In 2013 Michael was arrested for illegally possessing a firearm and was arrested again the following year for possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with intent to distribute. With such serious crimes on his record, he was having difficulty finding employment.
Jacqueline Opher’s first visit to the Mobile Workforce Center was in June 2018, when she noticed the bus parked at the Erdman Shopping Center. She was considering leaving her job and wanted to learn about other employment opportunities.
Underemployed, Michael registered at the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development’s Northwest One-Stop Career Center (NWCC) in July 2018. He had a felony conviction that was hindering him from finding adequate employment, and NWCC’s Re-entry Center specializes in providing workforce services to those previously incarcerated.
Ashon graduated from high school in 2014 in North Carolina and shortly after followed family to Baltimore. He struggled to adjust to his new environment and faced a lot of challenges with employment and stable housing.
Kyle Green graduated in 2016 from Francis Scott Key High School, not knowing what he wanted to do next. He tried college for a semester but it didn’t seem like a good fit for him. Kyle’s jobs were limited to entry-level positions with not much room for advancement.
At 59 years old Maria Jennings was ready for a career change. She was working in the hospitality industry as a housekeeper, but cleaning houses wasn’t her passion.
Taisha Ellis Brown never imagined she’d lose her job and become homeless. Until May 2019, Taisha consistently maintained employment and managed to care for her special needs son and family. However, her demanding family responsibilities caused scheduling conflicts with her job and she was eventually terminated. This caused a ripple effect that led her to move her family into transitional housing. Eager to make this a temporary living situation, Taisha needed a job ASAP.
When staff at Maryland Thermoform decided to expand their manufacturing operations in 2018, they knew they could count on the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development to help.
