04.29.2016
Working Towards The Future With Juma Ventures
As an Education Specialist in South Seattle, one of the first things Edward Brown does when he begins working with a student is ask them what goals they want to achieve in the coming year. For many high schoolers, finding meaningful employment is a top priority. Aside from just providing a source of income, Treehouse students are looking for opportunities to explore their interests in different career paths, build lifelong skills, and gain independence.
Finding jobs that provide these opportunities while accommodating a teen’s academic schedule can be tricky. Thankfully, there are some great resources in the Seattle area that Treehouse is able to connect job-seeking students to. One of those programs is Juma Ventures, which matches students to jobs in sporting venues, like CenturyLink and Safeco Field. Beyond employment, Juma programs reinforce the work that Treehouse Education Specialists like Edward do by helping students plan for the future and prepare for college.
For Treehouse senior Cherise, working with Juma has been a huge support as she makes plans for life after graduation. Along with helping her save for medical assisting school, she’s learning how to problem solve, manage her time, and have a little fun along the way:
“The Juma program helps you get a job in concessions in sports stadiums and learn to save for college at the same time. I thought I’d be good at the job because I love meeting new people. Working at the sports fields would be a really cool experience, especially since sports are such a big part of Seattle’s culture. My mom also worked in Century Link Field for 9 years, so I thought it would be cool to follow in her path.
Within Juma there are different levels of jobs and responsibilities. The longer you are there and doing a good job you have the opportunity to move up. When I started with Juma, I worked in the concessions stands. Now, I am a cart-lead for a coffee cart. To get here, I had to be reliable and work hard. I learned a lot from that.
I like working at the coffee cart because I get to talk with customers and the long lines keep me busy. Sometimes when the lines are really long, I’ll set goals for myself to get through the drinks as quick as I can to keep our customers happy. Juma has taught me how to be more resourceful—for example if we run out of a product I have to think of a solution on the spot. Especially if my manger isn’t around or is helping out someone else.
I’ve built great bonds with my co-workers. I get to meet a ton of new people and have made a lot of new friends. After high school, I really want go to a medical assisting program. Juma helped me set up a savings account so that I have money set aside for my education. They also host financial workshops where they encourage you to think about the future. I’m thankful for my job with Juma.”
The Treehouse team is so grateful to partner with Juma Ventures to connect youth with employment opportunities in our community. Thank you for supporting Treehouse students as work hard to accomplish their goals.
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About the Author
Emily Snitker is the Marketing and Communications Specialist for Treehouse. She is thankful for the opportunity to share the stories of Treehouse students, families, and supporters with the community.