SOUTH BAY ONE-STOP BUSINESS & CAREER CENTERS
Meet Jordan - Inglewood
Workforce Challenge:
Jordan Paige, an Inglewood resident and recent Morningside High School graduate, was seeking employment to help his mother with living expenses, his senior year expenses and to save money for college because his mother had been recently laid off. Mr. Paige had no idea how to apply for a job and lacked job readiness skills, but he pushed himself to seek for assistance through the opportunities offered at the Inglewood Youth Department. After graduating high school, June 2017, he applied to college and intended to attend until he could no longer financially support that decision. His mother couldn’t help out and his father no longer wanted to support him, so he turned to the Inglewood Youth Department for career opportunities.
Workforce Solution:
Mr. Paige attended an orientation held at the Inglewood Youth Department for the Fit for Gold Program where he learned about the youth work opportunity programs. After completing an orientation and eligibility requirements Mr. Paige qualified for the Fit for Gold program. He was given a fitness and mentoring/tutoring training before being placed at Payne Elementary School. Mr. Paige had no difficulty adjusting to working with children, he utilized the skills he learned through his training. Rapidly Mr. Paige was praised by his supervisor, and other peers. Mr. Paige had expressed interest in the architecture field and was advised by his case manager to attend a workshop the Youth Department would be hosting with a guest speaker that would have information in the career. While attending, Mr. Paige made a connection that in the following weeks gave him a job; a job where he was the youngest in the field doing something unheard of for his age: Construction Management, as an intern in a managerial role with Balfour Beatty.
Outcome and Benefits:
Mr. Paige gained the confidence and job readiness skills necessary to remain employed and receive pay at $18/hr. His intern assignment came to an end but because of this Intern position, which led him to many networking events, gave him the opportunity to network and get a job as an architectural design intern. Mr. Paige is responsible for programs created to inform and assist at-risk youth with career opportunities. He’s working at ZGF Architects LLP and is making $17 /hour with benefits and working fulltime.
“I thank the Workforce for everything they've done to help me and hope they continue their outreach capabilities with more financial resources due to my personal experience.”