Experiential job training for the refugee community resulting in our trainees’ ability to find, perform and retain jobs.

While the best known face of Common Ground is our garden/farming operation , the most extensive and intense training occurs in the classroom.  The training is the core and primary purpose of the program, although not as easily seen.

Using a curriculum developed for Common Ground by a group of highly qualified educators with specific expertise in English as a second language (ESL) and refugee issues, we take our trainees through an industry-wide concentrated program.

Helping the trainees understand the vocabulary, develop skills and grasp employer expectations for key industries is the focus of our training. Industries such as food service/restaurants, janitorial, housekeeping and laundry, agriculture, hospitality/hotels and maintenance, warehouse and production tend to provide the best job potenetial for our trainees, so these are the industries we incorporate into our training.

During a typical week of training, we will focus on a specific industry. We will spend several hours in traditional classroom instruction, often introducing new vocabulary or skills. The class often splits of into smaller groups for role play, skills pratice and to work one-on-one with trainers. When possible, we will go “on location” to a local business for tours, demonstrations, and even training in the industry with is the focus in that particular week.

For those who are ready to learn computer skills, we may spend several hours a week, focusing on those skills, while other students may continue to work on their conversational skills.

The only way to truly understand the energy and transformative nature of the classroom is to visit. It is inspiring to watch these resilient folk come into the classroom, shy, reserved, sometimes deeply weary from the huge cares they caryy, and begin to open up and grow as they learn to express themselves in our language.

For those of us in the classroom, it’s like discovering treasure  to hear our trainees’ stories, learn about their families and understand their  dreams. And the training itself gives them renewed hope that they may yet see their dreams fulfilled. Can there be anything more exciting than helping them embark on their new life here in the US?

Note: We want to thank Eastwind Community Church for the use of their classrooms for many months, and El-Ada Community Action for the belief in this program and their support, as well as the classroom space they are currently providing for our trainees.