JobTrain

At JobTrain they say that hope is a wish with a plan. JobTrain is advancing social and economic well-being in our communities by opening pathways to quality careers for people of diverse backgrounds. Amidst Silicon Valley’s prosperity, there are a great many people who are left behind. Ninety-five percent of JobTrain’s clients are extremely or very low income, defined by HUD as $97,900 for a family of four in San Mateo County.

JobTrain offers its clients the skills they need to find and retain meaningful, rewarding work, and connect them with life resources, job opportunities, and personal support to propel them forward and ensure their prosperity. Through Career Centers in six Peninsula locations and intensive training programs in construction, culinary arts, healthcare, technology, and Property Management, JobTrain serves over 4,300 clients per year.

Growing up, Maddie wanted to be a teacher. She even started working at a preschool to pursue her dream. During that time, she worked closely with a 5-year-old girl who was battling cancer. This was a turning point. Maddie’s new dream is to become a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric Oncology Department at Stanford. “I am so grateful for JobTrain. I am supporting my own education, so it was nice that I didn’t need to get financial aid or a loan. The Certified Nursing Assistant class is hands-on, the teacher is knowledgeable and patient. Nowhere else does that.” JobTrain provided a pathway for Maddie.

Sand Hill Foundation has been partnering with JobTrain to increase local economic mobility since 1995. Annual unrestricted grants have enabled program innovation and expansion in the career training programs and capital grants have provided upgraded facilities for classrooms and wrap-around services. Most recently, the Foundation made a $1.2 million pledge for a state-of-the-art Center for Economic Mobility to be constructed in East Palo Alto starting in 2025.