Job Development
Job Development and Placement
Our employment services are designed to aid job seekers in identifying and reaching their employment goals. Using our person-centered approach, participants gain knowledge about job opportunities within their community. They are then empowered to make choices about their employment future. Port City’s only requirement for participants is that they want to work.
- Person centered plan
- Resume building/ preparation
- Work habits and etiquette
- Interview preparation and practice
- Work-site analysis
- Job retention services
- On-going support
- Job coaching
Job Development in Food Preparation & Service
Port City has partnered with SolTrekker to offer job development training in food preparation and service. Learn more about Solar Waffle Works…
Jessica and Mary
The Solar Waffle Works (SWW), Portland’s first solar powered waffle food cart, is now at Port City. When you patronize SWW, you’re not just getting tasty waffles, you are also giving a better education to local youth and supporting job training for adults with disabilities. All Solar Waffle Works proceeds go to support local education through the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Community Transition Program, to providing fair wage employment and job development training for adults who work with Port City Development Center (Port City) and to the SolTrekker organization.
The Community Transition Program supports under-served young adults in achieving the greatest degree of independence and quality of life as they transitions to life after high school. The Community Transition Program (CTP) endeavors to include and integrate students, ages 18-21 into the community as well as build transition links to community colleges and employment.
SWW is now providing job training opportunities for Port City participants. Participants work with our job developer to earn a food handlers card and learn food preparation and service skills. Participants in the Job development program also work with the Coffee King food cart at Port City. SWW food service experience prepares participants for work opportunities in the community and provides fair wage employment for job development participants.
Port City’s North Portland Farm will be one of SWW’s local farmers providing chemical-free food to the cart. The North Portland Farm plots are just adjacent to SWW on Tillamook Street, Thompson Street and behind the Port City building. SWW is excited to offer SUPER LOCAL ingredient options from the Port City’s North Portland Farm during the spring and summer months.
The SolTrekker non-profit organization partnered with CTP to start this cart. SoleTrekker provides free renewable energy education to area schools with low-income populations, and assists the CTP students in reducing the ecological footprint of the cart through the use of solar electric power and by sourcing food and equipment locally whenever possible.
SWW provides hands-on education in starting a socially responsible business. The students gain food prep, customer service and business management skills, education in sustainability and most importantly, community connection. Once trained, the CTP students will begin hosting workshops to educate other students and the community on the sustainability practices used in the cart. We currently have around 20 CTP students involved and hope to reach many more through the educational workshops.
Currently we source the majority of our food from within a 200 mile radius. Our goal is to source it ALL within a 200 mile radius. SWW runs on 25% solar power, and we hope to add more soon.
