CONNECT2Careers 2016 job coaches

The encourages employers to open their doors to young employees, because we know young people need work experience to learn and grow, and we know internships and early job experiences prepare youth to take on the challenges that will face our workforce in the future.

Each year, SDWP hires dozens of interns in every department, ten of whom serve as our Peer Job Coaches. These young employees serve as the program’s boots on the ground, guiding participants through their job search over the phone, via text message, and using the CONNECT2Careers (C2C) Portal. One of those job coaches is Kameron Bacon.

Two months ago, Kameron was unemployed and looking for work to support his family.

Kameron lives in a transitional program for homeless young parents with his fiancé and their two-year-old son. After a short job search, Kameron secured a position as a C2C Peer Job Coach. Kameron’s commitment to excellent service and passion for personal growth quickly became evident. In his short time with C2C, he’s already been promoted to a full-time role as a Program Technician.

Kameron appreciates being able to help those who had difficulties like his own. “My most memorable experience working with C2C was serving a young woman with a story much like my own. She is a young mother who wanted to find a job so she could support her child. When she found C2C she was also at risk of being homeless. Our team came together and helped her find both a job and secure housing. She now works with a local nonprofit helping disabled individuals throughout San Diego County.”

We’re proud to work with committed, compassionate young adults like Kameron. Our 2016 job coach cohort comprises young people from neighborhoods all over the county, and from many different walks of life, including:

• Esther Cing, 12th grade student at Crawford High School
• Daniela Montes Flores, incoming first-year student at University of California, San Diego
• Serene Harb, 12th grade student at Francis Parker School
• Luis Hernandez, 12th grade student at Advanced Pathways Academy
• Lisa McPeak, junior at San Diego City College and Price Scholar
• Naomi Moore, recent graduate of Urban Corps Charter School and the Urban League of San Diego County’s PATHWAYS Initiative
• Edgar Vargas, senior at Humboldt State University
• Alicia Vasquez, recent graduate of e3 Civic High School
• Izaac Vizcarra, student at San Diego City College
• Shay Young, sophomore at San Diego City College and Price Scholar

Young adults who want to work with a job coach can register for C2C on this site, or call (619) 228-2945.