JVS gets back to business

Before Shirley Tang discovered Jewish Vocational Service Los Angeles (JVS), she was taking on odd jobs to support herself. She’d travel to different cities to secure permits for solar panel companies and work with construction firms from time to time. 

Then, last fall, Tang saw a flier for JVS’ free training programs and decided to enroll in a class called ApartmentWorks. For two months, she joined 11 other trainees in learning the ins and outs of apartment maintenance — heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, plumbing, electric, basic carpentry, appliance maintenance and more. 

When the class ended in November, she earned a Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians (CAMT), attended a job fair held by JVS and was offered a full-time position at Equity Residential, a national real-estate investment trust. 

“I was interested in learning about this trade and wanted to get a career,” Tang said. “And I did. I am so happy about it.”

On May 7, Tang was one of the five 2015 Inspiration Award honorees at JVS’ 18th annual Strictly Business L.A., held at the Beverly Hilton. The annual gathering was a networking event and luncheon that raised nearly $400,000 for JVS programs, which provide training, support and career advice to Angelenos in need of jobs. About 450 people attended, and local KNBC-TV weatherman and comedian Fritz Coleman hosted the gathering.

Business honorees included Michael Nourmand, president of Nourmand & Associates Realtors, who received the inaugural Young Leader Award. His company and CPEhr, a human resources outsourcing firm, were recognized for their business leadership and dedication to philanthropy.

Alexander Grynevich, a military veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, also was honored by JVS. He had worked in the residential industry before and signed up for ApartmentWorks to get back into the field. 

“The class prepared me sufficiently enough to keep on going,” he said. “JVS refreshed my knowledge and filled in the holes [in my education].”

Grynevich, like Tang, now works at Equity. He was hired three weeks after the job fair and said of his new job, “They treat me well.”

Jonathan Quach, the instructor who taught ApartmentWorks, said the class was valuable because it offered employers qualified workers in an industry that needs them. 

“Not only do we lack the technicians in this field, but also the training,” he said. “This program not only provides the training and the knowledge, but also provides companies with different CAMTs in our area.” 

Founded in 1931, JVS helps people of all ages, backgrounds and faiths find their first jobs or aids them in getting them back on their feet. Today, the organization has 18 training and counseling centers throughout Southern California. 

There are two similar programs to ApartmentWorks in Los Angeles — BankWork$ and HealthWorks — that train individuals to become bank tellers and certified nurse assistants, respectively. According to JVS materials, it costs about $4,000 to train and recruit one of these students. Last year, 327 students enrolled in the classes, and 186 of them found jobs afterward. On average, they made $33,157 annually. 

Marguerite Womack, JVS director of workforce development, said there was a big demand for JVS services following the recent recession. “People in my Marina Del Rey office were once making $90,000 a year, and they were now looking for work. The recession got everybody.” 

Nowadays, things are getting better, according to Womack. She said there’s more of a demand for jobs in health care and that the construction industry is bouncing back. Still, she finds herself helping many young people who are having trouble finding their first jobs because of the competition with older people who just want to get back into the workforce.

Womack remains hopeful that in today’s climate she can continue to assist jobseekers and give them the skills they need to secure promising positions. 

“I like to see people’s lives changed, and it’s not always overnight,” she said. “I like to help people have that leg up and give them the confidence to move on. We try to make people better job candidates.” 

Thanks to JVS, Tang has been able to settle down and focus on her new job managing 308 Equity units in North Hollywood.

“It’s more stable,” Tang said. “It’s given me more leisure time, and I can now plan ahead for my future. I am grateful that I was given this opportunity. I got a job, and I work for a company that cherishes me and gives me an opportunity to learn.”