LOWER LAKE — An open house showcased all Arbor Education and Training has to offer the south lake community. All “zones” are up and running ready to help one and all with their employment needs and more.
The open house, held Thursday, Jan. 31, at Arbor”s newly-renovated facility, 9055 Highway 53 in Lower Lake, highlighted services available through “MiZone” and “Job Zone.” Between the programs and a multitude of other options, people from their teens to retirement have access to assistance in gaining employment.
MiZone, funded through the Department of Social Services, is open to youth age 16 to 19 whose parent(s) are clients of the CalWorks program. MiZone provides one-on-one assistance in setting goals and realizing them. “Our goal is to help kids make and set goals and help them achieve them,” said Jamie Hopper, youth support specialist, “from financial aide to self-sufficiency or even just finishing their homework so they can graduate.”
MiZone features a computer lab with Internet access; quiet study areas and various activities for the clients” entertainment. Students are given the tools they need to research college options and learn more about requirements for attendance as well as how to access financial aide. Job shadowing and internships are also made available to the students through MiZone.
MiZone students learn valuable communication and social skills that help them interact with each other and with adults. They participate in activities that help make them more desirable as employees. They learn what should be expected when being interviewed for a job, how to fill out an application and how to compose a resume. Various workshops give them deeper insight into specific employment areas as well.
MiZone provides support to its clients in a comfortable, youth-friendly setting, which Hopper describes as inviting, warming and accepting. Eric Hernandez, who has been active in the program for eight months, agreed with Hopper. “MiZone is like a family,” he said.
Hernandez served as a tour guide during the open house and showed great enthusiasm as he shared the facility with visitors of the event. He was especially enthusiastic about the computer lab where he said he and his peers learn to use programs such as PowerPoint and Microsoft. “They make us more desirable as employees,” he said, excitedly adding that a current workshop is also teaching them how to become a chief executive officer (CEO).
While MiZone is open only to eligible youth, the newly completed Job Zone facility offers employment assistance to everyone, free of charge. In partnership with Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Lake County Department of Social Services, Arbor Education and Training”s Job Zone provides a full-service resource facility for those seeking work.
Job Zone is equipped with 13 computers including a handicap-accessible station. Clients are immediately enrolled in the CalJobs program, which gives them access to local and statewide job listings. “Our purpose is to provide a south Lake County community location where job seekers can engage in ?self-directed” job search activities,” said Jeremiah French, Job Zone resource specialist. “Usually, when people come in the first thing we do is get them signed up on the job search programs.”
Job Zone is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Arbor Education and Training building in Lower Lake. The site provides computer resume writing software and resume writing assistance; Internet access, copy and fax machines, daily newspaper, job listings, hot job lead postings from local employers; unemployment/EDD phone and Web access; DMV printouts for CalJob-listed positions; useful listing of local, public and government Web sites; and a message service for clients to receive calls from potential employers. In addition, staff is always on hand to answer any questions and provide assistance in each client”s search for employment.
Job Zone also provides assistance to clients enrolled in the CalWorks and Welfare-to-Work programs. Classroom areas provide space for CalWorks orientation and group discussions wherein clients can benefit from each other”s experiences.
For more information about Job Zone, call 995-9015. For more information about MiZone, call 995-9012.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
