The 2010 graduation season isn’t over yet! Seattle Goodwill will hold a festive Graduation Ceremony on Thur., July 15, at 3 p.m. for more than 300 students who completed programs at its Job Training and Education Center.
These are not your typical graduates; each has a unique story of triumph over hardship and adversity. They have battled problems like drug abuse, homelessness, language barriers, poverty and chronic unemployment. By completing Goodwill’s free training programs, they have put themselves in better positions to find jobs and support themselves.
One such student is Asha Yakuti. After escaping her native Tanzania, located in East Africa, Asha entered the United States under political asylum and now lives in Seattle. Goodwill’s free job training classes have helped her learn English, retail skills, and American customs; she now has a job that enables her to support herself and her children. Asha plans to enroll in community college to eventually become a Pharmacist.
“When I first got here in America, I didn’t think I could get a job. Goodwill helped me and now I can dream big and become a Pharmacist,” Yakuti says.
Goodwill operates nine job training centers in the central and northern Puget Sound region. The graduation takes place at the Job Training and Education Center in Seattle, located at 1400 S. Lane St. (corner of S. Dearborn St. and Rainier Ave. S.).
Register for upcoming classes: Graduation also means that a new session of classes will be starting at Goodwill soon; the next session runs from Aug. 9 through Sept. 30. Registration for the upcoming session will take place from July 19-23. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to come early to guarantee a spot. Classes will include:
- English for Speakers of Other Languages – pre-literacy, literacy, basic, and intermediate levels
- Computers – classes include keyboarding, basic computers, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel
- Basic math
- Cashiering
- Writing for school and work
Goodwill graduates celebrating Dec. 2009 graduation. Photo/Goodwill
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