At Towards Employment, we prepare an individual for the job market and support them in successfully making the transition into the workplace, by offering a continuum of services – job readiness training, job search and placement, and retention services. Our NETWorks 4 Success (New Employment Training Works) program is designed to assist individuals who are or have been involved in the criminal justice system in finding and keeping quality jobs. Employment is key to breaking the cycle of criminal behavior and re-connecting with family and community. Starting with orientation and continuing through an intensive four-week workshop, job placement assistance and on-going retention support, our committed staff works with each trainee to build skills, change behavior, and remove barriers to successful employment. We have a network of employers willing to give people a second chance, and have an outstanding record of matching program graduates with employer needs and making sure they succeed on the job. Job retention rates for our program graduates are among the highest in the country. This performance is a direct result of our focus on job retention from day one of the program; a focus that continues with regular contact for at least six months after an individual gets a job.

Who we serve:

Individuals who are, or have been, involved with the criminal justice system.

How we help:

Employers tell us that they will train newly hired individuals for the specific job requirements at their worksite. What they need are individuals who are job ready: who have the basic skills and attitudes to adapt successfully to the workplace. Towards Employment accomplishes this by focusing on two key components: Softskills training, including communication, time management, and problem solving; and Lifeskills training, including managing work-life balance, financial literacy, parenting, prevention education and how to access community resources. Our 30 years of experience tells us that individuals need the skills to manage their life outside of work in order to be successful at work. At Towards Employment, we help build the skills to succeed on both of these levels. In addition, we teach individuals critical job search skills including resume writing, application preparation, and interviewing so they can find the best job match for their interests, skills and backgrounds. The curriculum includes setting up email accounts, filling out on-line applications, conducting Internet job searches and basic word processing to keep up with the ever-widening circle of employers who only process job applications via the Internet. The training environment mirrors the workplace, with strict attendance policy and dress code. The program provides those with limited employment history an opportunity to build a track record of meeting basic workplace expectations of showing up on time, dressed appropriately, with a good attitude, day after day.

Job Search and Placement:

Job-ready participants are matched with jobs based on their background, skills and experience.

Each participant meets with a career consultant to review skills, job history, goals, and develop a job search plan. Participants keep a log of all of their activity, which they review with their career consultant on a weekly basis.

Career consultants are in constant communication with employers to introduce them to Towards Employment, gain an understanding of their needs, and receive feedback from those who have hired program graduates. Employers are not just hiring an individual, but someone who has a wide support network behind them to intervene as necessary if problems or concerns arise. We want to make “giving someone a second chance” less risky for the employer and more successful for the employee.

Job Retention:

Our services do not end when a graduate starts employment. Getting a job is the first step; keeping a job and being successful enough to eventually advance in the workplace is the ultimate goal.

The importance of job retention is discussed on the first day of each training workshop and reinforced throughout the workshop and job search period. Follow-up is frequent and ongoing. Our career consultants are in touch with program participants within the first few days of the person starting a job, and stay in touch for at least the first 6 months of employment. If newly employed program graduates run into difficulty -- at work or away from work – anything that may affect their ability to maintain their job – a Towards Employment career consultant can provide them coaching and access to our Employment Support Services.

Employers are key in the job retention process and are actively encouraged to utilize the skills of Towards Employment’s career consultants if a problem arises.

Our nationally recognized job retention program, Achieve, is custom-designed to assist an employer in reducing employee turnover and enhancing job retention among all entry-level workers or specific groups and categories of employees.