Job Training

Over the last three years, Bend’s Community Center (BCC) has significantly expanded its job training programs to where it now runs one of the largest training sites in Central Oregon for people trying to move off public assistance and/or gain work experience. BCC currently partners with COIC, Experience Works and Heart of Oregon Corps/YouthBuild to provide valuable on-the-job training (OJT) and work experience to more than 40 at-risk youth and adults at any given time.

Job training can be for as little as 6 hrs per week up to 40 hrs per week and it depends entirely upon the individual needs and interests of the job trainee. In 2009, more than 200 adults and youth will receive job training at BCC (and we have a 70% placement rate). Together, these job training partners play an essential role at BCC - providing low-cost "staffing" to help run programs and make the organization successful! Job training takes place at the BCC thriftstore (184 NE Franklin Avenue), the original BCC building (1036 NE 5th Street) and at our our new warehouse (350 SW Industrial Way). Job training occurs in a wide range of activities:

retail/customer service office work/clerical catering/food preparation computer programs (e.g. Office) bicycle repairs construction janitorial services landscaping event management heavy machinery (forklift, clothes baler)

Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council - COIC receives state contracts to provide retraining and employment services to help clients develop or improve skills so they become job ready, employed, self-sufficient and/or complete educational goals. BCC staff hold a weekly one-on-one session with each client to discuss how they are doing and where and what they need to improve in order to get or keep a job. BCC staff assist and evaluate their skills, attitude, learning capacity, dress, and can also serve as a work reference.

Experience Works - BCC is a host site for Experience Works which provides job skills and training for low-income seniors who are entering (or getting back into) the workforce. To date, BCC has trained over 35 EW clients, three of whom were formerly homeless women living at Bethlehem Inn. Within 3-6 months, all of them were able to find employment utilizing the job skills and references through BCC. Experience Works recently named BCC its top job training site in the state!

Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) - HOC is a non-profit organization that works with at-risk youth throughout Deschutes County. HOC provides crews of supervised youth who help run the bike repair shop, work on various construction projects at the thriftstore and utilize the computer training center upstairs.