Austin Community College offers programs and scholarships in the renewable energy field. And there are other ideas in the Texas Green Jobs Guidebook. Check them out!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Going solar for job training
Austin Community College offers programs and scholarships in the renewable energy field. And there are other ideas in the Texas Green Jobs Guidebook. Check them out!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Local Marine recruiter charged in sexual assault of high school student
[Update: according to the Austin American-Statesman, in August, 2012, charges against Timothy Craig were dismissed]
The following article about a Marine recruiter sexually assaulting a local 16 year-old high school student was published in today's issue of the Austin American-Statesman. As the article notes, this is the second time within a year that a military recruiter has been charged with a sexual assault of an AISD student, and in both cases, the recruiters made the initial contacts with the students during high school recruitment visits.
I hope that AISD administrators think about this. If the recruiters had been affiliated with an organization other than the US military, would that group still be allowed onto high school campuses?
When this kind of recruiter abuse occurs, the perpetrators are usually deemed "bad apples" whose behavior is not representative of military values. However, if one takes an honest look at the rates of sexual assault within the military and behaviors that are accepted and often even promoted within the armed forces, such as the use of misogynous cadences, pornography and the solicitation of prostitutes - many of whom, overseas, are underage - then it's not surprising that "military values" could lead to recruiter abuse.
Unfortunately, the US military is a male-dominated institution in which a culture of gender discrimination still prevails, and sexual assault is committed at higher rates than in the civilian world. This is a serious issue. It's among the most important reasons that I think high schools should not be used by the US military for recruitment purposes.
Here is the article:
The following article about a Marine recruiter sexually assaulting a local 16 year-old high school student was published in today's issue of the Austin American-Statesman. As the article notes, this is the second time within a year that a military recruiter has been charged with a sexual assault of an AISD student, and in both cases, the recruiters made the initial contacts with the students during high school recruitment visits.
I hope that AISD administrators think about this. If the recruiters had been affiliated with an organization other than the US military, would that group still be allowed onto high school campuses?
When this kind of recruiter abuse occurs, the perpetrators are usually deemed "bad apples" whose behavior is not representative of military values. However, if one takes an honest look at the rates of sexual assault within the military and behaviors that are accepted and often even promoted within the armed forces, such as the use of misogynous cadences, pornography and the solicitation of prostitutes - many of whom, overseas, are underage - then it's not surprising that "military values" could lead to recruiter abuse.
Unfortunately, the US military is a male-dominated institution in which a culture of gender discrimination still prevails, and sexual assault is committed at higher rates than in the civilian world. This is a serious issue. It's among the most important reasons that I think high schools should not be used by the US military for recruitment purposes.
Here is the article:
Marine recruiter charged with sexual assault of high school student
by Claudia Grisales Austin American Statesman November 5, 2011
Following a weeks-long police and military investigation, a Marine Corps recruiter has been charged and jailed in a sexual assault case involving a 16-year-old female McCallum High student, officials said Friday.
Sgt. Timothy Lamont Craig, 26 , has been charged with sexual assault of a child following a Sept. 22 football game at House Park Athletics Facility, near Lamar Boulevard and Enfield Road, court records and police said Friday.
The case has drawn investigators from the Austin Police Department, the Marine Corps and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which tracked Craig's movements in a government-issued vehicle and cellphone used in contacting the victim, officials said.
"The Marine Corps holds its members to the highest standards," said Marine Corps Capt. Abraham Sipe, a district public affairs officer. "We take these allegations very seriously, and we will ensure the appropriate actions are taken throughout the course of this process."
Craig had been a campus senior recruiter for the branch's North Austin recruiting substation since April 2010 , Sipe said. He recruited at McCallum, Anderson and LBJ high schools and the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in the Austin district and at Round Rock's Westwood High, he said.
Craig, who joined the Marines from California in 2004, visited one or two campuses a week during lunch periods or at other times allowed by the schools, Sipe said.
The teen told police she had met Craig at a recruiting booth at school, the affidavit said, though it did not say when. The pair exchanged hundreds of text messages starting in July and at least a half-dozen phone calls in September, according to court records.
Austin school officials said Craig visited McCallum twice, in September 2010 and 2011.
The Austin district "had no knowledge of any concerns with this recruiter prior to this incident," the district said in a statement. "As soon as the district was made aware of the situation, AISD police took immediate action to prevent this particular individual from entering our campuses."
The district did not have additional information about Craig's visits to other campuses. A call to the Round Rock district was not answered Friday afternoon.
According to the affidavit, the teen had made plans to meet Craig during the game, where she thought she was going to do a workout for the Marines. After she was dropped off, she met Craig in his government-issued vehicle, and he drove her to a nearby alley, the affidavit said.
There, Craig made a sexual gesture toward her before they engaged in sexual intercourse, the affidavit said.
The teen's guardian contacted police in late September after overhearing her discussing the incident, an arrest affidavit said, and Craig was contacted about the allegations Oct. 11.
Craig was booked into the Travis County Jail late Thursday night on $100,000 bail, jail records show. He was in jail records Friday night.
He has been removed from his position pending the outcome of the investigation, said Sipe, the Marine district public affairs officer.
"This is a joint civil and military investigation," Sipe said. "We will continue to cooperate, and once it is completed, we will decide whether there will be additional adjudication within the Marine Corps."
This is the second time this year that a local military recruiter has been charged in connection with a sexual assault of a high school recruit. In April, Staff Sgt. Roland Benavides was charged with sexual assault in a 2009 incident involving an Akins High School student. Benavides is awaiting trial.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Youth video artists! Second Annual "If I Had a Trillion Dollars" Video Contest
It seems that these days, everyone has an opinion about how our federal budget should be spent, cut or balanced. Youth are disproportionately affected by budget cuts, but often don't have a voice in the debate -- until now.
The American Friends Service Committee and National Priorities Project are pleased to announce the second annual If I Had a Trillion Dollars (IHTD) national youth video contest.
The IHTD Youth Film Festival asks young people to speak out on the federal budget and to consider how our nation prioritizes spending and revenue generation.
Who? The contest is open to individuals and groups of youth age 23 or younger; actress and activist Susan Sarandon heads up an esteemed panel of judges
What? Videos must be 3 minutes or less in length and chronicle how the video maker(s) would spending $1 trillion
When? Videos must be received by January 15, 2012
Where? April 7 to April 10 -- AFSC and NPP will hold a youth leadership conference, film festival and screening for members of Congress in Washington, DC. Those whose videos are curated into the festival are invited to attend.
What else?
AFSC and NPP offer a host of resource materials available on the federal budget and critical issues often missing from the debate such as tax cuts for the wealthiest and war spending.
Travel scholarships are available.
To see last year's winners, visit the IHTD 2010 winners page.
For more information about If I Had a Trillion Dollars, click here.
The U.S. federal budget is not just a bunch of numbers. It's a blueprint of what we value as a nation. If I Had a Trillion Dollars asks young people to understand their budget and tell us if it represents what they believe is most important -- most needed -- at this critical moment in history.
What would the next generation do with $1 trillion dollars?
Please join us and help us spread the word about this important project!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The GI Rights Hotline: a great resource for soldiers and their families
Yesterday, during our school visit at LBJ High School, a student made a beeline for our table and told me that her brother was in the Marines and that he was having trouble. I told her about the GI Rights Hotline, which can be reached online or by phone at 877-447-4487. The calls are free and confidential, answered by non-military volunteers who are trained in military regulations and can answer questions about many kinds of problems GIs face in the armed forces.
The kinds of trouble reported by enlistees include sexual trauma, hazing, racial discrimination, physical injuries from training exercises, psychological injuries, family problems and changes in core beliefs about killing in war.
As we tell students, after bootcamp, it's usually very difficult to get a discharge from any branch of the military, but the counselors who answer the GI Rights hotline can help by listening, presenting options and describing the possible consequences.
For students who have signed a DEP contract, but who have not yet begun bootcamp, it's important to know that you CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND. At any point before your report date, you can decide to not go. It is legal and there is no punishment. You can just not go. You can call the GI Rights Hotline to speak with a counselor if you wish, who can help explain this crucial aspect of the Delayed Entry Program.
The kinds of trouble reported by enlistees include sexual trauma, hazing, racial discrimination, physical injuries from training exercises, psychological injuries, family problems and changes in core beliefs about killing in war.
As we tell students, after bootcamp, it's usually very difficult to get a discharge from any branch of the military, but the counselors who answer the GI Rights hotline can help by listening, presenting options and describing the possible consequences.
For students who have signed a DEP contract, but who have not yet begun bootcamp, it's important to know that you CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND. At any point before your report date, you can decide to not go. It is legal and there is no punishment. You can just not go. You can call the GI Rights Hotline to speak with a counselor if you wish, who can help explain this crucial aspect of the Delayed Entry Program.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tabling at LBJ/LASA HS
We had a table today at LBJ/LASA HS and student interest was strong among LBJ students. Quite a few opted to take part in the stencil-your-own paper folders, and, as always, it was great to see how creative the students were. We brought some Americorps brochures to the career counseling room because we are noticing that schools don't tend to have Americorps information available for students. The brochures can be ordered from Americorps in bulk for no charge.
We added a new "Food Not Bombs" design to the stencil art. The panda designs and "Peace Takes Courage" are still the most popular.
Thanks for welcoming us to your school, Jaguars!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Job Training Resources in Austin
This is the info on our Job Training flier. The info should be current as of this date, but let us know if we need to update phone numbers, etc.
JOB TRAINING … Be who YOU are in the world!
American Youthworks
1901 E. Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 744-1900
http://www.americanyouthworks.org/
This non-profit charter high school serves ages 16-21 with high school or GED programs, health care, counseling services, social services, job training, and job placement. Helping 1,000 students per year, they also oversee three local Americorps programs: Casa Verde Builders, which teaches construction skills; Environmental Corps, which trains workers to restore and preserve parks and public lands; and Computer Corps, which has students teaching computer skills to children. Americorps provides a living allowance, health care, and (on successful completion) money to use for college or trade school.
Americorps for Community Engagement and Education (ACEE)
Charles A. Dana Center, 2901 N IH-35, Suite 2.200, 471-6764
www.utdanacenter.org/acee
Learn teaching skills by doing bilingual literacy tutoring in local elementary schools through this Americorps program. As with all Americorps programs, you learn valuable skills while earning a living stipend and an educational award to use toward college or college loan repayment. For more local and national Americorps programs: www.nationalservice.org
Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Texas State Department of (DARS)
800-628-5115
Assists persons with physical or psychological barriers to employment, by providing services or equipment needed for them to get a job, including job training or college, as part of an agreed-upon plan. Call for referral to the nearest counselor office.
Austin Community College
http://www.austincc.edu/
512-223-4222
ACC has more than 80 different job-skills programs that can be completed in a year or less, and also offers 2-year associate degrees and transfers to 4-year colleges. With campuses across Austin, including the new South Austin campus directly across from Crockett High School, ACC provides affordable, high-quality classes and financial aid toward tuition.
Austin Freenet provides free public computer labs and free or low-cost computer classes at neighborhood libraries, community centers, and public agencies. All Wired for Youth classes are free, including website design. See www.austinfree.net for class times and locations, or phone 236-8225.
Capital IDEA
504 Lavaca Street, Suite 1008, Austin, TX 78701, 457-8610
http://www.capitalidea.org/
Trains legally-resident adults, whose incomes qualify them, with training for careers in health care, high tech, or accounting. For full-time students who reside in Central Texas, it provides tuition, fees, books, and child care. Also provides free English, GED, and college prep classes. Has ties with local employers.
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas1015 Norwood Park Blvd., Austin, TX 78753, 637-7100
748-5574, Leah Winsberg, Eligibility Specialist, WIA Youth Services Program
http://www.austingoodwill.org/
This program serves persons 14-21 who are in or out of school, who have barriers to employment such as a physical or mental handicap, homelessness, runaway status, pregnancy or parenting, academic skills below grade level, having been through the juvenile justice system, and being or having been a foster child. Young people are receiving such services as GED, job readiness training, job placement, job coaching, tuition costs, child care, and emergency housing, rent, or utilities. Goodwill also runs the City-County Summer Employment Program for youth.
Internships are unpaid or low-paid jobs in which the employer teaches the worker job skills. Ask a school counselor, teacher, Workforce Center employee, or employers who appear at job fairs. Non-profit agencies may be willing to offer worthwhile internships, too, if asked.
Job Corps (inquire at Texas Workforce Center, 6505 Airport Blvd, Austin) For ages 16-24, free self-paced training in 27 different occupations, including medical assistant, CNA, auto body work or mechanics, culinary arts, welding, computer repair, and corrections. Training takes place at a residential center in San Marcos and lasts 8-12 months. On successful completion, graduates receive $1,200 to use toward college. The Job Corps is a certified Texas high school offering a diploma or GED; its college program busses students to ACC (San Marcos) or St. Phillips in San Antonio. Must be a legal U.S. resident, drug-free, not on probation, and with no outstanding fines, warrants, or court dates.
Job Fairs are of two kinds: one-employer and multi-employer. Employers may be hiring right away or may take part to gain community visibility and a list of interested people. Many offer on-the-job training, sometimes with college credit or professional certificates. Multi-employer job fairs include the quarterly fair held at the Workforce Center, 6505 Airport Boulevard, and the annual Goodwill-American Statesman Job Fair in May. Dress for an interview and take a current resume; you may be interviewed on the spot. Fairs are announced in classified ads, at employers’ premises, on billboards, on Public Access TV, on websites, and at Workforce Centers.
Texas State Technical Colleges offer certificate and associate degree programs in technical or applied subjects. The nearest TSTC to Austin is at 3801 Campus Drive, Waco, TX 76705 and offers programs in 31 different fields of study. Most of the 4,500 students live in dorms or apartments. Phone 800-792-8784 or ask your school counselor.
The University of Texas at Austin
Professional Development Center, 471-4622
www.utexas.edu/cee/pdc
Professional development classes for certificates (no college credit) in public relations, marketing, leadership, human resources, project management, and process management. Courses given at the Thompson Center at U.T. or at the Jake Pickle Research Center on Burnet Road.
The Urban League
8011 Cameron Rd., Bldg. A-100, 478-7176
Free GED, job-seeking skills, and specific training: typing, keyboarding, computer use.
Central Texas Workforce Centers teach job-seeking skills, offer keyboarding practice, and administer keyboarding and spelling tests required by some employers. Under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), some job-seekers are eligible for free career testing, transportation costs, skills training, work uniforms, and clothes for job interviews. The 6505 Airport Blvd. Workforce Center coordinates several services for younger job-seekers, such as work internship programs, paid summer jobs, and support services such as child care. For other locations see www.twc.state.tx.us, where TWC also offers links to training resources, actual job vacancies, forecasts of ‘hot’ occupations, and typical pay rates for various occupations.
This is only a sampling of training resources. You have many options; to explore them, first think about your interests, personal strengths, and skills. Find out which agencies or programs might work for you, and make an appointment to talk with them. Even if one appointment doesn’t work out, you can probably get referred to another agency or program that can help you. Talk with others—your friends, relatives, school counselors, librarians, and adults who do jobs you think you might enjoy. Ask about internships, apprenticeships, and community service projects as well as regular jobs. Sometimes, the best training is on-the-job with a good employer. The number-one best way to get a well-paid, enjoyable job is through personal contacts!
JOB TRAINING … Be who YOU are in the world!
American Youthworks
1901 E. Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 744-1900
http://www.americanyouthworks.org/
This non-profit charter high school serves ages 16-21 with high school or GED programs, health care, counseling services, social services, job training, and job placement. Helping 1,000 students per year, they also oversee three local Americorps programs: Casa Verde Builders, which teaches construction skills; Environmental Corps, which trains workers to restore and preserve parks and public lands; and Computer Corps, which has students teaching computer skills to children. Americorps provides a living allowance, health care, and (on successful completion) money to use for college or trade school.
Americorps for Community Engagement and Education (ACEE)
Charles A. Dana Center, 2901 N IH-35, Suite 2.200, 471-6764
www.utdanacenter.org/acee
Learn teaching skills by doing bilingual literacy tutoring in local elementary schools through this Americorps program. As with all Americorps programs, you learn valuable skills while earning a living stipend and an educational award to use toward college or college loan repayment. For more local and national Americorps programs: www.nationalservice.org
Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Texas State Department of (DARS)
800-628-5115
Assists persons with physical or psychological barriers to employment, by providing services or equipment needed for them to get a job, including job training or college, as part of an agreed-upon plan. Call for referral to the nearest counselor office.
Austin Community College
http://www.austincc.edu/
512-223-4222
ACC has more than 80 different job-skills programs that can be completed in a year or less, and also offers 2-year associate degrees and transfers to 4-year colleges. With campuses across Austin, including the new South Austin campus directly across from Crockett High School, ACC provides affordable, high-quality classes and financial aid toward tuition.
Austin Freenet provides free public computer labs and free or low-cost computer classes at neighborhood libraries, community centers, and public agencies. All Wired for Youth classes are free, including website design. See www.austinfree.net for class times and locations, or phone 236-8225.
Capital IDEA
504 Lavaca Street, Suite 1008, Austin, TX 78701, 457-8610
http://www.capitalidea.org/
Trains legally-resident adults, whose incomes qualify them, with training for careers in health care, high tech, or accounting. For full-time students who reside in Central Texas, it provides tuition, fees, books, and child care. Also provides free English, GED, and college prep classes. Has ties with local employers.
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas1015 Norwood Park Blvd., Austin, TX 78753, 637-7100
748-5574, Leah Winsberg, Eligibility Specialist, WIA Youth Services Program
http://www.austingoodwill.org/
This program serves persons 14-21 who are in or out of school, who have barriers to employment such as a physical or mental handicap, homelessness, runaway status, pregnancy or parenting, academic skills below grade level, having been through the juvenile justice system, and being or having been a foster child. Young people are receiving such services as GED, job readiness training, job placement, job coaching, tuition costs, child care, and emergency housing, rent, or utilities. Goodwill also runs the City-County Summer Employment Program for youth.
Internships are unpaid or low-paid jobs in which the employer teaches the worker job skills. Ask a school counselor, teacher, Workforce Center employee, or employers who appear at job fairs. Non-profit agencies may be willing to offer worthwhile internships, too, if asked.
Job Corps (inquire at Texas Workforce Center, 6505 Airport Blvd, Austin) For ages 16-24, free self-paced training in 27 different occupations, including medical assistant, CNA, auto body work or mechanics, culinary arts, welding, computer repair, and corrections. Training takes place at a residential center in San Marcos and lasts 8-12 months. On successful completion, graduates receive $1,200 to use toward college. The Job Corps is a certified Texas high school offering a diploma or GED; its college program busses students to ACC (San Marcos) or St. Phillips in San Antonio. Must be a legal U.S. resident, drug-free, not on probation, and with no outstanding fines, warrants, or court dates.
Job Fairs are of two kinds: one-employer and multi-employer. Employers may be hiring right away or may take part to gain community visibility and a list of interested people. Many offer on-the-job training, sometimes with college credit or professional certificates. Multi-employer job fairs include the quarterly fair held at the Workforce Center, 6505 Airport Boulevard, and the annual Goodwill-American Statesman Job Fair in May. Dress for an interview and take a current resume; you may be interviewed on the spot. Fairs are announced in classified ads, at employers’ premises, on billboards, on Public Access TV, on websites, and at Workforce Centers.
Texas State Technical Colleges offer certificate and associate degree programs in technical or applied subjects. The nearest TSTC to Austin is at 3801 Campus Drive, Waco, TX 76705 and offers programs in 31 different fields of study. Most of the 4,500 students live in dorms or apartments. Phone 800-792-8784 or ask your school counselor.
The University of Texas at Austin
Professional Development Center, 471-4622
www.utexas.edu/cee/pdc
Professional development classes for certificates (no college credit) in public relations, marketing, leadership, human resources, project management, and process management. Courses given at the Thompson Center at U.T. or at the Jake Pickle Research Center on Burnet Road.
The Urban League
8011 Cameron Rd., Bldg. A-100, 478-7176
Free GED, job-seeking skills, and specific training: typing, keyboarding, computer use.
Central Texas Workforce Centers teach job-seeking skills, offer keyboarding practice, and administer keyboarding and spelling tests required by some employers. Under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), some job-seekers are eligible for free career testing, transportation costs, skills training, work uniforms, and clothes for job interviews. The 6505 Airport Blvd. Workforce Center coordinates several services for younger job-seekers, such as work internship programs, paid summer jobs, and support services such as child care. For other locations see www.twc.state.tx.us, where TWC also offers links to training resources, actual job vacancies, forecasts of ‘hot’ occupations, and typical pay rates for various occupations.
This is only a sampling of training resources. You have many options; to explore them, first think about your interests, personal strengths, and skills. Find out which agencies or programs might work for you, and make an appointment to talk with them. Even if one appointment doesn’t work out, you can probably get referred to another agency or program that can help you. Talk with others—your friends, relatives, school counselors, librarians, and adults who do jobs you think you might enjoy. Ask about internships, apprenticeships, and community service projects as well as regular jobs. Sometimes, the best training is on-the-job with a good employer. The number-one best way to get a well-paid, enjoyable job is through personal contacts!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Israeli Arab and Jewish student dialogue, November 1, 5:30 pm
On Tuesday evening, November 1, Two students, Haneen Kinani (Arab/Muslim, 12th grade) and Yael Keinan (Jewish, 11th grade), both from Hand in Hand's Jerusalem school will participate in a public forum and dialogue at Congregation Beth Israel's Smith Auditorium, 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd. from 5:30 to 7 PM. The event, will include a presentation and dialogue centering on Hand in Hand, education and interfaith/ethnic relations in Israel and the United States. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public.
Founded in 1997, Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education, is a unique network of integrated, bilingual schools for Arab and Jewish children in Israel. Hand in Hand students are taught by Jews and Arabs in both Hebrew and Arabic. Learning each other's language, culture and religion is critical to breaking down stereotypes and fostering mutual respect. Students develop pride in their own heritage while acquiring the skills and experiences needed to live peacefully in a diverse, often conflicted, society. These are skills that are needed in every culture, including our own.
Hand in Hand is a living model of collaboration to create a more peaceful, pluralistic and democratic society. As one mom from the Wadi Ara community put it, "The school that we have started together as Arabs and Jews, parents, educators, and community members, is making peace, building it every day, every hour."
Haneen and Yael, who will be accompanied by Lee Gordon, Hand in Hand co-founder, are dynamic speakers and tremendous representatives for Jewish-Arab coexistence and peace.
For more information, contact Robert Ozer at 512-913-3953 or at bozer@grandecom.net.
This event is free and open to the public
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