HomeAid San Diego is a local affiliate of HomeAid America, which includes 19 chapters across the United States that attack the reality of homelessness with a unique and collaborative approach. Through housing development, community engagement, advocacy and workforce development, HomeAid improves and expands housing and resources for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the San Diego region.
By bringing together homeless service providers, local builders and trades, national and local resources, and community leaders, HomeAid builds and renovates shelters and transitional housing at a fraction of the cost. Through partnerships, the organization reduces the time service providers spend on managing a project and the costs associated with construction, allowing these entities to assist in mitigating homelessness in San Diego County.
For more information, visit https://www.homeaidsd.org