Community Partners

Center for Employment Training (CET) is a private non-profit organization. Their mission is to fight poverty and dependence on public aid by making a variety of skill-training programs available to adults of all ages, backgrounds, and educational levels. CET wants to help people become self-sufficient by offering them supportive services and by finding them a job that will pay enough to fulfill their basic human needs.

CET was founded in 1967, when there was heightened political and social activism across the nation. A group of citizens, who are now the founding fathers of CET, wanted to organize and establish a job-training center for the working poor and low-income people in East San Jose.

As time went on, CET gained a national reputation for exceptional outcomes. Compared to other training programs, CET had higher job placement rates, higher earnings, and higher retention rates. Due to this success, in 1990, President George H.W. Bush awarded CET funds to replicate its program model in other states. CET currently has seventeen centers nationwide; each center offers a variety of skills that students can enroll in. CET's program model has succeeded in other countries as well. Currently there are international CET centers in Chile and Belize.

The CET headquarters in downtown San Jose offers more skills than any other center. There are a total of nine distinct programs. The Industrial Relations office in San Jose is known nationwide for its excellent work in job placement for their students. They do everything from putting on job fairs, working on resumes and cover letters, and constantly creating relationships with local businesses.

See CET's Facebook page for more information.

The City of San José – Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo is committed to revitalizing the Downtown, bringing BART to San Jose, securing expansions of leading tech companies, boosting funding for affordable housing, achieving important pension and fiscal reforms, preserving San Jose’s hillsides and open spaces from development, and finding jobs for hundreds of at-risk teens. Upon his election, Sam Liccardo began serving as the 65th Mayor of San José in January of 2015. 

See Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo's Facebook page for more information.

Washington Elementary School, located in the heart of downtown San Jose, is much more than just a school; it's a community. This community raises and teaches the students from kindergarten until fifth grade, giving them a secure, basic platform from which to continue their education and personal growth. With the help of incredible teachers, administration, parents and volunteers, the students learn to thrive even surrounded by circumstances not typically conducive to success.

Maria Evans, the principal and a 1981 SCU alumnus, has an incredible level of dedication to the students and their futures. Under her leadership, the school has seen an outstanding improvement in quality of education and test performance. Her ever present energy and determination to improve the futures of the students have resulted in tangible, positive outcomes that will continue to multiply.

The students are friendly, polite, hardworking and very eager to learn. The students are very involved with school activities outside of the classroom, such as clubs including 'Las Mariposas,' 'Adelante' and 'China Club.' They have learned a bit about business etiquette from a very dedicated volunteer, Mr. Brian O'Halloran, who has extensive experience in the corporate world, but chooses to dedicate 20 plus hours per week to the kids. The students are used to having volunteers from the outside community around, and are very receptive to the help that we all offer. The students at Washington Elementary are truly a joy to work with.

Keep updated on events at Washington Elementary on their Facebook page.

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School works with underserved low-income urban populations of color. Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School (CRSJJHS) average family income is less than $34,000 per year.  On average Cristo Rey students are one to two years behind academically, but by the time the students graduate, 100% are accepted into college.  Approximately 50% of the costs of this college prep education are covered through the Work Study program and the jobs the students have. The combination of an excellent academic program and the opportunity to work in a professional environment provides the skills and training these students need to graduate and becoming successful members of our communities.

Cristo Rey San Jose Work Study, Inc. (CRSJWS) is a sister corporation to CRSJJHS and runs a Work Study program for the students of the High School.  Every student at CRSJJHS works one day per week and goes to school four days per week.  The program started in Chicago in 1996 and has spread to 28 schools across the country, having recently been featured on CBS This Morning, marking the 10^th anniversary of the 60 Minute segment on the Cristo Rey organization. 

See Cristo Rey Jesuit High School's Facebook page for more information.

The SCU Thriving Neighbors Initiative, housed in the Ignatian Center, actively promote strategic ties between Santa Clara University and the Greater Washington Community of San Jose in order to advance prosperity and education of both SCU students and neighborhood students as whole persons in whole communities.

See Thriving Neighbors Initiative's Facebook page for more information.