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If you ask me about Texas priorities, education should be an important part of them. To keep the economic health of our state we need to assure that education becomes an open door to prosperity. But on the Hispanic and African American Texas communities dropouts, expulsions and teen pregnancies are big problems. Such a talent waste can be prevented.
Genesys Work is a good example of people thinking out of the box. They hire and train students in high schools from low-income families to do technical or accounting services for businesses and corporations during their senior year. The program gives at-risk students the opportunity to undertake a different path in life and open doors to new worlds.
The impacts of experiences like this are significant. In a moment where migration to Texas is the day-to-day norm, it is necessary that our human resources have the education and tools to help Texas maintain the competitive level. It is our responsibility, as a business community, to be part of the solution. Having a hand-on-experience could be very motivating. It is a learning process in new values, leadership, team work and working culture.
Genesys Works Program
 The summer boot camp is an eight-week training program for inner-city students. “While they learn the technical skills, they also learn about workplace culture and how to be a member of a corporate team, which are skills that aren’t easy to learn in a classroom and will serve them for life. It’s an eye-opening experience for most of them”, Jesse Carrillo, from Hines said.
After her intense training, Vanessa Nuñez was assigned to work at Marathon Oil as a computer technician. She discovered a new perspective for her future and her family. Today she is a college student. Her hands-on-experience helped her change the course of her life and her future, from living paycheck-to-paycheck, $6 per hour, to become a speaker on the White House last June.
“Being at Genesys Works has taught me that I can succeed as a professional in the corporate world… a world I never imagined I could be a part of”.
Vanessa Nuñez, 19 years old, White House, June 2009
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Business and Corporate Role
Filling the gaps should be a priority. Our less privileged youth need options. Business and Corporation should assume a leadership role in partnership with the educational sector, ensuring the empowerment of young people. We need a balance, and we have to do our contribution to society as part of our social responsibilities as business.
Experience like this will constitute a win-win situation for the business, the community and the state of Texas. |
About Genesys Works www.genesysworks.org
Founded in 2002 by Rafael Alvarez, the program is now expanding into other cities. Genesys Works count with the support of 30 major corporations.
Mission Statement
“To enable economically-disadvantaged high school students to enter and thrive in the economic mainstream by providing them the knowledge and wok experience required to succeed as professional.
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