The News Journal
By ESTEBAN PARRA
Ivan Mauricio can work with his hands.
But, after being laid off from two manufacturing jobs in as many years, the 37−year−old Wilmington resident
decided he needed new skills. So, Mauricio took advantage of a training program at the West End
Neighborhood House in Wilmington.
“Right now, it’s hard to go out and look for a job,” Mauricio said. “I don’t know much about computers, so I’m
going down there to learn.”
For the past few weeks, Mauricio has been participating in West End’s recently expanded job−skills
development program, which offers free one−on−one job−search assistance, cover−letter and résumé−writing
techniques and job−readiness workshops.
The center has provided employment and training services in the past, said Kenyetta McCurdy−Byrd, who
runs West End’s Reflections: Education & Employment program. But previous funding amounts
restricted who received that training while limiting it to certain age groups.
“We just need to have a global approach,” she said, adding the hike in unemployment motivated West End to
seek new funding. That came from JP Morgan Chase.
The number of out−of−work Delawareans actively looking for jobs rose to 25,073 in November, the highest
number since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began its monthly reports in 1976. By comparison, 14,888 people
were jobless and seeking employment in November 2006.
“We can no longer stop serving youth in this department and adults in this department,” she said.
Nonprofit agencies also have been creating partnerships with private companies to find jobs.
Goodwill of Delaware, for example, operates a cashier−training program with the Kenny Family ShopRites of
Delaware and the Wakefern Food Group. The four−week career−development program provides participants
with cashier and customer−service skills and guaranteed job− placement services.
Since it began in 2004, the program has allowed nearly 250 graduates to get jobs at Kenny Family ShopRites
in Stanton, Newark and Talleyville.
The reason for partnering with private industry is that many new rules need to be followed under government
programs, said Paul F. Calistro Jr., West End executive director.
“Government says who qualifies, who doesn’t,” Calistro said. “People need to talk to someone right now.
People need someone right now to help them right now.”
“This is the first step in expanding what we do in order to get help to people,” he said, adding there will be
more programs to help all people in the coming weeks. “Our philosophy is going to be: We need to expand
what we do in a shrinking economy, because the natural response would be to cut back because we have less.”
Catherine Hoopes, who runs the workshops, said the expanded program will allow them to help people who
have recently been laid off, such as in the auto industry, where they had worked for years.
A lot of people had a comfort spot and now need to be refreshed in new areas, Hoopes said. Participants can
go through mock interviews and job−readiness classes.
“We can give them whatever services they need in order to get to their goals,” she said.
Mauricio said he enjoys going to the center and the treatment he gets.
“They are really trying to help me a lot,” he said.
FYI
West End Neighborhood House at 701 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington, is providing free job−skills training.
Anyone wanting one−on−one job search assistance, help with writing cover letters and résumés or preparing
for interviews can get these services from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or from 1 to 4
p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Job−readiness and skills−training workshops are scheduled from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mondays and
Wednesdays. Appointments are not necessary but are recommended.
For information, call Kenyetta McCurdy−Byrd or Catherine Hoopes at 658−4171.