The SOME Center for Employment Training (SOME CET) is a tuition-free adult workforce training program that prepares adult learners for national, industry-recognized certifications for careers in Healthcare and the Building Trades.
SOME CET empowers people to move out of homelessness and poverty and into living-wage careers through hard and soft skills training, adult basic education, and career development.
At SOME, the bell ringing ceremony is symbolic for students. The tradition is to ring the bell as students complete the 6-month job-training program. Keshawn Davis-Curvey was the most recent CET student to participate in this prestigious event.
Keshawn began the workforce training program before the pandemic. She had completed her workforce training, but could not find an externship when COVID-19 forced many businesses to close their doors. SOME’s clinic did not close its doors and was one of the few clinics in the District that was still operating. Keshawn began her externship at the SOME clinic and would go on to gain employment in SOME’s medical clinic.
Completing a job-training program amidst the pandemic is no small feat. Excelling in an externship during a pandemic is even more incredible. SOME’s President and CEO, Ralph Boyd, was one of the keynote speakers for CET’s graduation this fall and during his introductory speech to the 2021 CET graduates, he said, “Our graduates completed 35,000 hours of online learning. Real hard work is rolling your sleeves up and deciding you want to complete a comprehensive job training program in a pandemic.” This perfectly exemplifies the amount of hard work and perseverance that was shown in Keshawn’s case.
When asked about the CET program and what went into that decision to take that next step, Keshawn responded, “CET has taught me so much outside of the MA field. I wouldn’t have been able to understand my true strength and courage. It’s not easy going back to school but it was worth it.”
It seemed like this was the right decision, as she continued, “CET is a great program because it offers more than just education. They have all kinds of resources for all kinds of people with a diverse list of needs. CET is unique because there’s just this overwhelming sense of oneness when you enter the building, when you talk to your instructor, or even in a class with a bunch of strangers. You become family and you don’t see that in just any program.”
Keshawn will now be transitioning into a position in SOME’s medical clinic. After gaining more experience there, she plans on moving into the EMT field. The last piece of advice she had was for people who were thinking about applying to the CET program. She concluded, “don’t wait! You’ll be in good hands here”.
If you’re interested in signing up for CET, please go to our job training portal!