“Today, I understand the role I play as the older brother of seven,” said Julian, “if you asked me that a few months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to express what that looked like or meant to me.”

Julian M., who was raised by a single mother, hurtled through many hardships as he took turns establishing his childhood between San Antonio and Houston, Texas.

“As a young child, I didn’t feel like I had a set path for myself,” said Julian, “lacking a father figure, I longed for stability and I tried to find comfort in the people around me; the people I called “friends” at the time, didn’t help to steer me in the right direction.

“Without even really noticing it, going back and forth between cities really had a negative impact on me.”

“The only thing I knew for certain about school was that I’d been to six different high schools between the two cities,” said Julian, “I was a good student, but my attendance and interest started to wane when I took after the wrong crowd. I was 16 then.”

“I often found myself struggling on the other side of the law,” said Julian, “I was lost in the depths of my consciousness fighting against drugs and many other bad influences. I got into activities that weren’t too favorable for a 16-year-old.”

“But my mom helped me through. She’s my rock and the push I needed. Even when I couldn’t recognize myself, she helped me find the will I had buried deep within me to go on.”

As a younger brother began to emulate him, Julian realized that he was the role model his brothers and sisters looked up to. And, upon that realization, Julian decided to turn his life around.

“When we got the opportunity to move to Houston, I saw that it was my chance,” said Julian, “and I cut off ties with the “friends” that weren’t taking me anywhere. Being in Houston offered me a chance. I felt that I was finally going to be around the right people. That’s when I found SER.” Upon discovering SER, Julian immediately enrolled in SER services with his mom’s full support and encouragement.

Julian joined YouthBuild Houston, which is a GED program that SER offers the community’s youth (17-24 year-olds) who have dropped out of school. Students can earn their GED while gaining skills in construction, earning a stipend and helping to rebuild and repair housing in low-income communities.

When asked about his hunger for change and the drive to join the program, Julian said, “I wanted to finish high school. I think it meant a great deal for me to see this opportunity through for the sake of my brothers and sisters. Taking that first step and opening myself up to what’s out there really changed my outlook on my role as a brother.

“I wanted to do right by them, be the ‘inspirational big brother’ that I realized I could be. So I began to change the way I talked around them. That’s what the program offered me.” “It was a great experience, I was excited. I felt like the schools I went to before didn’t care whether or not I graduated,” said Julian, “they were just getting kids in and out the door. I’ve been to many schools, and I know this experience was different. “I found my mentors here, they made me feel… like they cared. Mr. Sweeney, Mr. Green, Ms. Bennett, Ms. Zully, and Mr. Lee took it upon themselves to reach out and make sure I didn’t give up on myself until I saw this program through.”

“It’s amazing!” said Julian, “I have this new found confidence in school. There is friendly competition here, it’s something great because we lift each other up.”

“Before SER I remember just wanting to get by,” said Julian, “afterward, I’m thinking what’s next?” Julian has obtained employment and looks forward to life! Julian feels he found himself and his potential through his SER experience and has advice for others his age who are struggling, not knowing what to do with their lives.

“I would definitely say to give SER a shot, it will take you beyond the mentality of just getting by,” said Julian, “I feel like SER opened so many doors for me. Look at me, I did it!

“I would tell others to get it done now. You can get it as fast as you want it, let your drive and the SER team take you forward.” “I’ve learned a lot, being here,” said Julian, “and I can say I walked away with mentors, peers, and a vision for myself down the road.”

We’re excited to be a part of Julian’s journey, which Union Pacific helped make possible!

The post Julian’s Story: Stepping Up to Inspire appeared first on SERJobs.

Maria had experienced personal challenges, dropped out of high school, and was in dire need of resources to turn her circumstances around. So, she enrolled in YouthBuild that very day.

“I loved it from the first day,” said Maria, “YouthBuild helped me overcome my shyness and step out of my comfort zone.”

Maria was a hard worker. She studied hard and quickly obtained her GED.

“The GED classes were so easy for me – I was surprised,” said Maria, “and thanks to my coach and instructor, I got high scores.”

After that, Maria worked closely with her coach to find a job. In the meantime, she was referred to La Chamba Café + Careers for an internship. In 2018, SER established La Chamba Café + Careers, a social enterprise founded to blend the social mission of SER with the market-driven approach of a business. La Chamba was created as a platform to hire and develop young leaders, providing them with the skills and experience to prepare them for the workforce. Including communication, customer service, conflict resolution, professional dress, business etiquette, salary negotiation, conflict resolution, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and the ability to function well within a workplace environment.

“I went to work at La Chamba and fell in love with it,” said Maria, “it did not take long before I was promoted to café lead.”

After a few months, Maria was offered another job opportunity that she felt would further her career.

“I was offered another job with higher pay and new opportunities,” said Maria, “but that did not work out for me.”

During that time, the manager of La Chamba resigned. SER staff appreciated Maria and all her hard work while there; she was the first one they thought of taking over the reins. So, when the staff reached Maria with the new job offer, she was thrilled.

“I came back to La Chamba in late 2020 as Café Manager and am so happy,” said Maria. “I see myself eventually owning my own business – maybe even a coffee shop – and I could never have accomplished so much without SER and YouthBuild.”

The post Maria’s Story: Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone appeared first on SERJobs.

After his adoptive father abandoned his mother, Daniel W. hated seeing his mother struggle. So before starting high school, Daniel dropped out to work to help support the family, including a younger brother and sister.

“I went to work as a janitor at Metro,” said Daniel, “then jobs in construction, plumbing, roofing, painting, and carpentry followed. I’ve always hustled to get jobs, and I took what I could to help my family. Sometimes I had to lie about my age and experience, but once I was hired, I paid attention to what others were doing, so I looked like I knew what I was doing.”

At 18, Daniel found a well-paying job at a welding company and discovered his passion.

“The welding company hired me as a painter/welder, even without training,” said Daniel, “they trained me. So I PICKED IT UP PRETTY QUICKLY because I enjoyed what I was doing. But while I was working, my mom kept bringing up that I needed my GED, so I decided to take her advice.”

Daniel wanted a future in welding, but at 19, he agreed that it was essential to get his GED first. Then, he came across SER’s YouthBuild Program, where 17-24-year-old participants can earn their GED while gaining skills in construction, earning a stipend, and helping to rebuild and repair housing in low-income communities in the Greater Houston area.

“This first week of the class was Mental Toughness,” said Daniel, “I mostly stayed to myself – I’m very observant, and I wanted to see who would make it and who wouldn’t. So I watched who was taking it seriously, so I would know who to get close to.”

“To be honest, at first, it was frustrating because it had been four years since I’d been in school, and I had a lot to learn, but [Instructor] Mr. Sweeny was very patient and cared about us. He made sure we were serious, and I respect him for that.”

During the construction component of the class, Daniel stood out.

“When we worked on rebuilding and repairing houses, a construction company manager saw my hard work and asked me if I wanted a job when I completed YouthBuild,” said Daniel, “but I didn’t take that offer because I had my mind set on welding. However, I enjoyed it in the past and believe it has the potential to play well.”

After obtaining his GED, Daniel’s career coach helped him develop an action plan.

“[She] helped me get a scholarship to Industrial Welding Academy. I took two classes and plan to take the third class soon. During that time, I also took a position at La Chamba for four months while I went to school at night.”

“After welding academy, I was able to get a job in the industry, and I am so thankful. Now I’m well paid, I appreciate my job, and I feel that they appreciate me.”

At age 20, Daniel is happily settling into his new life as a welder and a family man.

“I met a great girl here at SER who is now my fiancée,” said Daniel, “she also took classes at the welding academy. We’ve been together five months now, and I’m ready to settle down. She was part of a package deal, and I love being a dad to our two-year-old son. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for SER. I have a lot to be thankful for.”

The post Daniel’s Story appeared first on SERJobs.

“I’ve never had anyone reach out like that.”

“I had the privilege of living with my mom,” Khalilah begins to explain her life before SERJobs, “So I had a lot of time to sit and think about what I wanted to do.” Khalilah knew that she wanted to get her GED. Unfortunately, knowing what you want sometimes isn’t enough to move forward.

She mentioned going to a GED class at a nearby college, but quickly lost “motivation because the teacher didn’t care.” She went on to explain that her first GED instructor would explain course material in one way and one way only. If she was unable to understand her instructor’s explanation, then that was it for her.

“They look at you like you’re nothing.”

Needless to say, this first attempt at obtaining her GED didn’t last long. Khalilah discovered SER through a Google search. She became interested in our youth and GED services. After stopping by to see what SER was about, she was faced with a difficult decision.

On the day Khalilah was supposed to come into SER to begin her GED class, she also had the opportunity to interview for a job at Fiesta. So what was she to do? Interview for a position that would help her earn money now or take a chance on a program that she was unfamiliar with but could lead to greater financial success in the future?

Khalilah chose the secure route– and can any of us blame her? Uncertainty is a luxury that not many of us cannot afford. Khalilah took the job at Fiesta, but couldn’t shake her interaction with SER from her mind. “I postponed that and worked, but all I could think about was the SER program.”

She also couldn’t stop thinking about Ms. Zully Ramon and Ms. Liz, “I’ve never had anyone reach out like that,” she told us. She was amazed at how much someone cared about her getting her GED and how simply they laid out a career projection right before her eyes. Eventually, she gave up her job and returned to SER.

“No has ever given me the feeling that it’s okay to be where I’m at.”

Khalilah joined SER’s YouthBuild program. YouthBuild is equal parts GED course, NCCER and OSHA 10 occupational training and certification course, and community service. Through this program, students are taught to gain confidence in themselves by uplifting their community, getting real job readiness skills, and preparing to take their GED tests.

Looking back on her time in YouthBuild to where she is now, Khalilah says that going to SER is the “best decision I’ve ever made; I couldn’t be more grateful.” She then laughs and jokingly says, “I think they care more about where you’re going than you do.”

She says that feeling valued and cared for like this made her confident in herself. She quickly began to think in terms of “what my life could be.” Not only did she find comfort in our staff, but with her YouthBuild peers. She mentioned that she found people in her class going through similar problems and she quickly felt a sense of camaraderie amongst her classmates.

When working on the construction and volunteer portions of her program Khalilah mentioned that they would “volunteer with houses affected by Hurricane Harvey or go help out at Meals On Wheels,” she found her volunteer working to be “touching; it just felt really good” to give back to others.

Given Khalilah’s previous experience with GED courses, we asked if she had any bad days during our program when she did not feel motivated. She said that before SER, “I didn’t have a plan or anyone to motivate me. During the program, I would still go to school on my bad days. I was ready, I was motivated.” Khalilah knows that SER believes in her, so even on her bad days, she believes in us too.

“SER showed me I can be myself and still take care of business.”

Khalilah says that alongside her YouthBuild skills, a big takeaway from SER is “how to present myself in the workforce. SER showed me I can be myself and still take care of business.” She now knows that she doesn’t have to sacrifice who she is to get hired and has instead turned her personality into an asset.

She is currently an intern at the San Jose Clinic. This position was awarded to her through SER’s employment services team. Khalilah is currently honing in her “clerical, office, and administrative skills.” What she’s most looking forward to is her starting her new job once her internship ends.

She met with employers from Color Factory Houston at a SER job fair and after applying and interview on her own, got a position as a tour guide! “This is the type of environment I want to be in,” she tells us after explaining her new job.

Overall, “YouthBuild is an empowering program that challenges us to think outside the box and to be thinking one step further.” As Khalilah plans for her future, these are skills that she’s already putting to good use.

When asked what advice she would give to young people considering SER’s services she said, “Go with your gut. If it’s your time, then do it. You have to know and really appreciate what you’re doing.”

The post “They look at you like you’re nothing.” appeared first on SERJobs.

Born and raised in west Houston with his mom, four brothers, and one sister, Basilio had to become the “father figure” at an early age.

“When I was seven, my father left us,” said Basilio, “and when I was 13, I had to start working in a restaurant as a dishwasher to help support my family.”

Always a hard worker, Basilio managed to do well in school, play on the wrestling team, and go to work every day.

“In middle school, my schedule was full. I had wrestling practice in the morning, then school, work, and then home,” said Basilio, “I had to work to support my family. And, I managed to do that for years, without much sleep.”

Once Basilio got to high school, his family needed him to step up even more.

“I dropped out after freshman year to work more,” said Basilio, “my mom asked me to quit school so I could make more money. As the oldest son I had to take that parent role and it was up to me to help provide for the family.”

By age 16, Basilio was working two jobs. He continued to work in the restaurant and got a second job in construction. But, after a while, things began to go downhill for him.

“It was when I dropped out that my life started going downwards,” said Basilio, “I got addicted to pills and started smoking marijuana and drinking a lot. That lasted for almost a whole year.”

Because of all the stress and anxiety he felt, Basilio gave up on working and gave in to his addictions. His mom kicked him out of the house.

“I had nowhere to go so I was staying at abandoned apartments, sometimes with friends sometimes by myself, and that’s when I was lucky,” said Basilio, “when I couldn’t find an apartment to stay in, I slept on park benches – where ever I could find a spot to catch some sleep. I started making contacts in the drug trade and looking for ways to make easy money. I was depressed and tired of everything.”

Basilio was at an all-time low. He began selling drugs.

“After a short time of dealing, I was caught and sentenced to three years,” said Basilio, “but since I had a clean record they gave me a good deal: five months’ detention, then an ankle monitor and one year probation. After completing detention, I could go back to live with my mom and siblings.”

“During those five months, I started thinking so hard about my life: What am I doing? Where is this taking me?” said Basilio, “then I started thinking about what my goals were. I started setting goals, and when I got out I knew I would achieve my goals.”

“I set five goals: #1 – get my diploma or GED; #2 – change my ways with drugs; #3 – prove that I can become somebody; #4 – become the role model that my younger brothers need; #5 and the most important goal – do all of this for myself.”

Upon his release, Basilio immediately began to work toward achieving his goals.

“I started completing them, one by one,” said Basilio, “and nothing was going to stop me. I got to a point where I knew I had to make these changes in my life. I heard about YouthBuild, and that’s where SER comes in.”

YouthBuild is a SER program where 17-24 year-olds who have dropped out of school can earn their GED while gaining skills in construction, earning a stipend, and helping to rebuild and repair housing in low-income communities.

“I got into YouthBuild, earned my GED, Osha 10, and NCCER credentials,” said Basilio, “and, at the same time, I joined another SER youth program called “This Way Ahead” to upgrade my resume and to learn people skills so I could get that confidence back that I had lost. I knew it would help me get a job.”

This Way Ahead offered Basilio job readiness, financial training and then an internship with Banana Republic, where Basilio’s strong work ethic was recognized.

“I continued working with SERJobs to find a long-term career path,” said Basilio, “and met with Jimmy Perez, manager of La Chamba. Jimmy offered me a job that would give me experience working with people and learning teamwork, handling money, making connections.”

“SER has been great, it helped me a lot – look at where I am now,” said Basilio, “I’m going past my limits – no limit will stop me from achieving my goals.”

As Basilio went through SER programs, he learned useful job skills along the way. More importantly, he learned life skills that will be with him forever.

“SER helped me so much in gaining leadership skills and other important life skills. It helped me realize that I have a voice and can help others see what they can become,” said Basilio, “after going through SER programs, I feel comfortable having conversations with new people. I feel confident for the first time in my life.”

“Entering 2019 is going to be all about my future,” said Basilio, “at this very moment, my work at La Chamba has opened up new doors for me. My network is growing more and more, I’m meeting new people, opportunities are opening up, so many people now recognize me in a great way, in a way that reflects my value. Before SER, it was “Basilio, the dropout” or “Basilio, the drug addict”, but now it’s all positive. Life is exciting because, even though I don’t know exactly what’s waiting for me, I do know it’s going to be great.”

“I’m planning for my future now because I want to be prepared,” said Basilio, “I want a wife and children and the ability to give them a good life so they don’t have to go through the things that I’ve been through.”

Basilio spends 3-1/2 to 4 hours on the bus getting to work at La Chamba every day. His determination and grit inspire everyone he meets.

“One of my main goals is to help youth by sharing my story,” said Basilio, “if I can teach them now, it will help them avoid the problems that I’ve had. Especially now when they’re young.”

For now, Basilio is living at home and continuing to provide for his mom, sister, and brothers, and for the most part, everything is going great.

“One of my brothers is struggling right now, but I am there for him,” said Basilio, “I’m encouraging him to come to SER because I know that his life can be changed there.”

‘I believe the best way I can thank SERJobs is to become successful,” said Basilio, “I want to show them what they did for me – what they helped me become.”

At SER, we work every day to help individuals from low-income communities transform their lives through education, training, employment, and financial empowerment services.

The post Basilio’s Story appeared first on SERJobs.