| Grads win their
spurs for new jobs
Posted on Sat, May. 25,
2002 - By ADRIANA CORDOVI - acordovi@herald.com
Joyce Benjamin took the final
steps in fulfilling her dreams Friday. She had bounced from
part-time job to part-time job missing one component: motivation.
But Friday, when she graduated from Jobs Partnership of
Miami, an employment program aimed at teaching job principles
through scripture, Benjamin said she had found her confidence.
Monday, she starts full-time work at a day care center.
''It's motivating for me to go for what I really wanted
to do,'' Benjamin said before the graduation ceremony Friday
night at Trinity Church in North Miami. ``This time I went
back with more confidence.''
Jobs Partnership is active in 24 cities throughout the country.
Benjamin was part of the Miami program's first graduating
class.
Eight churches from Miami-Dade banded together to start
the 12-week program made up of two classes -- of Scripture
and work skills classes.
Nationally, 87 percent of participants have stayed in the
work force, according to Jobs Partnership.
Pat Johnson, who volunteered to teach the work skills course,
says the students were introverted at the beginning, but
as weeks went by, she saw a turnaround.
She taught the students how to dress, keep eye contact,
speak and write résumés.
''Even though we all come from different denominations,
backgrounds and cultures, we want to pull our resources
together and find ways to help our neighbors,'' said the
Rev. Skip Long, the program's national director.
Long was at the ceremony rejoicing with the graduates and
urging them to remain strong and maintain the jobs they've
earned.
''As you come across the stage,'' he told the graduates
during his speech, ``take your time. . . . This is a moment
no one can take away from you. You've earned it.''
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