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Wed
May08

Health Train Participants Begin Internships

Written by Denise Nepveux • May 8, 2013

Ten Health Train participants began internships at St. Joseph’s Hospital this Monday. By shadowing patient transport and housekeeping staff full-time for two weeks, students gain exposure to the hospital work environment and have an opportunity to showcase their skills and potential to prospective supervisors.

Participants expressed a flurry of feelings in class on Friday:

“Thrilled.”

“Excited.”

“Nervousness.”

“Hope.”

“Dedication.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Curiosity.”

“Future.”

Although they may face some anxious feelings, participants are well-prepared. Instructor Matt Centore, an ESOL and Adult Basic Educator with Syracuse City School District, has led them through two intensive weeks of classroom preparation in job readiness, interview skills, workplace communications and teamwork. Workforce Development Program Manager Danielle Szabo has liaised with St. Joseph’s staff and helped participants put supports in place for successful internship experiences. I have contributed sessions on long-term wellness strategies, back safety, confidentiality and infection control. We look forward to a final week later this month to reflect on internships, consolidate learning, and introduce OSHA rights and financial literacy.

Most Health Train participants reside on Syracuse’s Northside, within walking distance of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Despite passion and varying levels of experience in healthcare, all confront one or more barriers to employment in this field. Some are single parents faced with economic and educational challenges. Others are New Americans who are learning English as a second, third, or fourth language. Some are foreign-educated clinicians who intend to hone their English skills by working in a healthcare environment while studying for New York State licensing exams.

Those participants who successfully complete internships will be offered per diem positions at St. Joseph’s Hospital, with opportunities for full-time positions within six months of hire.

Please join us in wishing our Health Train participants great success!

Wed
Apr24

Health Train 3

Written by Denise Nepveux • April 24, 2013

Last week was an exciting Health Train tryout week! We received 132 applications. Sixty-six candidates interviewed and underwent academic testing on Monday and Tuesday. Eighteen were selected to engage in team communication skills and practical skills testing on Wednesday. With great difficulty, we narrowed the field to ten outstanding candidates. On Monday, these candidates began an intensive 5-week work readiness training program, which will include a two-week internship in patient transport or environmental services at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

This overwhelming display of interest in Health Train is further evidence of the great need in Syracuse for quality work training and job readiness programs that link job-seekers to work opportunities with family-sustaining wages and career growth potential. We are striving to grow our capacities to serve this need by strengthening and expanding our partnerships with educators, social service agencies and employers.

Welcome, new Health Train students!

Tue
Mar26

11th Green Train Graduation

Written by Denise Nepveux • March 26, 2013

11th Green Train Graduation
1119 N. Townsend St

See full event listing >

Our 11th Green Train class of fourteen students will graduate this Thursday at 11AM at the St. Clare Theater. We welcome you to join us in celebrating the accomplishments of this smart, hardworking group!

The Green Train students have spent 12 weeks learning construction and weatherization skills via classroom learning and hands-on work experiences. After numerous afternoons of demolition, construction and weatherization activities at 507 State Street, they practiced various insulation and air flow testing techniques for three days at the Telos Center in Jamesville. Finally, the class spent two snowy days at Adam’s Eden Camp in Lafayette. Here, they deconstructed an old wooden supply cabin, salvaged usable parts, and learned how to evaluate and reinforce them for reconstruction. I pulled a few students aside at Adam’s Eden to hear their reflections on the course.

George, a French-speaking refugee from DRCongo, arrived in Syracuse in September. I notice that he speaks more fluently in English now than four months ago when I met him at a recruitment gathering at Bob’s school. Three-hour classroom sessions every morning, he says, helped with this. He also enjoyed connecting with new acquaintances and learning about American workplace culture. “Here, time is money and you work by heart.”

Raul, a longtime Syracuse resident from Cuba, came to the class after a period of unemployment, and was hoping to improve his job prospects. He proudly emphasizes the skills he has gained in building, demolition, and use of hand and power tools. “I made a table, fixed a wall. My team built a doghouse. We worked like a football team, a baseball team. The communication was the first thing.”

José, originally from Spain, feels “a little sad” with graduation approaching. “This was a good experience for me. I’ve learned a lot, and I got to know some people who are really interesting, and other people who are really kind.” José hopes for a job in construction, perhaps incorporating his previous experience in tiling and masonry. He emphasizes the good feeling that comes from craftsmanship: “Something you can see and you can say wow, it’s a good job. It’s amazing. Something beautiful to see. That’s what I like to do.”

Bakari, a New American from the DRCongo, most enjoyed the weatherization aspects of the Green Train course. Like many of the students, Bakari has gained both skills and a sense of competence –a feeling of preparedness to take on a job in his new country. The parents of five children, Bakari and his wife have worked hard to establish their family in Syracuse. Green Train is an important piece of this puzzle. “I feel ready to work now. I want to work. If I get a job, I will be ready to work!”

Recently resettled in Syracuse from Burma, Maang has appreciated equally the English exposure and the hands-on experience of afternoons spent in the workshop. “I’m very happy with the class,” he comments. “I just want to thank you very much for Green Train.”

Thu
Feb21

Midterms at Green Train

Written by Denise Nepveux • February 21, 2013

February 8th marked the midpoint in Northside UP’s 12-week Green Train construction and weatherization course, which has returned to the Northside after three sessions at the West Side Learning Center. A select group of 16 students— several American-born, and the others New Americans residing on Syracuse’s Northside – spend five mornings per week in a classroom at First English Lutheran Church on James Street learning safety, workplace communications, tool use and geometry for construction. Afternoons, they put what they have learned into action: constructing shelving, building cabinets, insulating window frames, demolishing and building interior walls. Last week Andy Erickson and co-instructor Matt Centore allowed me to observe their midterm evaluation meetings with each student.

A student comes in, wearing work boots, jeans and a t-shirt, and carrying a printed sheet with a few items circled in pencil. His eyes are averted, yet his body language suggests calm confidence. Taking items on the sheet one by one, and expressing himself in clear but effortful English, the student observes that his work has been satisfactory or needing improvement, but not exceptional in any area. His instructors listen attentively. Matt chimes in:

“You are on top of everything we’ve covered in the classroom. Next, we’d like to see you use your knowledge and ability in a bigger way, especially in the workshop. Don’t keep to yourself — share what you know with the other students. Help out a peer when he or she is struggling.”

Andy nods and urges the student to take more risks in the classroom. “Ask us a million questions – you’ll never bug us. Pull it out of us. This is for you – for your own development — and also for bigger notice on the job.”

Another student acknowledges that he has been clocking in late. Matt asks detailed questions, showing clear concern and helping the student identify a strategy. “You’d be valuable to any employer,” he comments. “I want you to have an awesome job. But my main concern now is how to help you get to a construction gig on time. We’d like to work with you to get your mornings more structured, and sure of when you can arrive.”

Each conversation follows a similar route: Recognizing what is going well; identifying areas for improvement; brainstorming how change may occur. Yet the context is unusual. Most Green Train students are New Americans, and many are still in the process of mastering English as a second (or other) language. In some of their cultures of origin, self-evaluation is a foreign notion, and pride in oneself is a vice. In others, time is held more loosely than it is in most US workplaces. A five-minute window in which to punch the clock is a new concept. These conversations with committed instructors help to prepare students to adapt to an unfamiliar working culture. They are continuations of the Green Train classroom and workshop environment, in which students are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, assist one another, and push themselves and their instructors for more learning.

Through the process of teaching and facilitating the “hard” content of the Green Train course – construction and weatherization skills – Matt and Andy are simultaneously preparing GT students to succeed on the job. Their philosophy is to encourage development as workers, as learners, and as people. “Green Train is an environment where we’re able to grow,” Andy comments. “Matt and I are measured in our assessment of the students at the midpoint. We want them to keep pushing forward. But we couldn’t be more pleased with this class. They are where they should be.”

Tue
Aug21

Drafting New Blueprints

Written by Denise Nepveux • August 21, 2012

Two weeks ago, as a new Americorps VISTA at Northside UP, I had the pleasure of visiting the GreenTrain class at the West Side Learning Center. Teachers Andy Erickson and Matt Centore were wrapping up the course and preparing students for their final exam. Bonds that had developed amongst the students over the twelve weeks were apparent in the way they compared notes and cracked jokes. “You guys are gonna do well,” Matt assured them. “Take your time and recall what you know.”

After lunch, I strolled with some of the class members over to the Habitat for Humanity Restore location where they have been honing their newfound skills.

Francesca, originally from Puerto Rico, recalled that she knew a little about construction before she started GreenTrain, having worked with her uncle. “The construction techniques are different in Puerto Rico,” she said. “We build a lot from concrete. There’s only one kind of weather so we don’t need insulation. I’ve learned that here.” Francesca has been the only woman in this class of eleven. “People thought I was crazy to try this,” she said, “but I like it… We’re like a family. I’m going to miss them.”

Peter, from Syracuse, identified himself as a single father with four daughters living at home. He recalled that the moment in GreenTrain that impressed him the most “was when I got to the shop, and we learned how to frame up a wall. I felt so proud of myself. I felt that I was in the right place.” He praised his peers, many of whom are new arrivals to the US. “I didn’t make positive choices earlier in my life. But they are younger. They have a chance to create stable foundations for themselves, for their futures.” He spoke of having gained confidence not only in building techniques, but in addressing life issues. “My goals are more obtainable today because of what I’ve learned about ways to overcome obstacles.” Peter hopes to gain experience in construction over the next few years and ultimately to work as a unionized employee for a large construction firm.

Fumiyaki moved from Tokyo last September to join his wife in Syracuse, her hometown. He recalled his first days in the class: “Everything was brand new. At first I couldn’t use a hammer. I’d never even touched power tools. At first I had fear. Now, my skill is improved. It took practice, and the other students helped me a lot.” Fumiyaki is also refining his English skills through the course. As for his goals, he said: “To get a job, to continue working and learning, to be promoted, and a house for my wife and me…That’s my blueprint!”

Francesca, Fumiyaki, and four other students have already been placed in full time jobs. Peter has a temporary position and is seeking permanent work. Three of our graduates will continue intensive English study before applying for construction or weatherization jobs. Northside UP staff will provide ongoing support as our graduates pursue full employment and financial stability.

We are always accepting applications for the GreenTrain and HealthTrain programs. Stop by our offices, call our Workforce Coordinator, Danielle Sheppard, at 315-299-8228, ext. 10, or email dsheppard@northsideup.org.

For photos of the Green Train class, please see our facebook album.