SOUTH BAY WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD
Meet Christopher Norwood
Workforce Challenge:
Christopher Norwood, a 40 – year single parent of a teenage son, was laid off from his executive position with the Uber Corporation in early 2018. Even though he had more than 10 years service in customer service and sales and had held a variety of leadership and mentoring positions, he had trouble getting job interviews due to “being over qualified” for the positions.
Workforce Solution:
His GAIN case worker at the South Los Angeles Worksource Center recognized his diligence and desire to get back into the workforce and referred Christopher to the PACE program where he could concentrate more on a career focused opportunity.
Outcome and Benefits:
In May 2018, he was selected for a Transitional Subsidized Employment (TSE) on the job training position with the nonprofit PV Jobs that provides career training and job placement services for
disadvantaged populations including recently paroled individuals. Christopher started off as an office assistant but was quickly elevated to the Training Department as an intern pre-apprentice coordinator responsible for intake, orientation presentation and supportive service assistance for clients.
Christopher so impressed his managers that he was hired full-time in January 2019 with an annual salary of $43,000.
“The services I found most helpful at the Worksource Center was the TSE program which allowed me to be placed in a friendly workplace e environment that enble me to learn additional skills to advance my experience and become more of an asset"