On a QUEST to help unemployed locals

By Sarah Keifer

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one-fourth of San Antonio residents age 25 and over don’t have a high school diploma. Around 24 percent only have a high school or GED diploma.

              
This is above the national average of 43 percent of adults in the country who have no education beyond high school.

Thankfully, Project QUEST Inc., a nonprofit based in San Antonio, is providing a program for hard-working people who are living in economically disadvantaged areas. Their goal: to define the skills required to succeed in targeted, hard-to-fill occupations and recruit, train and develop adults so that they’re qualified and ready to fill industry needs.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” said Aja Stillwater, a participant in the program. “My goal is to become a registered nurse, and that’s something I probably couldn’t do without the help of Project QUEST.”

Eligibility

But can anyone just walk in and find training? The answer is no; there are a few requirements that must be met first.

To be eligible for the program, you have to be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, have a high school diploma or GED certificate and be able to commit to long-term training. You are not allowed to have a degree in a demand occupation and upon graduation, it is required to become directly employed in San Antonio in the occupation that you were trained in.

If you meet these requirements, an information session for the program is the first step. These are held at Project QUEST on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. and twice a month throughout the community

First Thing's First

The information session will go in depth about the program itself, and once that’s completed, everyone is required to take the Test of Adult Basic Education which tests math and reading only. This test is not scored, but it gives guidance to the best pathway for your success. 

A counselor will then sit down with you and go over your financial, legal and education history, as well as the results of the test, to develop a degree plan. Once that’s in place, the certification staff will review all the documents to determine certification for the program.

The last step is a final interview to assure readiness for school and a partnership with Project QUEST. The Participant Evaluation Team will then send all the paperwork, along with a recommendation to be approved for classes to begin.

Valentina Arevalo, recruitment coordinator, says that around 90 percent of people who go to the information sessions proceed through the program.

The Learning Begins Here

Project QUEST is partnered with Alamo Colleges, Baptist School of Health Professions, and Universityof Texas Health and Science Center to provide the education necessary for your career of interest.  

Once training is completed, you’ll be offered job search and placement services. QUEST staff will be there to help with resume writing and interview techniques.

Once a full-time job is acquired, transportation assistance, childcare and counseling are made available through Project QUEST to for up to 90 days to ensure you remain employed and you’re able to maximize earnings. They’ll also be in contact for the next 18 months to stay updated on how the job is going and to collect employment information.

“There is no better feeling than seeing these struggling people succeed in our program,” said Valentina. “They’re really able to turn their lives around and find a way to provide support for their families.”