By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor
Imagine a program that helps young people discover what career is best for them, helps them acquire the vocational training needed to achieve that career and then helps place them in internships or apprenticeships.
Equus Workforce Solutions is just such a program, open to youth from 16 to 24 years old. Crestline resident Heather Lowe is the program’s talent development specialist, who will work with the mountain’s youth.
Equus is part of San Bernardino County’s Youth Forward program.
“We work with youth to establish their career and educational goals,” Lowe said. “And we help eliminate any barriers to their achieving their goals.”
A first step Lowe will take is conducting an individualized career development plan. Many of these young people, Lowe noted, may have never worked. “They have no idea what they want to do. They are the driver – we guide them, they lead the way. We want to empower them.”
Once Lowe, with the help of the young person, discovers where their interests and passions lie, she will help them find the right vocational training, if needed, and then either an internship or employment.
At a recent Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce mixer, Lowe spoke with several local businesses, promoting the Equus program. The beauty for the business is there is no cost to them to take on an intern; the youth’s compensation is covered by the county.
How does a young person become part of the Equus program? There are certain requirements, in addition to being between 16 and 24 years old.
The youth can either be in school or out of school. Lowe said more of their clients are out of school. They must meet one or more of the following barriers:
- No high school diploma or GED
- Have a disability
- Be low income and basic skills deficient
- Be a young parent
- Be a foster youth
- Justice involved – either have been incarcerated themselves or have a parent who is incarcerated
- Be homeless
At an orientation meeting, Lowe will go over the program with an interested youth, determining if the youth is eligible for the program. If they are eligible and approved, they will formulate a plan together. Lowe can get them into a school program to finish their diploma.
Equus runs a number of workshops in different areas of interest. Lowe recently held one at a barber shop in San Bernardino. “We got the word out for any youth interested in barbering or hair styling,” she said. At the workshop, she went through the orientation process. Two of the young people who are part of her caseload are now students at a barbering college; the program pays their tuition.
She has another client who went to trucking school, which brought in companies that were hiring. Lowe’s client was hired. He needed a headset for the job; Equus covered that cost.
That particular young man had been homeless and had dropped out of high school. Through the Equus program, he got his diploma online.
When these young people complete a workshop or a training program, they receive a gift card as an incentive – “a pat on the back,” Lowe said. “You’re working hard. You set a goal and achieved it.”
Once a young person becomes part of the program, they will meet with Lowe at least monthly. “They have to be progressing on their own,” Lowe said. “We send them job leads but they fill out the applications. They have to be part of the process, stay in communication with us.”
It typically takes six months to a year to get someone into college or a job, Lowe said. “That’s our goal. If they are having trouble getting hired, we work with them.”
Part of that work is helping them build a resume, conducting mock interviews, offering those workshops. In the workshops they go over their assets, things employers want to see. “They go into an interview knowing their strengths. It helps make them feel prepared,” Lowe said.
And if the young person needs help getting to an interview, a workshop or an internship? Equus will provide gas cards or bus passes. They will even issue gas cards to parents, if the youth is depending on the parent for transportation.
Some young people have a good idea of what they would like to do; they need a helping hand to put the idea into action.
Others have no idea what they want. Lowe recently was developing a plan with a youth who has worked at ski resorts. “He has done a lot of physical jobs but would like to use his brain now,” she said. They did a career assessment to give him a jumping off point.
Equus will help youth get into work experience. What if they try it and don’t like it? “We can reevaluate,” Lowe said. “We do that every three months, finding out if they are still interested in that career. Are there any new barriers? We can help alleviate them.”
Equus establishes a contract with a business for the intern. Many times, Lowe said, the business will hire the young person at the end of the contract.
What about someone who is older than 24? Lowe said there is a “dislocated worker” program she can guide folks into. “Don’t be afraid to ask,” she said.
“I’m excited to get involved with employers up here,” Lowe said. “I know they want good workers, hard workers, people who will stay on the mountain. This is their community.
“If we’re not helping the next generation,” Lowe asked, “how will we continue as a society?”
For more information on the program, visit the Workforce Development website, workforce.sbcounty.gov/youth. Local youth interested in the program may call Lowe at (909) 757-0052 or email her at heather.lowe@equusworks.com.
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