Job Seekers

Job seekers may include people at life's transition points, who find themselves without work for this first time due to downsizing, young workers just entering the job market for the first time, individuals with disadvantages due to lack of education, work skills or experience, immigrants, people with a disability who need to engage in work to build their self esteem, gain experience and demonstrate their work ethic to employers and individuals re-entering their communities from a corrections facility. 

Referred to Hope Network through local partner agencies, Workforce Development job seekers are provided individual and group activities designed to help them gain the soft skills necessary for successful employment through:
  • Personalized skill assessments
  • Employability skills training
  • Resume writing and interview practice
  • Hands-on occupational specific skills training
  • Job placement and retention support services


Our Exodus Program assists individuals with an offending history to find employment and become contributing members of our community. 

Goals in all of our programs include:
  • Attendance and punctuality
  • Developing improved endurance and stamina
  • Working as part of a team
  • Interactions and social communications skills with co-workers
  • Ability to accept supervision
  • Following and recalling directions
The key to employment success is a supportive work environment that encourages and empowers workers. To answer these needs, we continue to explore and build opportunities that deliver:
 
  • Custodial services - cleaning office space daily, our custodial team has a record of proven performance in federal buildings such as the Gerald R. Ford Museum
     
  • Packaging and co-packaging services to our customer base while operating in compliance with ISO and AIB standards. Our rehabilitation services maintain the highest CARF certification standards.
     
Feel free to Ask Jenny any questions you may have about our programs or services.
   


Free Tax Preparation Services Available at Hope Network Education Center
1/26/2012
Hope Network Workforce Development has partnered with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) through Davenport University, to be a host site for free tax preparation services. This service is available to all Hope Network staff, consumers and the public.

Income tax assistance is available on Fridays, beginning February 3rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Education Center in Grand Rapids.
 
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The Book of Cake Debut
12/22/2011

Hope Network hosted a special book signing of the new book, 'The Book of Cake' a collection of Cake stories from the past year which feature Hope Network consumers, employees and volunteers. 

Award winning writer Tom Rademacher, who writes the stories for Hope Network,  addressed the crowd of employees, Board Members and many of the people featured in the stories. 

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United Way Small Business Challenge
12/20/2011
Heart of West Michigan United Way invites you to take on the Small Business Challenge, created through a generous matching grant of $100,000 from the Steelcase Foundation. Any new United Way gift of $1,000 or more from a workplace of 100 or less employees will be matched up to a total of $100,000 by the end of March 2012.
 
Small businesses are the heart of most communities, yet during the 2010 United Way Campaign small businesses of 100 employees or less made up only 11.5% of total campaign dollars. This campaign year, United Way is hoping to change that with the Small Business Challenge.