The Human Services Pathway Graduation was held at Project for Pride and Living (PPL) on June 25.
This graduating class was the 11th cohort of the program, which run from September to June (10 months), and provides 10 college credits that the graduates can apply to future/learning degrees.
Normandale is the education partner for the program, which is grant funded and offered at no cost to the participants. PPL runs the program, and Dakota, Hennepin and Ramsey counties are the employer partners, who speak at classes and host students for onsite learning opportunities.
Attached are pictures from the Human Services Pathway Graduation at Project for Pride in Living last night. It was the 11th cohort of the program which runs for 10 months (Sept to June) and provides 10 college credits the graduates can apply to future learning/degrees.
Students attend classes two to three nights per week and learn about topics ranging from business writing, communications, and Word, Excel, PowerPoint computer skills. They also received resume writing and interviewing skills.
Many of the students hadn’t considered colleges, and were balancing a number of other time demands such as jobs, child care, household needs and other obligations.
All of the graduates spoke at the ceremony, and some common themes included personal growth and that “it is never too late to go back to school”. All of the students were excited to serve others in mission-based work of the Human Services profession. The jobs they trained for are customer facing, helping others get connected to government benefits (i.e. child support, health care navigation, child protection, etc.).
One of the graduates, Pahua Chu, entered the program more than a decade after being in a classroom. She was encouraged to apply by a neighbor and former co-worker, Bellaou Mamadou, who completed the program last year and earned an achievement award for her work. Bellaou is now working at Hennepin County and hopes her friend will join her.
top
