WSEM > Centers of Excellence > el barrio/workforce development

students/classes

El Barrio, the Workforce Development Center of Excellence of WSEM, provides clients like Gary, Raquel, Sykeisha and Keosha with pre-employment programs and employment referrals to youth, adults and families in need across the Greater Cleveland area.

These services include:

Intensive and culturally sensitive case management services in 3 languages (Arabic, Spanish and English). Our experienced case managers do everything they can to help you overcome your barriers to success. Keosha, for example, received support services from our case managers to help her through some difficult stages going through high school.
Essential Job Readiness training. A two-week course that will provide you with basic skills on how to look for, find and retain meaningful employment with the best companies in town. Raquel received her full two-week course in Spanish with highly qualified instructors who helped her practice and refine her bilingual skills.
Job search and placement services. Our experienced career consultants make sure that your needs and goals match the search of our partnering companies. Gary, for example, obtained employment with a local prestigious law firm that partners with El Barrio to hire qualified candidates.
English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. With levels ranging from beginning to advanced, our signature ESL classes are a perfect tool for those needing to learn or improve the English language. Many clients like Raquel come to El Barrio having just recently arrived to Cleveland. Raquel was fortunate enough to know English; others are not, and our ESL classes are here to help them.
Pre-Vocational Workforce Channels in Customer Service and Pre-Construction. After completing Job Readiness, program participants may choose to further their studies with our Workforce Channel programs in which El Barrio partners with a broad network of companies that deliver industry-focused training.
Year-round after-school work ethic workshops and employment readiness programs, including summer jobs for youth. Both Sykeisha and Keosha attended individualized tutoring sessions and work ethics workshops at El Barrio and are both enrolled in post secondary education at area institutions of higher education.

Why attend El Barrio training?

Total of 2-6 weeks intensive cost-free training
Focused on high-demand areas with local companies engaged in instruction and hiring
Direct exposure to employing companies
Instruction includes classroom learning, site visits to partners, hands-on activities, online training, expert instructors
We provide certifications for each area: National Retail Federation (Customer Service) and State of Ohio Lead Abatement Worker Certification (Pre-Construction).

If you are enrolled with Cuyahoga County cash benefits, please contact your county case worker to be referred to our program, or if not, stop by our office and talk to our recruiter who will provide you with the most updated information on our cost-free trainings.

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