At a recent gathering at Way Finders’ Library Commons in Holyoke, at 210 Elm Street, two dozen people came together in the community room. The evening began with a catered meal, courtesy of participant Sidmarie Sandoz. There was time for socializing and catching up, as people arrived and settled in. Once class got underway, there was lots of conversation around the evening’s topic: résumé building, with emphasis on how to highlight transferable skills to stand out to employers.

“The other week one of my Employment Support Services clients came as a guest speaker, remember her? She obtained an amazing paying job, even though she has yet to pass her High School Equivalency Test,” said Employment Retention Coordinator Ruben Arroyo, who led the class along with Employment Specialist Keritza Ostalaza. “She was able to show her company, ‘I’ve been working for you as a PCA [personal care assistant]. I got my certificate for CNA [certified nursing assistant]. You see my growth, you see my hunger.’ And because of her soft skills, the way she presents herself and shows she cares about others, all of those things helped open doors for her.”

The session was part of Holyoke Leads, Holyoke Works, a free eight-week job readiness program coordinated by Way Finders’ Community Building and Engagement team in partnership with OneHolyoke CDC and Common Capital. Funded by KeyBank and the Executive Office of Economic Development under its Urban Agenda grant program, the project kicked off in February 2025 and features two cohorts, one in Spanish, one in English. Forty Holyoke residents enrolled to learn leadership and workforce development skills, small business 101, and financial literacy. Access to digital skills training is also available, and all those who complete the program receive a Chromebook.

The key requirement for participation, beyond being a Holyoke resident, is to be willing and able to work. But as Cruz has learned from experience, there’s a more effective way to start such a class than by diving into cover letters.

“I’ve realized the power of getting people to talk a bit about themselves. Acknowledging them as individuals and also acknowledging their stories and struggles. Sharing stories opens the door to building trust,” said Cruz, who helped lead the first two sessions on personal development. “We also brought in a licensed social worker who led a session on how trauma can affect your job search. The overthinking, the fear of going into interviews, the fear of sharing information about yourself.”

William Carrion of Holyoke, who relocated to western Massachusetts from New York City in 2019, currently works at the Holyoke Mall.

“The hours really fluctuate, it’s not a livable wage. It has been a very up and down journey since I moved here, career wise and personally. I’ve been doing it all on my own, like muscling through. But I think we do need community. That’s what drew me to this class,” said Carrion, who was familiar with part of Way Finders’ mission beforehand. “I wouldn’t have been able to get the apartment I have now without the help of Way Finders. They helped me with the deposit, I’m very thankful. When I learned all the other things Way Finders does, like community building, it was like, ‘Oh, wow’.”

Sandoz signed up to learn more about resources and improve her skills—and has made some key connections along the way.

“I like that I get to interact with people from different backgrounds and nationalities. I like that they are able to taste my food and I’m able to network,” said Sandoz, who works as a care coordinator for the Center for Human Development and caters on the side with her business Sid’s Tasteful.

Kavonnah Newson, a mother of two young children, wishes the bi-weekly class met weekly. She was excited for the upcoming business classes presented by Common Capital.

“I liked that the program covers a bunch of different bases. Budgeting and finances. Computer classes during the day. Self-empowerment. It’s nice being able to come to a program and see like-minded folks, going through different things, who share their piece,” said Newson, who plans to pass on the information she is learning to others. “The instructors are fun and inspiring, it makes you want to stay. It’s nice to see people who believe in you and want to help you. In the world we live in, everyone mostly looks out for themselves. This group is about teaching us to give back and get involved in the community.”

Lynette Mendez, who is part of the Spanish cohort, was drawn as much by the content of the program as by the chance to make connections.

“It’s an awesome program, the topics build and build. It gives you not only skills and self-esteem, but also the chance to voice your opinion, socialize, and meet a lot of other people. A lot of important people,” said Mendez, who currently drives for Uber Eats. “I want to brush up my résumé, I’ve been taking jobs here and there, where they don’t really have a formal interview.”

Jose Candelario was also eager to update his résumé and had already booked a one-on-one session with Arroyo. A retired educator, Candelario realized the program was an opportunity to update his basic skills.

The program will conclude this May with the opportunity to interact with local employers, Cruz noted.

“We’re putting a call out to hiring managers. We hope to bring in those who are willing to do mock interviews and those who have current openings, to see if we can connect any of our participants with positions,” said Cruz.

With thanks to our partners, funders, and speakers who helped make this program a success!